NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 13
After the last school year I'd like to think I grew an extra cell in my brain that fights off the feeling of being bullied. It does suck when I'm having a decent time and bullying ruins it. Still just gets a kind of "well dang..." reaction out of me but that's it.
If only scientists could steal, clone, and sell the Jocelyn Fortitude cell, maybe we wouldn't have got all those anti-bullying programs in the last few years.
Despite spending a lot of time with me recently Emma didn't seem to develop this Jocelyn Fortitude Cell. Her blank expression made it hard to know what she felt after seeing the lipstick graffiti. The way she speedily left the bathroom gave me the impression that whatever she felt was negative.
Or maybe her next class was on the other side of the school. She does seem to be the punctual type. But, then...Hmmm.
At my old school it would've been a privilege to have a dating rumor with me but, here it seemed you are subject to being the doer of demons. I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Emma.
I didn't go to my 5th period that day. I ended up just loitering around the library waiting for the bell to ring so I could walk to the student store. I told Emma to meet me there after school while we walked to the lunchroom earlier.
I doubted she would still go after that whole bathroom thing but I would still go just in case.
I should just ask her for her phone number...
The bell rang. I pulled on my backpack strap and started to walk towards the classrooms. A couple of students stared at me as I passed by but that's nothing new.
My phone buzzed and I decided to step to the side and check.
Look. I don't get a lot of texts ok.
It was a message from Marianne that read "Look at this Jocelyn *long instagram url*"
I clicked the notification and groaned since my LTE was apparently bad when I was in the school. I couldn't see the preview but I clicked anyway after sending an "Ok" message to Marianne.
It was an Instagram post that made me feel...emotions. I probably spent twenty minutes looking at it, reading and re-reading because when I got out of Jocelyn's phone world all the students around me were gone. In their respective classrooms and clubs I assumed. I cursed.
Emma! I'm late! I hope she didn't just leave.
I power walked towards the student store. I wanted to get there fast but, it looks lame to rush to class and that's what it would look like if I ran. It's lame to rush to anything really. Your hair gets disheveled, your clothes get rumpled, your face gets sweaty. Yeah rushing is not for me.
Once the student store came into view I noticed some girls were crowding around the entrance. I could only see their backs but I could still see that four of them were wearing red polos, black skirts, black saggy socks, and black sneakers. The one in the middle had on the same outfit but her polo had large black stripes. She was taller than the others too. She had short light brown hair in a pixie cut. Her hair was a little more interesting than the other girls who just had black or dark brown hair that went to their shoulders or their chins. I assumed she was the leader.
As I got closer I noticed the five girls made a half circle surrounding Emma who was leaning on the wall.
What is going on?
"You think you can just take Alexa's spot as best in the class? Give me that." One of the girls threatened.
She took whatever Emma was holding, threw it on the ground and stepped on it.
Seriously...
The one with long black hair laughed "That's what you get for being a dumb teachers pet."
I looked at Emma who was looking down, probably getting ready to cry.
The girl with dark brown hair walked in the circle to face Emma. There was now an opening. She put her finger in Emma's face and said "Did you coerce Ms. Bailey into giving you that grade? Stay "afterschool"? I wouldn't put it past you since I heard you've been getting awfully close with that trashy blonde."
"Who are you calling trashy?!?" I demanded, now a part of the makeshift half-circle around Emma.
The girl with dark brown hair jumped back out of surprise.
All the girls noticed me now. Two of the lackeys moved in between me and the leader.
"Let me deal with her." The leader said in a haughty voice that sounded familiar.
The girls moved and the leader took a step towards me.
The leader wore heavy makeup that complimented her features well. Her pixie cut came down and covered a little of her forehead. Big dark green eyes looked down on me as if I was a lowly bug. She was a little taller than me so it made it easier for her to do this.
She was pretty...NOT NOW!
"So this is the infamous blonde? You're getting everyone's attention looking like that." She laughed pointing at my face.
"I didn't ask for any of this 'fame' but, if it's getting people to drop you and your conceited fanatics maybe it's good I came." I argued while gesturing toward the girls behind her with my left hand.
One of them gasped in response.
"Fanatics? I am the leader of the AD Golf Club. These are my lackeys. Don't get it mixed up."
We agree on that.
The lackeys behind her clapped in response.
The leader pointed at the monogrammed 'AD' on her polo "See this. My family's monogram. Want to utter anything now?"
"I know my rich Ecruville families. Never seen anything like that. Your dad's probably just some rich techie who has to pay for people to hang out with him in his stinky basement."
The taller girl crossed her arms "We're bigger than Ecruville. My mom's a CEO but you wouldn't know that being a nobody."
"You seem like you know a lot about these techies. Let me guess you get with them to pay for your fake jewelry." She continued.
"Nope. I've never dated a guy but I bet so many have dated you. They think they can take your family's money but then drop you on the first date because you're insufferable." I said, doing a swatting gesture while saying insufferable.
A point for Jocelyn.
"I have standards! At least I've dated men. Your saying all this as a senior whose never felt the touch of someone of the opposite sex."
Yeah! And I'm glad! My body is "Girls Only".
"Men date you? Please you and your no life devotees dress like your on some kids super hero show that gets canceled two episodes in cause everyone hates your horrible outfits."
Alexa scoffed at me. "Our outfits are chic and custom tailored for our bodies by an ex-Ralph Lauren designer."
She looked me up and down and scrunched her nose. "You want to be sophisticated and minimalist so bad but your outfit makes you look like a 40 year old teacher. How are you supposed to get a man to look at you when you look like you'd yell at him for running in his school's halls."
"..."
I wanted to yell "I like women! I hate men! Women like this look...well lesbians do." but, I couldn't because I knew that would start more rumors and just give her more ammunition.
I looked at Emma who was looking at the girls with her right hand holding her left one.
Sorry...this is for you too.
If they knew I was gay the rumors about Emma would get worse too.
I sighed.
The leader and her lackeys laughed at me in response. Their laughs were starting to die down when a phone started ringing. The leader pulled out her phone from her backpack. She put the caller on hold and looked at me.
"You're lucky some people actually matter in this world." She asserted.
The tall girl looked back at her devotees and said "Girls, let's go."
They walked past me in a clump laughing and talking about us in loud voices until they made it down the stairs and out of earshot.
I just made a new enemy and I would've won our first insult battle if I wasn't one of the only lesbians in Michigan. What?! I definitely wasn't losing!