Chapter 5 : Life Saver
Social Studies was a drag.I took out a pencil from my pouch and started doodling some unidentifiable creatures at the edge of my notebook,a self entertaining mechanism I had developed over my two year stay in high school.
I was so engrossed in my art that I didn't notice when the teacher stopped teaching and was staring intently my way.
"Miss?"I heard the teacher's voice call out . I snapped my attention from the book only to realise that he was looking my way.I looked up at him shocked placing a hand on my chest to ascertain if it was me he was referring to.
"Yeah you,the girl sitting near the lad with the black rimmed glasses."He guestured my way.
"Can you kindly repeat what I just explained to the class?"The teacher asked raising an eyebrow.I stared at him fear stricken ,my mind going blank and my lips dry.My mouth opened and closed trying to mumble something coherent.
"You told us..." I repeated having no idea of what he'd just said or what he said throughout the lesson.
"The answer is not in my face!"He snapped at me.
I swallowed and looked down in embarrassment wishing that the world would open up and swallow me.Unfortunately it was reality...such things didn't happen.
I fidgeted with my fingers and looked up at him.It was time to admit that I hadn't been paying attention to his lesson and receive my first ever detention.
"You were on the part about Abraham Lincoln, popularly Honest Abe or the Great Emancipator , born on February 12,1809 near Hodgenville , Kentucky." A familiar voice cut in directing a wink at me.
I sighed in relief all the tension I felt immediately diffusing. Resisting the urge to mouth Jay a very big thank you for having my back ,I whipped my gaze to the front of the classroom determined not to mentally wander off again.
"That's good Mr. Greene but remember to answer questions posed at you,understood?"The grim Social Studies teacher chastened turning his attention back to the board.The disappointment of not catching me in his trap was evident on his face as he continued with his lesson after sneaking a glance at me.
"Sure."Jay nodded in reply taking a cursory glance at me.
The bell rang fifteen unbearable minutes after this incident and I scurried out of the class trying to keep up with Jay.He walked tall and athletic,a strap of his black backpack across his shoulder.
"Hey,"I greeted taking a few strides to keep up with him.
"Oh,hey."He replied stopping to acknowledge me fully.He plastered a smile on his face and looked up at me,his eyes lighting up.
"Thanks,"I started.He raised an eyebrow in question.
"For saving me back there."I clarified looking up at him gratefully.
A hint of a smile tugged at his lips before his facial features went back to normal within seconds.
He spoke back with a controlled voice,"What are friends for?"
"And to be completely honest, the man looked pissed right from when he entered the classroom.I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of taking it out on a pretty innocent soul."He added mischievously.
"Thanks a lot anyway,see you later."I smiled hugging my Social Studies textbook to my chest.
"Sure thing Parker."He chuckled raking his eyes over me and stepping back to let me turn and walk off in the direction of my next class - A typical flirty teenage boy.I playfully rolled my eyes and quickened my pace to get to my next class.
Another horrible period later,it was lunch time.After ordering our food from the cafeteria,we settled on some empty seats and got busy munching away.
"Sourpop nearly had you roasted during first period.Was everything okay?" Rachel asked slurping on a pack of apple juice.She was using the nickname she'd given to our Social Studies teacher behind his back ,obviously.
"Oh,yeah.I was just bored."I replied spooning some yogurt in my mouth.
"Um hm,so she decided to daydream about her future with you know who." Harry supported popping a crisp into her mouth.
"You know who?" I asked confusion written all over my face.
"Oh,nobody." Harry smiled using her freehand to support her chin .She winked at me and continued staring at me with a wide silly smile.
I was about to ask Harry what had gotten into her but I stopped midway,"Hey, give that back!"She yelped throwing out her left hand to grab the crisp Rachel had stolen from the empty pack in her hand.
In the process,a struggling hand hit my half eaten tub of yogurt and its content emptied on my jeans. A bright blob of pink stained the denim fabric .I looked on astonished as Harry furiously attacked it with her face hankie trying to get the yogurt off.
"I'm so sorry Camilla.It's all Harry's fault for being sour over a crisp."Rachel stated.
"C'mon it was the last piece.Everybody knows the last crisp..."Harry defended looking up from her stain removing.
"Always tastes best."Rachel ended with an eyeroll bringing a grin on my face.
"It's okay guys, I'll go get it cleaned."I assured rising up to go to the washroom.
"This might help."Rachel offered handing me some make up remover wipes.
"Thanks."I said walking off in the direction of the nearest washroom.
I walked into an empty stall and set to work gently rubbing the stained portion.I heard toilets get flushed and doors open and shut close,but I worked on , the stain gradually turning invincible.
A heard the click of a pair of heels on the tiles making me take a break from my task to wonder who on earth had the gut to wear such offensive footwear to school.
I shrugged it off after hearing the bright chirpy voice of Nicole and the shrill pitched one belonging to Audrey,the queen bees of Hamilton High.
The last voice , damp and cold ,I was sure belonged to Claire.The last Plastic.Honestly,I wasn't surprised it was them.They were probably here to touch up their make up. I thought going back to battling with the yogurt stain.I mean what did they use to colour that thing!
The gossipy voices of the three girls in echoed through to my stall. Couldn't they be discreet and not wash their dirty linen in public?
They made listening in on their conversation basically effortless.
"I don't know,it was great with Aiden but it felt so much better with Ethan."Nicole,the gang leader moaned sending chills through me.
"I don't know but I've always found his little brother much more attractive.I wonder if he'll have a thing for me though."Audrey added.I could clearly picture her applying mascara saying that.
"No Sweetie , I don't think he's into hot and sassy.He'll probably want to settle for someone his league."Nicole clarified tactfully breaking her friend's heart.
"It doesn't matter, there's plenty other young blood.Have you girls seen the new guy in the basketball team? He's a junior too."
"Yeah Greene, standing at 6'3" he's worth a try.I mean you can practically see his muscles bulging out of his vest."Claire added making me perk up in awe.Ew,it creeped me out hearing these girls talk about him that way.Picturing Nicole's long nails flung around his neck and engaging in a lip lock with him was the last straw.I shook my head in disgust shoving such thoughts to the darkest part of my brain.
"Of course who doesn't know he's that hot.I wonder if he's taken though." Audrey wondered.
"Taken?I could snatch him with my eyes closed."Nicole laughed.
" I've heard his partners in the newsletter
editorial are head over heels for him anyway."Claire informed.
"Especially that junior nerd girl from the academic decathlon last year .I'm told she even requested tutoring him when the guy's got brains already .Bitch much?"Claire added.
Excuse me! Junior nerd girl!How dare they? I was clearly the only junior girl in the team last year and they couldn't even grace me with knowing my name!
I wasn't even going to participate in the decathlon last year but one of the senior representatives had a panic attack and I was the only extra.I was so young and unprepared back then and for a girl being whisked to the stage from my place in the audience,I say I led the school to victory by earning a gold medal for being the youngest participant and I tell you, that was an achievement.
Plus,I was in no way hitting on Jay.
" But I think its the other girl he's into.Jennifer or whatever they call her."Nicole declared.
"Yeah ,I hear he got her some flowers." Claire opined.
Who on earth told them that?I clenched my fists in anger ,my knuckles turning deadly red.I hated lies and more over rumors.I especially detested those who spread them and I didn't care who did,my seniors or not they were facing my wrath.
I threw caution to the wind and flung the door open revealing myself.They looked at me aghast.Shocked to utter any sentence they stared at me.
" Pity you guys are not concentrating on your impending exams as final year students but are fretting over a junior boy who barely knows you exist."I said airily running the tap.
"The name is Camilla, by the way."I added as an afterthought.
Nicole looked at me with renewed interest while Audrey and Claire gawked at me.
"I'd rather you shut up Ca-mil-la. You don't know who you're messing with." Nicole warned breaking down my name.
I rolled my eyes,"As if!"
" Just so you know,I don't tutor him on my will. I was made to. And I would really appreciate it if you'd take the pain to run a test on your outdated data source since it'll help enhance your accuracy." I ranted.
"Its not our fault the whole school knows you're throwing yourself on the boy by covering it up that you're tutoring him."
Audrey defended .
I groaned slapping my face with my hand.
"Well hello kettle ,meet pot." I muttered.
"What are you trying to say?" Claire scoffed in disbelief.
"Ugh! You guys are such hypocrites! Considering the fact that opening your legs to anything in briefs is your hobby , I'm surprised you're condemning another... So I guess, hypocrisy is the trend now."I ended slamming the washroom door behind them.
To hell with them.I could literally strangle those idiots with my bare hands .I could feel my blood boiling hot like the fiery sea as the anger burned my skin,third degree.How dare they speak that ill of me without actually having proof.
They were seniors in all but they had no right to speak about me that way.Little did I know the trouble I was truly brewing up.
Nicole and her gang were the trendiest ,meanest and badass girls at our school.The had a reputation for throwing the wildest parties and flirting gingerly with boys.
From the latest dirt,Nicole had been recently dumped by Aiden Sanders and I wondered if that was what's making her especially crabby.Those girls even had the guts to name themselves the Plastics as in the Plastics from the movie Mean Girls.
Well they did act like them and have their bitchy traits so...
I stormed back into the cafeteria and plopped down on my chair,my eyes pooling with unshed tears.I turned to my tray as a distraction to notice a new tub of the yogurt on my tray replacing the old one.
"Thanks but I'm good."I politely declined handing the yogurt out to Harry.
"Are you okay?"Harry threaded carefully shifting closer beside me.
I looked up at her from where I sat fidgeting with the yogurt stick.She took my hand in hers and rubbed it in a motherly fashion making me want to drown my grief in her.The anger I felt previously, changed into a lump in my throat.
"Am I just a pathetic nerd girl who no one notices but for her brains?"My voice trembled looking up at my two friends.I could maintain a strong poise anywhere but with my friends and family I was a broken girl needing constant love.
"No! What makes you think that?"Rachel lashed , her eyes containing a deadly flame.She dropped her fork and made her way to the other side of the table wrapping her arm around me.
"Well,I met some girls in the bathroom who called me an immature nerd and a bunch of other stuff I don't want to repeat."I sniffled burying my face in Rachel's shoulder.
"So,you believe what those senseless morons said? I'm sure they can't even figure out how to roll toilet paper to clean thier dumbass yet their making hits on a girl way more hotter than them."Harry stated rubbing my back.
I clenched my fist remembering the part about Jay.
"The even accused me of hitting on Jay and being the girl he didn't want."I reported.
"Noo!"Harry gasped looking at me with wide eyes.
"Who are they?"Rachel stated untangling herself from the embrace her eyes were burning red ,with rage.
"No,no.I spoke back at them.I told them their attitude was disgusting and they were just a bunch of twerps."
"You sure you told them off?"Rachel asked,the flame in her eyes gradually dying.
I nodded in answer and she plopped back down on her seat.
"I'm so happy you stood up for yourself." She encouraged wrapping me in a hug.
"It's just that I don't like it when people say cruel things about me without really knowing the real truth.Plus, the stuff the Plastics said were downright spiteful and mean." I stressed.
"We get it Camilla.But don't stress yourself out because of what those girls think.You are you.Their damn opinion doesn't matter." Harry advised.
"Don't worry girl.If you need someone to teach those crazy garbage bags or whateveritis they call themselves a lesson I'm your girl." Rachel volunteered rolling up her sleeves dramatically.
"Finally my five years of Karate get to pay of apart from those medals." She continued flipping a braid back in place victoriously.
Harriet and I laughed.How on earth were we friends with such a sweet combative girl?
Actually speaking Rachel was not the type of girls to be messed with.She was an I ain't taking any kinda shit girl type of girl.
Trust me if I say you should not get in her way . She looked calm and innocent in all as if she couldn't hurt a fly but don't ever get in her way.That girl was a fight waiting to happen.