Page 145 of Restless
The girls laughed. Harley squinted. She was almost positive it was two juniors by the names of Ariana and Erin. She was just as certain they were discussing her, Rebel, and Mattie.
“Hey, get me a towel so I can wrap around my hair?” Erin asked. “Thanks,” she said a moment later.
“Come on. Let’s go and dry off, then I’ll braid your hair.”
Frantic, Harley darted to the last stall.
“What do you think of the new schedule, Erin? Coach Ericks wants us to try out for state championship this year.”
“It’s brutal. I’m all but failing World History. If I don’t raise my grade, the cheer schedule won’t be my problem.”
“I’m failing Language Arts,” Arianna admitted. “I wish Lumbly hadn’t retired or relocated or whatever. He was the easiest grade ever.”
“Not for CJ,” Erin said.
Harley stiffened at Erin’s dreamy sigh.
“Yeah, that’s what I heard. I think that’s why Lumbly was fired. I wish I’d been in CJ’s class. I would’ve protected him. Lumbly was easy to handle if you sucked up to him.”
“CJ wouldnever,” Erin said with certainty. “He is…he is…oh my god, I’m so in love with him.”
“Me, too,” Arianna admitted with a giggle. “I even think Mrs. LeBan is crushing on him.”
“She isn’t that old. Like twenty-seven or something. She just looks old because she’s so buttoned up.”
But still a grown ass woman.
“She looks and acts like she’s fifty,” Arianna grouched. “She wouldn’t have a chance with him. We’re prettier and younger.”
Growing up in a hypermasculine environment, Harley was quite familiar with outdated stereotypes about the fairer sex. She scoffed at most of them, since she and her cousins didn’t fit those cliches. Just like boys, they were people with varied emotions and personality traits. But, as she heard two of her fellow cheerleaders talking shit about the princesses of the Dwellers and Mrs. LeBan, her mind couldn’t help but think of one stereotype used countless times to describe women. On many occasions, the boys and men around her claimed girls are naturally catty, and often tore each other down for no reason. Right now, as she eavesdropped on Ariana and Erin’s conversation, she agreed.
At the moment, it had snowballed into talking about specific cheerleaders. The first Dweller daughter to be brought up was Mattie.
“That redhead is a spoiled two-faced bitch,” Ariana sneered.
The harsh description shocked Harley.
“Rebel is the prettiest of those three hoes,” Erin announced, a sentiment Harley heard often.
“I agree,” Ariana said. “She’s the classic all-American beauty.”
Envy assaulted Harley. She’d kill to have light eyes and silky blonde hair. Her hazel eyes were more brown than green, and her black hair was curly and unruly.
“I hear her mother is stunning,” Erin commented.
“I wonder if she has a violent maniacal personality like Rebel.”
“That hoeisjail bound,” Erin decided.
Harley wasn’t pleased with either of her friends right now, but hearing these two heifers disparage them upset her. Yes, Mattie was bougie as hell and switched personalities based on whom she was speaking to. And, sure, Rebel had a temper and was quick to make threats and throw punches.
But Ariana was a mean girl and Erin was a slut. They hadnoroom to talk about Mattie and Rebel, who, ordinarily would’ve accompanied Harley into the locker room. Instead, they’d chosen to talk to Jaleena and her friends.
If Mattie and Rebelwerehere, neither Ariana or Erin would talk such smack. The fucking cowards. If word got back to Mattie and Rebel, they’d also backtrack.
Finally, the moment Harley had been dreading arrived as they began to speak about her.
“My cousin is in the set design group for the play,” Ariana started, “and she said Harley istheworst bitch ever.”
