Page 22 of Bullied By The Bad Boy

We get up simultaneously. I return Maria’s phone. I’m glad to be the one who captured her most defining moment. This could be her big break. Her arm hangs lazily on my shoulder as we start for the school building. My heart fills with so much joy that the thought of running into Ben and Olivia doesn’t faze me. Moving forward, I will ignore them completely.

“Has your mom seen it?” Her smile dims. I tickle her, and she brightens a bit. “Well?”

“Well, yes, she has.” We stop at my locker for me to get my things. “And she was delighted.”

“But?” I add, waiting for the bad news to follow.

Her mom is not one to be messed with. The comments on the video asking to confirm the pub’s name will put her in trouble if they haven’t already. “But I am grounded for life.Eso es todo.”

Grounded for life means she will have to be more careful when sneaking out because she can’t stay away. I cackle like an old witch, and it earns me a few looks from the passing students.

“But it was worth it,” I say to cheer her up.

“Definitely.” We don’t stop walking, but our steps slow as we near her class. A smile replaces her frown. “I almost forgot. You have drama practice after school. Good luck with number one.”

“What?” I whisper.

My cowardly best friend escapes to her class. Before the door closes, I flip her the middle finger.

I will kill her.

Fifteen

Number one isthe first item on my bucket list. The bucket list is a stupid list of things we want to do before finishing high school. I have something as silly as going on a date, while she has something as big as sending her singing clip to America’s Got Talent. The bucket list says I have to try out for drama club this session, something I always put off because Olivia and her minions have been the reigning drama queens, but that sneaky best friend of mine snuck it into the list. I get enough acting experience from being in the church’s plays, but that doesn’t count for Maria.

I slip into Ms. Eva’s class as quietly as I can. It’s not supposed to hold today, but she’s trying to make up for next week when she will be unavailable. I don’t know why the teacher agreed to it.

My partner is already seated. I ignore him. I ignore everyone except Vance reading in front of the class. A familiar figure from outside the class waves at me. Daniel Holt? What the hell does he want? Maria is mad at him, and by virtue of our friendship, I’m as angry at the boy.

Daniel motions for me to step out. I steal a glance at Ms. Eva, whose head is bent over her novel. She nods along to what Vance reads, oblivious to the boy trying to steal her student. Daniel puts his hand together in a plea, but I shake my head. He must think I’m like him, skipping classes and all that. I raise my book to my eye level, a sign for him to get out of here. I’m not joining him.

“You should stop ogling him,” my partner murmurs.

My head snaps to him. “Jealous much? Does it bother you?”

Ben laughs. He leans close enough to whisper, “Some girl had her mouth all over his dick at Vance’s party.” My book drops to my desk. I clap a hand over my mouth. He is lying. Did Vance have a party? I turn to the door. Daniel is gone. “I’m not jealous or bothered, but you should be.”

No way. Daniel likes Maria as much as she likes him. Ben doesn’t look my way for the rest of the class, and I choose to believe he made that up to spite me. He’s jealous, disturbed that I am not worshipping him like Olivia and the other girls do. I spend the remaining minutes thinking up lies to escape this little problem Maria created for me. What if I pretend to be sick? Or faint?

After my last class for the day, I find myself en route to the drama hall. I’ll check it out today and move on with my life. A peek through the small rectangular window on the door reveals an empty room. I frown at the words written boldly on the paper glued to the door. It’s an announcement.

PRACTICE STARTS AT FIVE. AUDITIONS FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY.

What am I auditioning for? Do I want to do this? I can give a show in the ring because I have a mask on, but we are in school. And everyone is getting ready to go support the boys playing today. No one will be here to witness my embarrassment. With that in mind, I push the door open.

There’s a lady at the desk on the podium writing notes. She looks up when I saunter in like the shy girl I am. “Hey,” she says, “are you here for practice? Today’s practice has been postponed.”

My hands become clammy. I wipe them on my pants, too relieved at the latest update. Without a word to her, I exit the hall with a spring in my step. Fuck Maria. I am a bit wary of the emptiness of the parking lot, and a few times, I look around to be sure I’m really alone. I can’t put anything past Olivia and her foolish minions. My phone rings, and I pull it out to see the caller’s identity.

A scowl takes over my lips. I enter my car and dump my bag in the backseat. Maria is the reason I am still in school while she goes off to do what she does best. Have fun and cheer pretty boys.

“Tessa,” Maria says once the phone is connected to my ear. “I need your help.”

My hand freezes on the steering wheel, and my back goes stiff. “What do you need?”

“Sharon is still in school. Dad was supposed to pick her up after practice, but he forgot, and Mom’s busy. I’m busy.” I hear the band playing in her background. The game must be starting soon, or they are warming up. She sighs again. “Can you help?”

Sharon is the baby of the house and a sweetheart who sings as well as Maria. Singing runs in their blood; they have actual talents in their family. I fasten my seatbelt and nod again. There’s nothing for me to do at home except binge-watch movies I have already seen a million times.

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