“I’m a nervous freaking wreck. Every time I turn a corner I expect her to be waiting there, ready to attack.” Mike is so amped that I didn’t put up a fight when she asked if we can eat in the library. We grabbed a table at the end of the stacks in front of a window that overlooks the mountains and is far from the front door. I haven’t seen Blake yet today and was hoping to see him at lunch, but Mike’s sanity is more important.
“What do you think she’ll do?”
“Rip out my heart?”
I snort, almost choking on my sandwich. “I wouldn’t put it past her.”
She smiles. “It could happen.”
“I know it’s gonna be awful when she unleashes, but what do you think she’ll actually do?”
I find out on the way to English when a foot catches my ankle and I fall directly on my knee. I look behind me to see who it is and spot a blond ponytail whipping through the crowd of kids, but I can’t say for sure that it was Brianna. I’d be surprised if she actually did her own dirty work—I’d expect her to send Kenzie or some freshman I don’t know—but maybe she’s so pissed she wants to see me go down—literally—in person.
I limp into English and for the first time since I started at Monarch, I don’t hide that I’m looking for Blake. Our eyes meet and my cheeks flush as I think about our kiss on Saturday.
But he has a different reaction when he sees me: his eyes narrow and his jaw clenches. He’s out of his seat and at my side before I have time to contemplate what it means.
“What happened? Why are you limping?”
My heart swells, but I can’t tell him. Not until Brianna is done with whatever she has planned. “I tripped in the hallway. Landed on my knee.”
“Oh shit.” He slips his arm under mine and guides me to my desk. “Do you need to go to the nurse?”
I sit at my desk and run my fingers over my kneecap. It feels swollen but it’s been so touchy this year that I won’t be able to tell for an hour or so if it’s actually serious. “Maybe after class.”
He squats next to me and looks into my eyes, his hair falling across his forehead. “I’ll help you if you want.”
“All right class, take your seats.” Ms. Simpson shuts the door and stands at the front of the room. She catches my eye and a soft smile plays over her mouth. “Please pass your papers forward, then open your books to...”
I turn around to look at Blake. He’s already handing his paper to the person in front of him, but he catches my eye and gives me another smile.
After class, Blake is at my desk before I even try to stand. He slips his arm around my waist to help me up and his hand settles on the curve of my waist, turning my insides to mush.
“It doesn’t hurt that bad anymore.”
He tilts his head toward mine and whispers against my ear. “That’s okay.”
I can’t fight the dopey smile that probably tells everyone in the hallway that this boy makes me ga-ga.
He keeps his arm around my waist but lowers it so I can walk normally. “Where’s your next class?”
I blank for a moment, too busy scanning the hall for the Snow Bitches. “Um, just around the corner.”
“Do you need help?”
As much as I’d love for him to scoop me into his arms, I shake my head. “No. But thanks.”
“I’m this way.” He points in the opposite direction. “I’ll see you later.” His hand slides out from around me and runs along my jawline. Everything inside me urges him to kiss me, and he does, but only on the cheek. I guess we’re still a little new for PDA.
“Bye.” My side is still warm from where he held me. I close my eyes, reliving the sensation of where his lips touched my cheek, and an elbow to the back sends me flying. I don’t fall this time, but whoever pushed me is gone by the time I turn around. “Seriously?!” I shout at no one.
A group of freshman girls give me a funny look, but otherwise people ignore me. Just another day in high school.
***
The Attack of the Snow Bunnies is in full effect on Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning Mike is so anxious she’s about to crawl out of her skin. “She hasn’t said ANYTHING to me. Not a single bitchy thing. This is just weird.”
I rub my arm. I’ve been elbowed, tripped, and straight-out pushed between every class. I haven’t fallen again, but only because now I’m ready for it. “I think she’s taking most of her anger out on me.” A small part of me worries that this is my new reality, that I won’t survive high school without Sophia and the guys, but I push it deep inside me and refuse to let it worm its way back up. This won’t last.
It can’t.
Tears well in her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re putting up with this.”
My chest tightens just thinking about Bri, but it’s not like I have a choice. “She can’t do this forever. One of these times I’ll see her coming and I swear I’ll knock her on her bunnied-ass.”
“I want to be there for that!”
But the morning is oddly quiet. Mike and I eat in the cafeteria, but as far away as we can get from her former friends. I catch Evan looking at us a couple times, but so far he hasn’t approached me. I’m a little surprised he’s caving to Brianna after everything he said, but I can’t say I blame him. After seeing how she’s treating me, maybe he’s decided it’s easier to be a follower.
But still.
I leave lunch a little early to meet Blake outside of English and breathe a sigh of relief when I see him leaning against the wall, one foot propped up, arms crossed over his chest. He smiles that adorable crooked smile when he sees me. I want to fall into his arms but there are too many people around, even for the end of lunch, plus we haven’t really kissed since Saturday and I don’t think Ms. Simpson would appreciate having to climb over us to get into her classroom. I settle for stopping inches in front of him.
He scans my face. “Everything okay?”
I haven’t told him about the non-stop onslaught, but he has to have heard something by now. “Just a little tired.”
“I wish it was already Friday.”
Friday, when I can finally escape their harassment, but wait—he’s smiling at me again and—oh! He means our date! I smile a moment too late. “Me too.”
He cocks his head. “You sure?”
“Yes, more than you know.” Okay, that might have been overkill, but I can’t help it. He’s so freaking hot that I just want to—oops, now I’m touching his chest. It’s like my body has a mind of it’s own and—oh! He’s leaning in. Finally! His lips press against mine and I relax against him. His arms wrap around me and I’m reaching for his face when something hits me in the back of the head and my lip explodes in Blake’s mouth.
Blake opens his eyes. “What the hell was that?”
I run my tongue over my lip. Blood. I am freaking bleeding.
That’s it. I slam my books on the ground and whirl around. “Enough!” I shout. To my surprise, Brianna’s standing there, hands on her hips. Her presence startles me and I lose my momentum. Why didn’t she run away? Why is this time different?
Blake steps around me and glares at Brianna.
Her steely gaze falters for a beat, but she doesn’t back down.
“What. The. Hell. Was. That?” Blake enunciates each word so sharply that Brianna blinks with each one. She glances over her shoulder like maybe she’s regretting staying this time, but it’s too late now.
She points at me. “Ask your girlfriend.”
I shrug. “Brianna’s got the hots for me and has reverted to elementary school where you assault the one you love.” The look on her face—eyes wide, blush rapidly covering her face—almost makes the abuse worth it.
“I—what?! No!” She steps toward me but Blake blocks her approach. She points a perfectly manicured finger at me. “You know exactly what this is about.”
“Yeah, I called you out for being a bitch and—shocking—you’ve responded by being an even bigger bitch.” I’m about to accuse her of stealing Dad’s notebook but I suddenly realize that all traffic in the hallway has stopped, pushing the three of us into the middle of an MMA cage. Any minute bets will be placed on who will win. Considering I’m already bleeding, my guess is the odds are in her favor, but they don’t know that my body can take a hit and keep going.
Blake looks between us and settles on Bri, but points at me. “I don’t know what crawled up your ass and made you worse than usual, but it’s gone too far. She’s bleeding.”
I touch my lip. My finger comes away bloodier than I expected.
Brianna’s faces shifts from red to ghostly pale in a heartbeat. “She deserves it for—”
A shrill whistle makes everyone jump. “Get to class!” Ms. Simpson stands at the edge of the circle, arms crossed. Her gaze rakes over each student. “Now.”
Brianna turns to flee but Ms. Simpson catches her arm. “Not so fast, Miss Vines.” She looks at me, then Blake. “All three of you to the principal’s office.”
The crowd scatters and Blake and I fall in step toward the office, Brianna trailing a dozen yards behind us.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he says low enough so Brianna can’t hear.
I press my sleeve against my lip, then yank it away. I’ve ruined my favorite sweater! “That bitch!”
“Cally.”
“It’s about Mike.”
“She wasn’t even there.”
“I know. I convinced Mike to break up with the Snow Bitches and they’re taking it out on me.”
He stops with his hand on my arm, then looks back at Brianna and keeps moving. “You’re taking this abuse for someone else?”
“Mike’s the one being abused. I know she’s not like them and I couldn’t sit by and do nothing.” The weight of the past week lightens from finally telling someone. I don’t regret going through this for Mike, but you can only be pushed and tripped for so long before you start to question if it’s worth it.
He squeezes my arm. “She’s lucky to have you as a friend.”
“Only if I survive.”
We enter the principal’s office but Ms. Simpson must not have called down yet because the secretary doesn’t know why we’re there. Brianna enters behind us and I clench my fists at my sides. Falling on her bunny-ass is minor compared to what I want to do to her now.
Blake must notice my reaction because he tugs me to the far end of the office. I glare at Brianna with my arms crossed until Ms. Simpson opens the door.
“We need to see Mr. Taft.”
The secretary ushers us past her desk into the epicenter of the school.
I met the principal my first week, but since then I’ve only seen him strolling the halls. Word is he likes to mingle with his students so he knows what’s going on, but right now his usual relaxed smile is replaced with scowl. His gaze lands on me and stays there. “Miss Clarke, why are you bleeding?”
I point at Brianna. “She pushed me.” I leave out that it was technically Blake’s teeth that broke the skin.
He turns to Brianna, but he doesn’t just turn his head—his entire body shifts so all his focus is on her. “Is this true?”
Brianna shrugs.
“A verbal answer, please.”
“I might have bumped into her when I was adjusting my book bag. The halls were really crowded.” Her normally ice-cold expression melts into one of utter sincerity: wide eyes, full lips pulling into a frown, brow creased in concern.
But all I see is her noticeable lack of a book bag.
“Mr. Taft, you know I would never intentionally hurt anyone.”
He clears his throat. “What I know is Cally is bleeding and Ms. Simpson felt that whatever happened was bad enough that she’s missing class to be here. So let’s try again.”
Brianna seems to crumble under his stare. Her shoulders droop and the fake frown turns real. “Cally stole my best friend.”
I choke on a laugh. Best friend?
Their eyes shift to me, waiting for a response. Blake’s hand finds the small of my back and I draw courage from his touch. “Mike is not her best friend. She treats her like crap. Granted she hasn’t made her bleed...”
Mr. Taft pulls a tissue from a box on his desk and hands it to me. “It sounds like we have some hurt feelings here. High school is a time for discovering who you are and,” he pauses, “that often means making new friends. Brianna, I’m sorry if you feel like Cally stole your friend, but I suspect this won’t have much effect on your social calendar.”
I cover my mouth with the tissue to keep from laughing. He can’t know how important that is to her, can he?
“But—”
Mr. Taft cuts her off. “Unfortunately for you, I don’t tolerate fighting in my school.”
“I told you, I tripped.”
Ms. Simpson coughs, covering her mouth with her hand. Her eyes meet mine and I swear she’s trying not to smile.
Mr. Taft lowers his head until his chin is almost touching his chest. His stare makes me squirm and he’s not even looking at me. “You tripped, or you hit her with your bag?”
“I—” Any attitude left in Brianna dissolves into tears. I’m a little offended she’s resorting to this. I figured she had more pride.
“The penalty for fighting is three days suspension, but—”
“What?! I can’t be suspended! Do you know what this will do to—”
“BUT,” he continues. “Because you seem to regret your error in judgment, I’ll shorten it to one day.”
The only thing Brianna regrets is getting caught.
If the tears were fake before, they’re real now. “Mr. Taft, please don’t suspend me. My parents will kill me.”
Ms. Simpson touches her back. “Perhaps you should have thought of that before you started bullying Cally.”
The word catches me off guard. Everything about Brianna screams bully, but I refuse to believe that’s what this is. That would make me a victim. And I’m not a victim.
“I’m not a bully. I told you, I was upset because of Mike.” She sniffs as she looks Ms. Simpson in the eye. “I really didn’t mean to hurt her.”
Maybe getting suspended will snap the attitude out of her. It’s doubtful she’ll change, but hopefully this thing with Mike will be over.
Mr. Taft sighs. “You’re excused. Get a note for your class before you leave. A letter will be emailed to both your parents at the end of the day.” He smiles, but it’s a sad smile, like he’s said these words more often than he’d prefer. “I like to give students a chance to tell their parents first.”
Brianna leaves without another word. Mr. Taft looks at me. “How long has this been going on?”
“Just this week.”
Blake stiffens. “Is she why you tripped on Monday?”
I nod.
“Do you need to see the nurse?” Ms Simpson asks.
I touch my lip. The bleeding has stopped but it hurts like hell. “I’d just like to get to class.”
She looks at Mr. Taft. “I’ll have the incident report to you by the end of the day.”
“Thank you.” We turn to leave but Mr. Taft stops me. “Cally.”
I face him.
“Let me know if this continues. I don’t tolerate bullying in my school.”
“Okay.” I hadn’t really considered what Brianna was doing to be bullying, but when seen from an adult’s perspective, I guess that’s what it was. Being surrounded by guys, I never gave two thoughts about being bullied because they always protected me. Another fun thing I’ve learned at my new school.
Ms. Simpson leads us back to her classroom. “Cally, I’d like to talk to you about your essay.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, quite the opposite. I really enjoyed it. And I must say, I’m a little surprised that anyone who can do the maneuvers you can would put up with someone like Brianna.”
“I was trying to help Mike. It seemed like as long as Bri’s energy was focused on me, she ignored Mike.”
Blake slides his fingers through mine.
She tucks her hair behind her ear. “So maybe what she said about considering Mike to be her best friend was true.”
Blake snorts. “She sure has a funny way of treating her friends.” The bitterness in his voice is heavier than I’ve ever heard it.
“That may be true, but maybe it’s the only way she knows.” She sighs. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. Can you stop by my class at the end of the day? I’d like to talk to you about your other topics.”
I freeze.
Blake’s hand is still on mine and my sudden stop jerks his arm. He raises an eyebrow at me.
Mom.