Billy the Bully

[Mandy's Diary at Senior Grade]

"Because I need someone like you to cheer me up," he replied calmly. "As long as I've known the girls around me, I've never come across someone like you. Someone good at adapting and not boring."

My face heated up. The angel on my shoulder was jumping up and down while holding hands with the devil, dancing happily listening to Justin's beautiful words. Even more beautiful than Gibran's poetry. Gosh, it looked like my heart has completely disappeared. I could not feel the beat.

"And you made me happy again, Mandy." His sweet honey bastard smile appeared again. "Thank you very much. I'm amused now."

What did I do? "Really?" I rubbed my cold neck. "I don't feel like I'm joking or doing anything silly. Well, though, come to think of it, I've always met you under dramatic circumstances. Also… pathetic." I pulled the corners of my lips up, giving Justin a duck face that practically made Justin chuckle out loud. "What?" I hastily changed my expression.

"Well, you just didn't realize you were fun, Mandy."

My ass hurt like it had been stabbed by Cupid's arrow. I bit my lower lip to suppress an embarrassed smile. Flush me with plenty of water to make sure I was in the real world.

"How do you know I'm so, so crazy about you—" Enough, Mandy. That's a bad choice of sentence. Again, I covered my lips with my palm. I wanted to bang my head on the hall ledge many times as a form of stupidity.

"When you appeared in front of me, well, you were predictable to me." He sneered wryly while I pursed my lower lip inwardly cursing over and over. Gosh, I don't think I have any shame anymore.

"Justin!"

We stared at each other non-uniformly in one direction. Oh, shit, there was Justin's basketball club kids with their respective partners walking up to us. No, they could mess this up. Honestly, I'd be happier if Justin met Carl, Ryan, and Trevor than with the members of Jordan's high school basketball club who made me want to smack boogies in their faces. What's more, the devil on my shoulder reminded me of their chat behind my back on the show night.

"Billy," Justin's tone sounded dark. Thank God, he seemed reluctant to meet members of Jordan High School's basketball club. "Hi. It's unusual for you to take the time to visit a place like this."

Billy looked back at his friends with a grin. In the corner of my eye stared intently at April who had her hand on Billy's arm.

"Yeah… and it's not unusual for you to take this poor girl with you," Billy looked at me with a condescending look that made my stomach tighten suddenly. I felt like jumping into this river instead of being around them all the time.

"Do you have a problem?" Justin straightened his chin, seeming to object to what Billy had just said. By Merlin's beard, he stood up for me. Justin defended me.

"Of course, it's a problem, Dude." Billy's arms stretched out to the sides. The mocking look on his face was still plastered like a billboard every time he saw me. "She's weird, nerd, moron, poor, shallow, unattractive, drama queen, and trouble maker. Are you blind, Dude? She's abnormal!" He added with a laugh along with the others.

Like someone slapped my face hard when Billy said those annoying words in my face. I opened my mouth in disbelief at my hearing. How dare he said such hurtful things! My heart cracked almost like a ship's boulder hitting a rock.