1. REBECCA
I’m growing impatient waiting for my friends to make their appearance. I’m starving and angry, which is causing me to be extremely moody. Plus, the crowd in this cafeteria doesn’t ease my irritation whatsoever.
“Sup bitch,” Jessica says and throws her arms around me from behind. She kisses my cheek, to which I roll my eyes likewise and kick my feet up on the lunch table, proceeding to throw my hair over my left shoulder. “Where have you guys been?” I ask her and grit my teeth in annoyance. I cross my arms similarly over my chest and glare at her coldly. Jessica clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes which are equally irritated.
Her hair also whooshes from the force of the wind slamming the doors open. Pfft, as if ripping the door off its hinges will boost its dramatic irrelevance.
“We were keeping Amber from falling for Mr. Berkeley again,” Jessica comments and pops a mint into her mouth.
As Christina saunters toward us, her thick figure sashays from side to side.
She’s also dressed in a pair of slim skinny jeans and a maroon sweater that accentuates her curves.
She plops into the seat next to mine and I pinch the bridge of my nose, letting out a heavy sigh.
“It wouldn’t be the first and certainly not the last,” I say in a melancholic voice whereas Christina looks at me with a puzzled expression. She scrunches her eyebrows and Jessica shakes her head. “FML,” she says. As the time ticks away, Christina and Jessica sit here like two bumps on a log.
I pull my hair from inside my jacket and chew on a piece of spearmint gum. Amber has had this massive crush on the new English teacher for months now and apparently, there’s even a rumor that she’s sleeping with him.
Leave it to my best friend to start drama, let alone a rumor nonetheless!
“He’s so hot though and oh girl that tongue-?” Briana cuts Amber off. “You look ridiculous,” she says and Amber makes her entrance by trying to imitate the way Mr. Berkeley uses his tongue. Amber looks so stupid with her lips mushed together like a fish as she tries to swirl her tongue in the air.
“Did you hear the new boy coming to school? I hear he’s in Max’s friend group. They’re like cousins or something like that,” Briana comments and engages in our usual routine handshake.
When she sits down, her blonde hair glistens from excessive hairspray. “Probably just another man-whore trying to get laid,” I reply dryly and perch my feet on the chair opposite of me. Jessica snorts and Christina tries to coax Briana into going out, which apparently turns into all of us going out even though I explicitly said I couldn’t make it. “We should go clubbing tonight!” Briana exclaims and throws her arms around my shoulders as I groan.
“I’m not carrying your drunk ass out of the club,” I say in an affirmative tone and the five of us walk down the empty hallway hand in hand with each other.
Jessica and I both get squished in a sweaty bear hug thanks to Briana and her affectionate ways.
I gag on my saliva from the scent of her expensive perfume and throw my head back to avoid the fumes.
“I have studying to do tonight,” I mumble and wiggle my way out of her embrace when she gives me a cold glare.
I may be one of the most delinquent girls at this school, but I’m certainly not stupid; I’m fairly smart. All AP classes senior year and half the time I don’t even pay attention, yet still get an A. I’m lucky I guess. “Bitch you study too much. You need to get your cherry blossom ass out there,” Christina comments.
I hiss at her and glare through a pair of evergreen irises. “I have a test coming up,” I say and shrug my shoulders.
“Besides I don't want to put myself out there. I have better things to do with my time than worry about some boy who's probably going break up with me the minute he can't handle it,” I explain further and Christina opens her mouth to say something when the biggest asshole on campus comes toward us.
“Do you not understand English or should I say it in Spanish so you'll understand? You need to stay away from Max before I rip both of your eyes out or better yet how about a break off your legs so you can't walk anymore?” Vanessa asks me and demands venomously. “Barbie I can hang out with whoever I want whenever I want and don’t need you to tell me otherwise. Now move the fuck out of my way before I move you myself,” I retort and the height of my figure allows me to tower over her. Briefly, Vanessa’s facial expression falters and I can detect a hint of fear forming in those feline, chestnut eyes.
Except her features narrow with rage and she glares at me through a thick pair of false eyelashes as each line on her forehead creases from the texture of her caked foundation.
“Excuse me?” She asks me and I clench my teeth together from the squeaky pitch of her voice.
“You’re fucking excused,” I reply bitterly and brush past her by knocking her to the side with my right shoulder. “If you think you can just say that to me and walk away you’re wrong,” Vanessa says and grabs a fistful of my hair. She yanks on my scalp, which causes me to yelp and she pulls me down, however, I get ahold of her wrist and twist her arm around her back.
I slam her face against the locker and her head lands with a reverberating thud.
Vanessa now appears in immense pain apart from her earlier anger. With a flick of the wrist, I loosen my grip and flip her my middle finger. Vanessa scurries off like a meek puppy and runs toward her friends. I straighten my leather jacket and brush the makeup off of it. However, it worsens because now the foundation is glued to my jacket.
“Damn girl!” Briana exclaims.
Jessica snickers with a snobbish smile on her face and slaps my back. I simply shrug off the encounter because honestly it’s no big deal and proceed to lean against the lockers.
“That bitch is annoying. My ears bled from her voice,” I admit. Briana pretends to faint, to which I laugh and slap her arm.
“Ping!”
Christina pulls her phone out and messages someone. “I’m going to ask Max for his sister’s number,” she says.
She’s about to walk away from us when we turn our heads in her direction. “What?” She asks us and we assume a position with our hands on our hips.
“You have a crush on him,” we say in unison and fold our arms.
Christina rolls her eyes in an attempt to hide the blush on her cheeks and stomps her feet like a toddler. “Bye hoes, see you tomorrow!” She hollers and flips us the middle finger. Instead of being insulted, we break into a band of laughter and smile.
God, I love that girl...
“I fight tonight. Make sure you guys are there at nine. I need moral support,” Briana announces to us.
Ah, that reminds me…
I may have accidentally forgotten her last fight and have been paying for it ever since; Briana won’t let me live it down.
“Are you going to kick Natalia’s ass again?” Amber asks and snorts. “When have I not?” Briana replies in a cocky tone and smiles smugly.
“I’ll be there,” Amber declares and their voices fade as Jessica and I disappear outside the campus. “Call me when you come to my house! See you then!” Jessica hollers at me before leaving.
I nod and saunter to the parking lot accompanied by my white Ferrari. “Yo Becca wait up!” Max yells from afar and I swiftly turn around. His muscular frame comes into view and his blonde hair covers his eyes. “Sup,” I say and lean against the doorframe of the driver’s side. “I came to give you your notebook back,” he replies with a warm smile and I take it from his hands.
“Thanks,” I say. I go to open the door and put the key in the ignition when Max speaks up again.
“Hey, I was wondering...” he pauses.
I groan mentally and squeeze my eyes shut as Max rubs the back of his neck with an anxious palm.
“Can I invite you and the girls to my cousin’s coming home party? I know you’re the only one who hasn’t met him, but I don’t know, maybe it’ll be fun,” he says and asks me. “Uh yeah, when is it?” I ask him and ease my shoulders from their originally tense state. “This weekend after the frat party,” he says.
“The one your brother Jasper is holding?” I ask him and he nods.
It’s notorious for Max and his brother to host many frat parties this time of year, especially now that we’re seniors.
“We’ll be there,” I declare and drive off, zooming down the road home. My mom is probably passed out and my dad is working late...again. I park in the driveway and stroll through the front door into the foyer.
I toss my converse to the side and tip-toe into the kitchen in search of food. “Why hello young lady-“ I cut my mom off.
“AH!” I shriek loudly at the top of my lungs because my mom startles me and my backpack slams against the floor.
“Jesus mom-!” She cuts me off.
“Why aren’t you in school young lady?” She asks me authoritatively and I grab strawberries from the fridge with a shaky pair of hands. “I was hungry,” I reply.
“School food sucks that bad?” She asks me and I give her a deadpan gaze; I find a seat at the table and sit down.
“Pizza looks a hundred days old,” I reply and pop a piece of fruit in my mouth.
“Well make sure to do your homework and go to Bree’s house. Her mom called and told me she wanted you over for dinner,” she mentions with a smile. Briana’s mom is so kind to me for no reason and always has been.
Ever since we met, she's like a second mother for me to go to when I'm alone. Additionally, she helped me back when I was in primary school and junior high, which was terrible.
My parents were constantly working and inventing new and innovative ideas for the family business.
Now, my parents are around a lot more and split their COO and CEO abilities with their team.
I'm very grateful for it because I cherish every moment we spend together, which is very timely.
“Alright, I'll make sure to give her a call when I'm done,” I say.
I scarf down the container of strawberries in one bite and wash my bowl out in the sink. “I love you!” I exclaim.
“I love you more!” My mother hollers as I head up the stairs in a haste and disperse into to my room bedroom.
I shut my door and decided to take a hot shower before Briana’s tournament. I’m both tense and exhausted and it’s only Monday.
Ugh, how am I going to survive this week?