Chapter 3 WHO\'S HOT AND WHO\'S NOT

I watched Debra as she swiftly ran outside the room following the boy who called her. I secretly followed them and hid myself behind the concrete wall in the hallway and there I saw how Debra slapped everyone except for Dave.

But when her hand was about to touch Tyler’s face, she froze when he looked at her murderously. “Don’t you dare lay your hand on me or you’ll regret it.” Tyler spat dangerously.

“Debra, stop it!” Dave grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Tyler. “It was Stella who started all of this.”

Debra’s brows furrowed. “That bitch!”

How could Dave say I was the one who started it when they were the one who blocked my way and stopped me from walking. I spun around and left when I saw Mr. Twain coming their way. “Miss Hemmings!” he yelled and I made a halt thinking I was the one he was referring to but when I looked up, he was looking directly at Debra. “What are you doing here? Go back inside the classroom, now! And you!” he pointed at the boys angrily who had just fought and beat each other’s faces, “Come with me in the guidance office!”

“But sir—“ Justin tried to protest.

“Shut up and follow me, now!” Mr. Twain cut him off.

I was back at my desk when Debra came back inside the room very angry, her face was red and her eyes looking at me murderously. “How dare you!” She slapped me across the face and I was shocked as I heard everyone gasping while watching us. “Because of you, Dave is in the guidance office!”

I wanted to cry but I controlled myself. I don’t want to show everyone that I was weak. “I didn’t do anything, Debra.” I whispered. “They were the ones who blocked me in the hallway.”

“Stop!” she yelled on my face. “I don’t want to hear your explanation! If I won’t see Dave for a week because of his suspension, you’re fucking dead!”

“Miss Hemmings!” We didn't notice Mr. Twain entering the room. “Detention later! Or you want to join your boyfriend in the guidance office?”

“But sir, Stella started it!” she complained.

“I said, enough! Go back to your seat!” Mr. Twain ignored Debra and motioned her to go back to her desk but before she moved away, she tapped my books that were placed on top of my desk and it all dropped on the floor.

I could still hear her and Violet giggled while watching me picking up my books. .

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It was lunch time when I passed by the bulletin board and I stopped to check for any reminders and announcements. A poster about a free trip to Italy for top students caught my attention. I was reading it when someone stood beside me—it was Kiefer Sanchez, the President of the Student’s Council. He posted a list of Top Ten students of “Who’s hot and Who’s not,” covering the announcement I was reading.

“Oh no, not again.” I shut my eyes not wanting to see my name at the top list of who’s not. This has become my concern every school year. Tyler started bullying me because of this list.

I still remember my first year here, I was so excited to see my name in the list of who’s hot, so when I thought everyone was busy and no one was looking in the bulletin board, I excitedly went and read the list one by one and even ran my fingers over it so that I won’t miss my name. I saw Tyler Lewis name number one on the list. Well, it was expected though, he’s hot, literally hot that I would burn if I touched him. I scanned the list down until I reached number ten and I felt disappointed when I wasn’t in the list.

I was about to look for my name in the list of who’s not when I saw a big palm covering it. And when I looked up, I was met by Tyler Lewis’ signature smirk and blue eyes. “Do you really think that you’re in the list of the top ten who’s hot? Dream on nerd!” he spat out and left laughing.

Now, I was standing here again but after 4 years of thinking about it, I learned to view it in a positive way. Who cares? It was just a list made by student activists who asked the student council to post it for fun. Sarcastically speaking, I should be flattered because I went down in the ranking from first to third. Hah! So, I wasn’t at the top anymore of who’s not hot!

But still, I checked the list of who’s hot and as expected, Tyler was at the top of who’s hot, as always followed by Mark, then Tyler’s friends. Tyler’s ex-girlfriend Maxine was also included, but my stepsister Debra was gone in the list.

“As expected, dude!” I heard a familiar voice behind me and I froze. It was Tyler’s. I stepped to my side slowly to escape because I didn't want him to see me but then I was stunned when I felt a big hand on my shoulder. Shit!