by D. K Lake
What the hell just happened? I can't believe I let him kiss me! It was so wrong...but so hot. I bite my lip just thinking about it.
"Kelsey! What are you doing?" Nessie snaps and I realize I've zoned out in the middle of the corridor.
"Right...class." I mumble and try to pull myself together for the rest of the day.
Thursday morning I walk to the bus stop and someone comes up behind me and drags me into the neighbor's front yard that is surrounded by tall hedges.
I scream and they cover my mouth. I kick the person and manage to hurt them as they let out a grunt and drop me. I spin around, ready to do my best karate chop to the balls when I see Mitchel holding his hands up.
"Stop following me!" I groan. I've seriously had enough now.
"Kelsey?" my sister calls me, probably wondering where I just went.
One minute I'm walking behind her the next I'm screaming and have disappeared.
"Over here!" I yell. "Get out of my way." I shove him as hard as I can and he falls back a few steps.
"I need to talk to you. Please." he begs, quickly getting in front of me.
"No, what you need to do is...Leave. Me. Alone."
"I need to explain-"
"No." I cut him off. "No more explanations. Just go away! I don't want anything to do with you. It's your fault I'm grounded and have a black eye. If you don't leave me alone and stop following me I will go to Principal Hayes and tell him you did this, and then I will go to the police and tell them you're stalking me."
"Kelsey," Paige walks around the hedge and stops when she sees Mitchel. "You ok?" she asks.
"Yeah, I'm just coming."
"Kelse, please..." Mitchel reaches for my hand but I move away.
"Don't touch me! Why don't you go and pester Phoebe instead, she'll like that."
"I don't want Phoebe!" Mitchel groans.
"Do you think I'm completely stupid? You let her hang all over you yesterday. You know what, I think I'll go and find someone to hang all over. I'm sure Stephen is available."
"I'd rather you didn't." he says in a low tone.
"Why? Are you going to beat him up as well?"
"Kelsey, the bus!"
"I'm coming!!" I snap and Paige quickly hurries back to the bus stop.
"Stay away from me." I tell him. And I mean it.
I catch the bus and look the other way when the bus drives past Mitchel.
I really can't figure him out. What does he want from me? He's driving me mad. I'm actually thinking about begging Mom to let me home-school.
The rest of the week goes by without anything too exciting happening, no boy fights, girl fights, no kissing boys against lockers, no boys breaking into the house or dragging me into the bushes, no run-ins with Amber or Phoebe, and I manage to avoid getting hit in the face again.
33
Monday morning Nessie picks me up and as soon as I've got both feet in the car she pulls off before I even have a chance to shut the door.
"Ok...so I have to tell you something." she starts.
"Alriiiight."
"Now, you know I don't listen to rumors or gossip,"
"Uh-huh." I try not to laugh, Nessie loves a bit of juicy gossip.
"The rumor going around from Friday night is that Mitchel and Phoebe are...you know, dating."
My face drops but I try to act like I couldn't give two shits about Mitchel and stare out the window.
"Did you even hear me? As in boyfriend and girlfriend." she adds.
"Yeah. I get it. So what? I don't even like him anymore."
"So you don't care?"
"Yes. I mean, no! I don't care."
"Really?"
"Do you care that JT is hooking up with Amber?"
Her face scrunches up and she shoots me a glare before looking back at the road.
"Yeah, exactly! So stop trying to get a reaction out of me."
I cross my arms and we don't speak anymore on the way to school. I already know today is going to be a disaster. I just have a feeling.
That feeling is spot on because when I take the long route into school to avoid everyone I see Mitchel and Phoebe up against a wall around the back of the school. Mitchel has Phoebe pressed up against the brick wall, his hands all over her, and under her top, and he's kissing her neck.
I feel sick. I want to stop watching but I can't. I need to see this. I need to know what he's like.
Phoebe moans like she's doing a porno and she tilts her head in my direction and catches me watching them.
She starts laughing and says, "What ya lookin' at, Feta?"
Mitchel stops what he's doing and looks in my direction. His face drops...just like my stomach.
He looks almost guilty as though he's just been caught cheating. I just feel sick. I quickly turn around and go back the way I came, listening to Phoebe giggle as I run away. I hide in the toilets until the bell rings.
That is just the start of my shitty day.
After lunch we have gym class. Girls lacrosse. Who thought it was a good idea to let hormonal teenage girls use such dangerous weapons?
"Hey, watch it!" Amber growls as Nessie knocks into her.
We haven't even started yet and they're already trying to kill each other. But Nessie did shove Amber on purpose.
"You were in my way....there's so much of you." Nessie says with a smile.
I close my eyes and pray Amber didn't hear it. The gym teacher is nowhere to be seen and I hope she hurries the hell up.
"What's your problem, Vanessa?"
Oh no, not the 'V' word.
"Ok, guys, come on, play nice...who's on my team?" some girl asks but her voice is lost on us.
"She's just jel, Amber." Phoebe says and I can't help but laugh but I end up snorting and everyone looks at me.
"You got something to say, Feta?" Phoebe asks.
"Nope."
I grind my stick into the dirt and ignore her.
"Is that it, Vanessa? Are you jealous of JT and me being together? We all know you have a little crush on him." Amber sneers.
Nessie laughs. "Oh please, get over yourself. You're not that special. If you were that special then why was he trying to get into my panties last week?"
All eyes shoot to Nessie. The shit is about to hit the fan.
"Just face it, you're not enough to keep JT satisfied. And don't even get me started on the other Torres brother and how he can't keep his hands off of Kelsey."
I stare at my best friend with a blank face. Why did she have to bring me into this?
"Yeah right, he wouldn't touch that skank bitch with a dirty stick. Did you get an eyeful this morning, Feta? " Phoebe snarls, looking in my direction.
I grit my teeth. I have so had enough of today.
"Call me that again..." I growl.
"Which one, skank bitch or Feta?" Phoebe sneers.
I know this isn't funny but for some reason, I suddenly can't stop smiling. I think it's because I know I'm about to lose my shit.
"One more time. I dare you." I say in a low tone.
This time Amber laughs and steps forward and says, "Skank. Ass. Feta. Bit-"
Before Amber can finish what she's saying, Nessie whacks her in the arm with her stick. Amber squeals and then Nessie smacks her in the back of the legs and she goes down.
I don't know why but I find this hilarious and start laughing. I think I am actually losing my mind. Too much teenage drama can mess with your head.
"Stop laughing, Feta." Phoebe yells and gives me a shove.
Oh no, she didn't just shove me. I scowl at her and she looks a little frightened. She should be.
I hit her in the back of the legs, trying the technique Nessie just used on Amber, and it works like a charm because Phoebe goes down squealing like a pig.
I can hear Amber and Nessie screaming at each other and the girls around us have more sense and are trying to break us up, and I hear one calling for a teacher.
I chuck the stick, knowing I won't be able to stop
hitting Phoebe with it if I start. Phoebe's quick to get back on her feet and I go for the first thing I see which happens to be her hair. She never ties it up for gym class 'cause she's afraid she might put a kink in it. Well, I'm going to put more than a kink in it.
I grab the back of her head and yank her hair back as she tries to escape. There is no way I'm going to let her escape, she started this. She stumbles back and falls onto me and I end up on my butt with Phoebe sitting on my lap. I shove her off and climb on top of her and smack her a few times and she surprises me by punching me dead in the face.
Like that is it? I punch her back and she cries and covers her face and tries to flip herself over so she can wriggle away. I tug on her hair and she screams but pulls away and I end up with a handful of her blond locks between my fingers. She crawls between the girls that are all stood around watching us and I crawl after her, but as soon as I've made it out to the other side someone lifts me off the ground and I fight against them but they don't loosen their grip on me, and Phoebe gets away from me and runs off in the direction of the approaching teacher.
"Kelse. Calm down!" Mitchel orders.
"Get off me!" I scream.
I don't want to be anywhere near him, not after he's had his hands all over that blond bimbo. I forgot the boys are on the field next to us. I struggle in Mitchel's arms and he finally lets me go and I look around and see JT holding Nessie back like she's some kind of rabid dog.
Amber is on the floor clutching her head, and when she moves her hand away a clump of her orange hair falls out and she starts crying, putting on the dramatics for the teacher that is storming this way.
"You four! Inside! NOW!" our gym teacher yells and blows her whistle, pointing at us.
Phoebe helps Amber off the ground and Amber 'fake' winches. Or at least I think it's fake. I didn't see what Nessie did to her. I don't feel sorry for Amber, though. She shouldn't have provoked Ness.
JT lets go of Nessie but I see the way he gropes her boob as he puts her down. She smacks his hand away, but it's more of a playfully tap on the arm and I catch him winking at her. Those two are so confusing.
I start laughing at how stupid this all is and everyone looks at me like I've lost the plot, even Mitchel looks concerned. The teacher frowns at me and I start walking. Phoebe and Amber are already ten steps in front. Amber is limping like she's broken her ankle and using Phoebe to lean on. Nessie and I share a look and she rolls her eyes and I try to hide the stupid smirk on my face because the teacher is scowling at me as she follows behind us.
I know I'm going to get into big trouble for this and no doubt they will call my mom, but at this point, I really don't care, what else can she do to me? I know I'll probably get detention or a warning letter sent home but it's not like I'll get expelled or anything. I've never done anything wrong before...before the Torres brothers showed up and turned everything upside down.
34
"I can't believe we got suspended." I say.
It still doesn't seem real. I feel like this is some dream that I will wake up from at any minute.
"The only reason those two got away with just a week's worth of detention is that Amber's father put a shitload of money into the school before he moved away and left them, and Principal Hayes and her father have always been friends, and that's the only reason he believed her story."
"What am I going to do?" I ask, staring out the window at my house.
The school had phoned my mom but she couldn't leave work to come get me. I was dreading the conversation we were going to have when she got home.
"For a start, finish as much of that schoolwork they gave you tonight. I'm going to go home and do the same, that way we have the rest of the week to relax and hang out. It's going to be so cool, no school, your mom will be at work, and you can come prom dress shopping with me tomorrow."
"Are you serious? We get suspended for the rest of the week and you want to go dress shopping and hang out?"
"Well, yeah. What else are we going to do? Oh, there's a movie I want to go and see on Wednesday and I'll pick you up every morning around ten to come over mine, ok?"
"And your mom is cool with this?"
"Yup, she already said you're welcome to come over and keep me company."
"How is she not mad at you? My mom is going to murder me."
"My mom just wanted to know if I'd hit Amber hard enough. She hates Amber's mom, she said she was a bitch in high school as well."
"What if...what if Mom insists I go to work with her? She'll sit me in the corner of the office where she can keep an eye on me, she used to do that to me when I was little and she couldn't get a babysitter. Paige and I would have to amuse ourselves all day, drawing and making paper airplanes."
"She can't do that."
"But what if she does?"
"What I mean is, you're not five anymore, she can't physically pick you up and carry you to the car and strap you in. You're eighteen, Kelsey. Tell her no, you're not getting in the car and no you don't want to see your dad at work. End of."
"No, you're right. She can't force me to go."
"Just remember that. No matter what she says or tries to blackmail you with, she's already got all of your social life hidden away anyway."
"I think I'm going to spend the day hunting for my phone and laptop."
"I'm sure I have a spare iPhone if not."
"Thanks." I smile at my best friend, knowing she's my one true friend that will never leave me, we are like blood sisters and I know she'll have my back no matter what. "You're the best, you know that?"
"I try. I'll be here at ten. I'll ring the house before to make sure the wicked witch has left the building, all right?"
"All right. And I'm just gonna go and barricade myself in my room and stare out the window at where my favorite tree used to be until my mom had it hacked down."
"Your mom is so serious. When she says she's going do something she really gets shit done."
"That's what I worry about. As long as she doesn't ship me off to my dad's we'll be fine."
The next morning I find myself standing in the dressing room of the dress shop, bored out of my mind. It's nearly one and we've been here three hours already.
"So do you like the gold or the black?" Nessie asks.
"You're supposed to be shopping for a prom dress, not hooker-wear."
She stares at me in the mirror trying to figure out if I'm being serious or not.
"I'm being serious, the black one is too short and the gold one is just...no!"
"Ugh. I can't find anything."
"That's because you're not looking on the right rails." I say and disappear back into the store to search for something more appropriate. I've made it halfway across the rail when I hear a loud car exhaust outside. I don't think any more about it and pick up two dresses I think are appropriate. I'm still firm in my decision that I'm not going to prom, that and Mom probably won't let me out for prom anyway.
Last night she came home and didn't say anything to me. I even knocked on her bedroom door, 'cause I knew she would want to talk about the whole suspension thing but she said she was tired.
I was already awake when she left for work this morning and all she said was clear up after breakfast and make sure I finish my schoolwork. That was it. Even my sister looked gobsmacked, standing in the kitchen with the spoon still hovering next to her mouth. Mom is giving me the silent treatment. We have gone from screaming at each other to hardly speaking. I think I preferred her screaming. It's like she's given up on me.
But I'm still grounded and phoneless.
I walk back into the changing rooms and hold the two dresses up to show Ness.
"Try these on." I call to Nessie and she pushes the curtain aside and walks over to me in her bra and panties.
We're the only two in here and the sales assistant is too busy reading smut behind the counter.
"What is that?" Nessie asks, looking at the dress on the left.
"Just try it on."
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"It's too long. I'll fall to my death."
"It's prom. A lot of the girls will be wearing floor-length dresses."
"It's baby sick pink." she says disgustedly.
"This coming from the girl with the pink Barbie car. And it is not that pink, it's more champagne pink."
"That's not pink." she argues, folding her arms.
"Then what color would you call it?"
"Ugly."
"It's not ugly, and look, there's gold edging see, along here."
"I like the gold edging." she says, looking interested.
"I like the neckline, and I think you'll look gorgeous in this."
"I'll try it on, but I'm not touching that, it looks like something a mermaid would wear."
"I thought the green would go with your eyes." I say, looking at the other dress.
"Nope, that looks like seaweed." She points to the long pieces of fabric that are trailing down the dress.
"Well just try the other one on and I'll look for some more."
"All right, but no seaweed-type dresses."
"You can't go in there!" I hear the sales assistant say loudly.
Nessie and I frown and both look at the entrance to the changing rooms and Mitchel bursts through the curtain a second later.
"No." I groan.
I thought being off school for the week meant that I wouldn't run into him
"Seriously, you need a restraining order against him." Nessie says, shoving me into the changing room.
She pulls the curtain shut (still in her underwear) and stands in front of the changing cubicle.
"I need to speak to Kelsey." Mitchel says.
"NO! She doesn't want to speak to you, see you, hear you, kiss, lick or smell you, or have anything to do with you. Which part of NO, do you not understand?"
"Kelsey!" Mitchel yells.
"Err...excuse me, sir...you have to leave. You can't be back here." the store assistant says in a small voice as though she's talking to a cute little bird.
I lean against the wall and let out a breath. What does he want now? It's kinda his fault why I've been suspended. If he had left me alone since day one, then I doubt we would have been on the field squabbling with Amber and Phoebe over a pair of boys.
