#Chapter6 #CarlsvilleBitches
After some hours of learning which almost bored most of the students, the bell was rung. You could see the sign of relief on their faces. Without waiting for a soothsayer, they trooped out one after the other, heading towards the cafeteria that was created beside the basketball court. Each clique had their table most especially the cheerleaders.
After grabbing the served food at the stand, I scanned for a place to sit as many were already occupied. Still glancing around, I bumped into this group of jocks, thank God my food was safe. It was actually Jackson and some other guys.
"Hey watch it pretty face" Tossing a ball he was holding, Jackson said with disdain which made me dislike him. His friends including Gibby snorted into laughter.
I was about to utter a word when I heard a voice
"Yo! Todd, You stay away from him "
Turning to see who it was, I saw Alex walking into the cafeteria with his lips thinned and his nostrils flared up.
I quickly approached him so he won't make a scene but Alex didn't care. He brushed me aside and went straight for Jackson who gave his ball to one of his guys.
Due to his height, Alex had to raise his head and glare at 6ft tall Jackson with his teeth gnashed together. As of now, the whole cafeteria which was noisy became silent with all attention on Alex and Jackson. Some took out their phone to capture every moment of the fight
"And what the fuck are you gonna do?" Jackson said looking down into Alex's face. he tightened his fist ready to give him an attack.
Alex spotted his fist which made him give a dry chuckle. With a smirk, he replied loudly "I'm gonna rip your butt off your butt and smash your balls with your ball" Alex ended with a grunt which made the whole student in the cafeteria echo in shock.
Jackson was about to make a move not when the guy with the ball walked up to him and said "Hey Jackson uhh you might not wanna get into a fight. You heard what Bradford said"
As he said that, Jackson's frown turned into a smile. He stared at Alex who was clenching his fist, waiting for an immediate attack. Stylishly Jackson backed away with his gang and approached a table. A girl and a guy who sat at the table quickly took flight when they saw him coming closer.
"You okay pal" Alex asked as I walked over to him
"Yea man. Thanks" I smiled at him while we walked up to an empty table.
"No need to thank me. We're friends. I got your back" Alex assured with a wink.
"Thanks but what was that for?" I asked before taking a tiny bite of my sandwich.
"Oh, you mean Todd?" He asked with a dry chuckle "Okay let's put it this way. In every high school, There's always this guy that acts as a bully. Jackson Todd acts as Carlsville's bully" Alex ended up tapping the table lightly.
"No way"
"Yo man! it's true. One time, Jackson removed a teacher's brake just because he stopped him from talking to a pretty girl"
"And what happened to the teacher?" I was more focused on the story so I dropped my sandwich.
He made a shrug before answering "Oh nothing much, he tried to apply the brake on the high way but old poor Jenkins smashed into a trailer"
"Jeez. You don't mean it" I said with my mouth open.
"Mean it bro"
"But wait a minute, why is he not in custody?" I wondered
"Jackson's father is a multimillionaire. He just paid the teacher off, same as the police and before you know Jackson became a free man"
"This guy is a maniac" I said to myself while shaking my head at Alex's story.
I was about to ask the next question when I was distracted by a scene that the leader of the Cheerleaders made. She threw her pink shiny pom on the bare ground and later stormed out of the cafeteria with her teammate who was begging her.
"Who's that?"
"Nora Beckman. The leader of Sunshine" Alex spitefully gazed at Nora as she walked out of the cafeteria with her teammate.
"Sunshine?" I asked with my brows raised.
"Yeah, that's what they call themselves. Nora is the leader, Jasmine is the second in command and also the principal's daughter and Hayoon is the third in command. she's gentle but clingy"
"Wow! They seem cool," I was referring to Nora. I didn't want to be a crusher in front of Alex but seriously, Nora is damn beautiful. she's just the exact type of beauty. The way she flung her blond hair, and her majestic walking made her hips look perfect. She wore a glitter crop top on a short glitter skirt which was meters away from her knee.
"Cool but evil, saucy, classy and mean" Alex listed, biting his lips.
"Woah"
"One time as a big guy, I tried to talk to Nora and she threatened to tell the whole school that my armpit smells like a pig"
"Really?" I asked with a faint smile
"Yea! I mean no. My armpit does not smell like a pig but the sweet Juxel fragrance" Alex replied with an assured look on his face. he further checked his armpit to see if it wasn't smelling.
"But I'll love to meet her" I said taking the last piece of the sandwich which I chewed hurriedly. Alex just stared at me and smiled.
"It's cool you love to meet her but ain't the right thing to do especially when Jackson is her boyfriend"
"boyfriend" I exclaimed to myself.
"Away from that, are you attending the school's reopening party?" Alex brought me out of my thought. he asked while taking his phone out of his pocket.
"re what?"
"Reopening party. During the first week of the new term, a party is being organized at Nora's house.
"Nora's house?"
According to Alex, Nora's dad - Jordan Beckman is an influential man who built a very big house in a fancy neighbourhood. Her parents were barely around, always travelling, the same as her elder brother who was at the university. Nora had the whole house to herself giving her the freedom to do whatever she wanted.
Alex explained to me while pressing his phone
"I don't think I'm up for a party" I said also taking my phone out. Since I was added to the class group chat, I started seeing messages regarding the party, weird or should I call it teenage emojis. They were talking about activities to do at the party. I wasn't up for all this. all I ever wanted was to go to school, get into college and pursue my dreams.
It was like Alex was reading my mind.
"Dude, I get you're a nerd and nerds have dreams but don't forget, you're in high school and in high school we freaking organize parties, and have fun" I just simply nodded without saying a word.
"And speaking of fun? what are your plans after school today?"
"I run a shift at a mini grocery store" I replied.
"Really? Where?"
"Downtown"
"oh my god, papa's pit shop?"
"the very same" I could see the disappointed look on his face.
"Okay what?" I asked with laughter
"Yo! Nora doesn't hang with boys who work at an old people's store" Alex deadpan
"Nah I don't think so and besides it's not that bad. Old folks are really fun to hang out with"
Alex tilted his body a bit with his brows raised.
"What year do you think you are? The 90's" he continued "Mate you gotta have fun with folks of your age"
I hate to admit it but he's right. I do have fun with my friends back in Star City, but ever since Mom died, everything changed.
"Alright, how about we meet tonight by 7"
"Now we're talking. I'm gonna introduce you to some of my folks and I bet, you'll love them" Alex ended with a smile, the grin lighting up his face. Suddenly the bell was heard and slowly the students dispersed to their various classes. I checked my schedule and I realised I had a biology practical. Off I went.
Closing hour, I couldn't find Alex, guessed he went home without me. I didn't mind, at least it would serve as an excuse to escape a fun night. After getting my textbooks from the library, I realised I was this close to death if I carried them inside my bag on my back. I had to drop some in my locker. I closed my locker and turned to leave not when I was caught off guard.
"Wassup newbie"
"Wait you talking to me?" I asked after looking back to see whether someone was standing behind me.
"Uh, I guess I'm talking to the guy who owns this locker right in front of you" Nora pointed to my locker "and I guess that's you"
I couldn't but put on a smile which was kind of weird. It was an awkward moment between us. I couldn't believe I was standing in front of my crush, the most popular girl in the whole school.
I was ashamed when she caught me drooling over her. Damn, she is hot.
"I'm sorry about that, it's just that---um I uh--I'm Blaze" I had to cut myself from what I was about to say. I stretched my hand for a handshake.
"You're really weird" Nora responded with a giggle. She seemed calm and cool, the opposite of what Alex described her.
"I'm Nora"
"Yeah, sure I know who you are" I guessed I shouldn't have said that.
"Well it seems like someone has been stalking me," she said with her eyes rolled.
I was caught off guard. I didn't know if I should admit it or not
"Yeah, I mean no no no, I'm not uh stalking you, it's just um" I became short of words. All Nora did was giggle at my awkward actions. She was about to utter a word not when Jackson and his gang including Gibby busted out from nowhere. Jackson went straight for Nora, he stood beside her with his arms crossed before lowering his head to kiss her on the lips. I became like a statue that couldn't move. I stood there gaping at my crush kissing her so-called boyfriend.
"What are you doing with this loser?" Jackson voiced out after disengaging from the kiss.
"Stop that Jackson" Nora tapped him on the shoulder with a light laugh "I was planning to invite him to the reopening party"
"Really? I didn't realize losers attend parties" he said again with a mocking expression which made his friends burst into laughter
Nora was about to correct him again not when I voiced out "Thanks for the invitation but I got to go"
I was boiling at Jackson's action. He was acting like a jerk that he was. I turned to leave not when he held me on the left shoulder causing my bag to slack off. I was so pissed that I didn't wait to hear what he wanted to say. I swung my right arm, with my fist very tight and then bang! I punched his face. He staggered back and was about to fall not when his gang helped him. I could see the shock on their faces, the same as mine. I couldn't believe I just punched a guy, causing blood to drip from his nose.
Jackson felt blood drooling from his nose. He rose his head and stared at me in hostility. He ordered his gang to get me. Since there was no Alex, I had no choice but to run but as fast as I was, I couldn't outrun the six of them. They pinned me down at the gym and beat the hell out of me. Kicked me in the stomach, ass, at my back which was thankfully protected by my bag. Nora begged Jackson to stop them from hitting me but he didn't listen. He also joined in kicking and punching my body. By this time, I started bleeding from some parts of my body, forehead, nose and some cuts.
Seconds later they stopped and walked away, leaving me in pain. Nora wanted to help but she was dragged away by Jackson. I managed to stand to my feet and then found my way out of the school.