°•°•WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE•°•°
"Oh you did not," Jazmyn snarled as she struggled to get back on her feet. Her precious Adidas sneakers were covered in milk, and her hair had a mixture of it all. When she was finally upright she jumped forward, winding her hand back. She was going to slap the new girl.
Right when her hand was maybe 4 inches away, the girl grabbed Jazmyn's wrist, twisted it, and tightened her grip. Her knuckles were white. Jazmyn didn't get the memo, and went to slap her with her left hand, only for that one to be trapped as well. She swept her foot, and Jazmyn fell to the floor. When she got up for the second time, there was a small cut on her lip, and scarlet stained the corner of her mouth.
I looked around us, just now noticing that a circle had formed and kids were cheering for more. How have I not seen them yet?
"Had enough yet doll?"
Jazmyn whiped her lip with the back of her hand.
"STOP RIGHT NOW!!" Mr. Fredricks boomed.
It suddenly got quiet, and I knew that there would be consequences. Whether I was involved or not was a whole other story. He took one look at the room, and before even saying anything, half the students pointed to me and the girl.
"Are you fricking kidding me?"
"I literally, did nothing."
One of the lunch ladies grabbed our arms and pulled us out of the cafeteria. As we were yanked through the hallways, students stopped and stared. Some of them were whispering, and others were smirking at how idiotic we looked. I felt my face heat up, so I stared at the floor.
"Pst. Hey, nothin' is going to happen to you," she whispered to me. "It was mostly spoiled prissy and me, so don't freak just yet."
Strangely enough I found this comforting, and brought my eyes back up to smile at the new girl. She returned it with a wink, and turned to see us being pulled into the front office. There were chairs outside of the principal's door, and we were dropped off at them before she went back to work. The woman gave us an eyeroll before turning around and wobbling away.
I'm sitting between Jazmyn and the girl.
The atmosphere feels so vengeful.
An unpleasent odor filled my nose, and I realized that smell was Jazmyn. I allowed myself to smile, selfishly enjoying the payback for my photo. It feels wrong, but she honestly deserves it.
"You've got some nerve newbie," Jazmyn smiled, turning to look at her.
"What's it to you?" She was slouching and playing a game on her phone. Kinda looked like off-brand Candy Crush, with cookies instead of the little hard candies. She has this focused look on her face, narrowing her eyes and biting her lip.
"How'd you feel if we were friends? I can show you the newest clothing lines and get you to the hottest parties. I like your style, and you've got guts. Not a lot of people are like you, you truly are rare," Jazmyn said in a sweet voice, batting eyelashes.
"No thanks doll, I'm not looking to become another one of your puppets."
Jazmyn's smile morphed into a scowl, the act falling away.
"That was your ticket out of this mess newbie."
"The only mess here, doll, is you. Both your personality and clothes are kinda filthy."
Jazmyn gasped, opening and closing her mouth like a fish before clamping it shut and crossing her arms, mumbling to herself. I smile in spite of it all.
This girl...
We sat quietly the rest of it, and I couldn't help staring. Now her nose was scrunched up and her fingers were flying across the screen. I watched for what seemed like ages before Mr. Fredricks finally showed up. I had gotten so used to analyzing the new girl, that it felt weird to be in the presence of another person.
The three of us were immediately rushed into the squished office of our principal. He stood at his desk, fists on the table while glaring at each of us.
Squirming around in my chair, I side glanced my partners in crime. Jazmyn looked like she was going to burst into tears (all clearly fake), and the new girl just sat there. She had her legs crossed and was fiddling with her nails. She appeared to be very bored.
I, on the other hand, was fearing what might happen to me. Jazmyn started it, but I aroused her. And well, newbie over here had her fun. Even if the principal decided to not punish me, Jazmyn certainly would. In her own way.
"Someone want to tell me how this began," he questioned, pointedly at the three of us. As if any one of us would fess up. Jazmyn would try and slither her way out of it, I know that I didn't, but don't want to piss Jazmyn off even more. And I don't even know this new girl.
I was shocked when she raised her hand.
"Sir, when may I leave?" Asking this while her eyes were glued to her hand. Our principal turned crimson, and ran a hand over his bald head, deep breathing.
"I'm sorry, am I wasting your time?"
"As a matter of fact, you are," she stated after moving her attention to the bracelets on her wrist. She started twisting them and tapping each bead. I think she's counting them.
"Mr. Fredricks I really don't think I should be here, I'm the victim," Jazmyn whined, slowly picking bits of "food" out of her hair and putting it in the trash beside her. It was hopeless. The gunk was everywhere, and she'd have to take multiple showers to be absolutly sure all of it was gone. I heard a snort beside me.
Whipping my head up, I stared wide-eyed at the new girl as her snorts turned into restless laughter. She just kept laughing and laughing. She hit her knee before clutching her stomach, whiping up tears as she settled back down.
"What's so funny?"
She finally peeled her eyes away from herself and looked at Jazmyn, smirking, and chewing on her lip to keep from continuing to laugh.
"Oh nothing doll, you're right. You're the victim here. Nobody else. No idea why anyone would believe otherwise."
I watched, biting back my own smile.
"Jazmyn is going to slit her throat as soon as she gets the chance to do so."
Our principal snapped for her to look at him, and locking eyes he asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?" If I didn't know any better, I'd say he almost sounded curious.
Her smile grew wider.
"As a matter of fact, I do."
I stared in silence as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket, unlocked the device, and opened up the photos. Leaning forward, she turned the phone for him to watch. The longer his eyes took in the imagery, the more his mouth hung open.
And that's when I heard it.
She had recorded Jazmyn talking about Tina, as well as her attempting to throw a tray at me. There was proof of Jazmyn acting out.
I watched from the side, and saw things that made my own jaw drop.
Jazmyn had shoved me to the floor and dumped water on me before the new girl stepped in. During the moment, I guess I hadn't even realised. And now, my own curiousity rising, I felt the sleeve of my sweater.
It was damp.
She slipped it back in her pocket, and leaning back in her seat as she stared at the ceiling. Hands behind her head as if she were sitting on a beach, and not in a plastic chair.
"Sorry, you were the victim right? Cus' to me it looks like you're the bully. Anyone can see that. But they're too scared to stand up to you because of your popularity, isn't that right doll?"
Jazmyn just sat there, clenching her jaw while staring at the floor.
Mr. Fredricks paused, and sat down, rubbing his scalp, deep in thought.
After a few moments, he straightened.
"Witman, due to having video proof of the occurance that shows your position in the situation, you're getting two weeks dish duty with the lunch ladies. Peterson, because you were a bystander and stood up for Hill, you're just going to have detention for the rest of the week. Hill, you're off the hook. But if I catch any of you so much as cuss at each other, all three of you will be in big trouble. You understand?"
Peterson smirked, nodding while gathering her things. I threw my own pack over my shoulder and paused.
"This isn't fair."
She helped me out when she doesn't even know me. Who does that? I might as well return the favor. A lie made it's way to the tip of my tongue, and I started talking before I could change my mind.
"Mr. Fredricks, may I speak to you."
He looked up from his papers, puzzled.
"Oh... uh, sure. Peterson, Witman, you may go now."
I waited until the two of them walked out and closed the door before saying a word.
"Not the dumbest thing I've ever done."
I took a deep breath.
"I think I started it, sir."
He raised an eyebrow as I continued, slowly.
"I told Jazmyn to go away when she said started talking to Tina. I was scared she'd take her away from me or something, so I was really rude to her, and things got heated from there. She started insulting Tina, and I got really mad."
"Wow, I sound so stupid right now."
"I might have mentioned the way I feel about Jazmyn before hand to Peterson. On accident. I think that's why she got between the two of us."
He was nodding.
"Hill, I understand but that doesn't make it ok. I'm giving you the rest of the week detention with Peterson. Maybe this will help you realize how silly you're being. You're a good kid and I don't believe that your friend would ditch you. But hey, it's only five days."
Nodding, I got out of my chair and left the office, relieved that he actually believed my story. I didn't want her to get the full force of the situation, expecially after all she's done so far.
"I can't believe I just did that."
Surprisingly, they had waited for me. We started to walk down the hall to go back to the cafeteria, and we approached the bathrooms.
As soon as we were far enough to be out of earshot, Jazmyn pushed Peterson into the girls bathroom. I followed them in, panic rising in my heart. When I turned the corner I saw that Jazmyn had her pinned against the tiled wall. I could've sworn I saw Peterson smile.
"Listen here bitch, if you ever dare, ever even consider the idea of getting me in trouble again, I'll hunt you down and send you to the fucking hospital. It'll all look like an accident so you better get your shit together. I don't play these games, and not with a loser like you. Understood?"
Peterson smirked and leaned in closer.
"How many times do I have to show you that I'm not afraid. You pull your little strings and get what you want all day long. But you wanna know something funny doll? It isn't going to work on me. So for your own saftey I suggest you back the fuck up."
She must've muttered something that I couldn't hear, because in the mirror I saw Jazmyn glance back at me, and she had annoyance plastered all over her face. She put her hands in her pockets, and inched her way towards the door. My eyes followed her the whole way out, and when I turned around the girl was right there, looking down at me.
"Wow... she's... tall..."
"Hey, are you ok?" She asked me, concern mixed into her eyes. Like warm cocoa, they remind me of chocolate. "You're not cold or anything are you?"
I suddenly became aware that I was shivering, and started to rub my arms.
"Um, yea just a little chilly. Must have been the water."
Frowning, she picked up her bag from the floor and pulled out a black hoodie. "Here, I won't be wearing it anyway so I might as well let you borrow it, you can change in one of those if you don't want to in front of me," she pointed at the stalls. Chuckling, looking slightly embarrassed, she stumbled over her words. "I mean, not that that's innapropriate. You'd just be changing. There's nothing wrong with that..."
I had no idea what she was blabbering on about because most of it had become inaudible. So I accepted the hoodie and went into a stall to change. When I walked out she was still there, and was playing on her phone, nose all scruntched up.
"That's adorable," I thought to myself. "Wait... adorable?"
"Are you feeling better? At least you won't be freezing now," she said with a smile tugging at the corners of full lips.
I feel like my vocabulary is slipping away from me, as I try to grasp at it the words float just out of reach. So I ended up giving a small smile and nodding, wanting to dig a hole and crawl into it.
"Well, we haven't really 'met,' if you know what I mean. So, hey. I'm Emma. It's nice to meet you..." she spoke, pausing for me to fill in my name.
"Caroline," I whispered.
"Why am I so quiet..."
"Hm," she said, squinting. She had a hand on her chin, halting to think. "You need a nickname." Those chocolate eyes lit up, and she smiled softly at me.
"You kinda remind me of a ghost, so... how about Carrie?"
A small smile started to form on my lips.
"A ghost huh?"
"Yea, that sounds nice," I whispered.
She smiled. "So, Carrie, why don't we head back to lunch? I'm quite ravenous, and we have some time left," she noted, slinging her bag over one shoulder. Just like the tree-climber.
"Sure thing," I replied, coming back to my senses. "Do you want to sit with us?"
"Why not," she replied, shrugging.
She took the lead, walking in front of me. She pulled me along by the hand, and now that we weren't face to face, I took the moment to look at my reflection. I shook my head when I saw myself staring back at me.
My cheeks were rosy.