Mean girl_A dark, disturbing psychological thriller

by Natasha A. Salnikova

  After the meal, Corby went to her bedroom, locked the door, and opened the laptop, climbing into the bed on her knees. She knew how to look for something on the Internet without it being reflected in the history or being traced. Opening a page incognito, she entered the right words in the search engine and began to click on pictures and articles.

  She blushed and turned pale looking at pictures of naked men and women, thinking that she would have to do this. It looked awful and she wasn’t sure she wanted to do it at all. Then she decided to watch a video on one site, which seemed serious to her, not like something that would try to infect her computer with viruses. After a couple of minutes of watching heavy porn, she felt throbbing between her legs. A couple more minutes and her hand was in her underwear. A few more minutes and Corby realized that she wouldn’t object to doing something she’d seen people doing in the video. No matter how embarrassing and strange it looked, she was sure that Jacob would make her feel awesome.

  CHAPTER 35

  Corby didn’t know what Jane would come up with, but she was sure the girl would come up with something. However, when she saw what her classmate did out of revenge, she couldn’t believe it. It was one thing she wanted to hurt her, Corby Mackentile, a fat girl who was bullied all the time, but Jacob? He was in a quite different category. Why him?

  Before entering the school building, Corby heard a message received on her phone. She thought it was Jacob or maybe her mother with a wish to have a good day, but after opening the message while still walking, she almost dropped the phone and stopped abruptly. For the first time in her life she received a video message or rather not even a video, but a motion picture. There was a pig in the photo and some idiot who pressed the lower part of his body to a pig’s ass. Only in place of the pig’s muzzle in the photo an image of Corby’s face had been attached and Jacob became an idiot. Corby looked at the phone number and didn’t recognize it. She stopped in the middle of the hallway before reaching her class, listening to buzzing in her ears. She looked up from the screen and through the haze enveloping her mind she saw students who looked at her and laughed. Many of them held phones in their hands. All of them got the message at the same time.

  It took a few seconds for Corby, and about five times inhaling through her nose, exhaling through her mouth, before she started hearing voices again. She didn’t understand yet who spoke or what it was about. Sounds bumped into her ears and banged onto her brain.

  “Mackentile? Are you okay?”

  Corby turned her head to Mrs. Gullen. Only her head, since her body seemed to be frozen. Only one thought whirled through her mind. Why Jacob? Poor Jacob.

  “What’s wrong? What’s there?”

  Corby had no time to close the message before Mrs. Gullen saw it.

  “What is that?”

  Corby moved her hand, holding the phone down, but her body remained paralyzed.

  Why Jacob?

  “Corby, are you okay?” she asked. “Who would send that to you? Do you know who did it?”

  “Bitch.”

  Corby turned to the voice of her loved one. She wanted to throw her arms around him, cry, and ask for forgiveness. Yes, she was a bitch. It was her fault that this poor boy, the most popular boy in school, took a hit. He didn’t do anything wrong.

  “Jacob,” she said in a trembling voice. It didn’t matter what she said anyway. He was going to break up with her, he was.

  He didn’t let her finish, came close to her, and put his arm around her.

  Mrs. Gullen wanted to say something, but her mouth opened without making a sound. She looked from Jacob to Corby and back.

  “Are you a couple?” she asked.

  “We are,” Jacob confirmed and Corby stopped caring about the picture or anything else Jane would do in order to hurt her.

  Corby began to distinguish every sound around her, not only Jacob and Mrs. Gullen. Kids tried to come up with ideas of who could have sent this photo and some of them made jokes about Jacob.

  “Shut it!” he said. And everyone obediently shut up, but not completely. The buzz remained, but became quieter. Corby found Jane and Molly in the crowd. Molly was serious, but Jane grinned. Her smile though was unsure. “I’ll deal with this.”

  Jane raised her head and ignored Molly’s gaze.

  “What’s going on here?” the principal said. She and a couple of teachers came to the scene.

  “Nothing.” Jacob shook his head.

  “What do you mean nothing?” Mrs. Gullen was outraged. “We need to find out who did this! It is unacceptable!”

  Jacob produced the sweetest smile Corby had ever seen on his face. Her heart pounded even harder.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “It’s just a joke. Everyone go to your classes!”

  “I don’t understand these jokes,” Mrs. Gullen said, confused.

  “Explain to me what’s going on,” the principal demanded.

  “Nothing, really,” Jacob said. “We have to get to our class, we are running late. We have algebra, right Corby?”

  “Yes,” she said and her voice was a little different from the teacher’s voice. He took everything so well. He didn’t even blink and didn’t blame her, didn’t pull away from her, nothing.

  With his arm around her shoulders, he moved toward the class and Corby submissively followed him, feeling dozens of looks prickling her skin. Looks of condemnation, approval, surprise.

  “I’ll kill that bitch,” Jacob said, barely audible, and Corby hoped he was exaggerating.

  They made about three steps before hearing a loud comment.

  “You’re still a pig and he fucks pigs.”

  “What did he just say?” Mrs. Gullen said.

  Laughter of many people followed the repetition. Corby recognized the voice. This boy just recently insulted her at the stadium.

  Jacob took his hand away from her shoulder and turned to face Dick Bronson.

  “What did you say, jerk?” he asked.

  “You heard me.” Dick crossed his arms over his chest. Corby had heard that the players of a team always stood up for each other, not against and this new relationship between Jacob and Corby changed not only her life but also the dynamics of the school.

  “Everyone, go to your classes, right now!” the principal yelled. “Do you want detention?”

  The students ignored her. Corby hadn’t seen anything like that before.

  Jane came out of nowhere.

  “This is my new boyfriend,” she said and took Dick under his arm.

  “Calm down! Everyone go to your classes!” the principal shouted. “Right now! What’s going on here?”

  Right now didn’t happen. Jacob pushed Jane away and promised to deal with her later and then punched Bronson in his face. Bronson would certainly have hit back, he was bigger and probably stronger then Jacob, but they both were grabbed under their arms and dragged to the side.

  “What’s going on here?” Mrs. Gullen cried.

  “You’re all going to be suspended from school!” the principal shouted.

  “You should have thought about this before, instead of counting money!” Jacob growled. “You would know what’s going on!”

  Corby didn’t know what to do. She was afraid to go to her boyfriend because he was like a raging beast and wouldn’t notice who was in front of him before tearing her apart. Two guys were holding him under his arms even though he didn’t try to break away.

  The crowd around them closed the ring. Corby’s head was spinning and she didn’t know what emotions caused it. She didn’t know what she felt. Only the inner voice, her nasty, ugly, inner voice bellowed that everything was happening because of her. Corby struggled with syncope for a few seconds, but at the end everything went black.

  CHAPTER 36

  “Corby, you should have told us what was happening at your school.”

  Corby was lying on the couch in the living room in front of the TV, which was showing “Survivor” and her father and mother sat in the chairs ac
ross from her. Mom talked mostly and Dad was pretty much silent, only occasionally threw short remarks into the conversation.

  Corby wanted to remind her parents that she told them more than once, but it didn’t change anything. If her parents wanted to pretend they didn’t know because it would make their lives easier, so be it. She was suspended from school for three days, but had to go back and deal with everything that was going on there. She had to deal—not her parents. Although she already knew what to do and her parents could help her with it. It would pay for their sins.

  “When did it start?” Mom asked.

  Corby closed her eyes.

  “I’m tired,” she said.

  “I know, honey, but it’s so awful. I spoke with the principal, teachers, nobody knew anything. I called the mother of one of your friends and she told me everything. They suspended you from school for three days. Why did they do that? It’s not fair. You taught her tolerance and look what happened.”

  “So now I’m to blame?” Dad rose from his chair. “Maybe it’s my fault that she was suspended? You better think about how she’s going to go back there. Meet with all those kids.”

  “I’m not going to that school anymore,” Corby said. “Enroll me in public school.”

  She also decided not to meet Jacob. Then he could go back to what he had and she would be able to start over in a new school. She would no longer allow anyone to destroy her life.

  “I can’t agree to that.” Mother got up.

  “In my opinion, it would be better,” Dad said.

  “Oh please! What’s better? Don’t you know what kind of education they get there? What kind of kids and families are there?”

  “So kids in this school are better?” Dad retorted.

  Mom sat down, panting with rage.

  “You know what I mean,” she said.

  “I’m not going to this school,” Corby said again. She spoke in a calm voice, thinking that she probably looked like a robot.

  “Honey, let’s not talk about it today.” Mom moved to the sofa and stroked Corby’s hair. Corby didn’t want to admit it, but she liked it. She wanted to cling to her mother, cry, maybe even tell her everything, but it would be too much of course. So, despite her desire to hug her mother, Corby didn’t move.

  “Honey,” her mother said in a tearful voice, still continuing to stroke her hair and back, “maybe I really didn’t listen to you? This wouldn’t have happened if I had listened to you properly for once and tried to do something, right? I’m probably a bad mother?”

  “Come on, Chelsea!” Dad said. “Of course not! You’re a very good mother.”

  At this time, Mother didn’t say anything, just kept running her hand through Corby’s hair and along her back.

  “It’s not your fault, Mom,” Corby said, not knowing if her words were sincere. She wasn’t sure how guilty or not her mother was. She didn’t know what could have changed if her mother had intervened in the course of events. One thing was clear, if Mother had gotten involved, Corby probably wouldn’t have had to kill Sylvia. If she hadn’t killed Sylvia, she wouldn’t have told Jacob about it and he would never have asked her on a date. Did this mean he wanted to be with her only because she killed someone? It couldn’t.

  “Honey?”

  Corby realized that her mother called her and swam out of her thoughts.

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “I’m really sorry. It’s all my fault.”

  “Chelsea, stop it already,” Dad protested.

  “Get away from me,” Mother snapped. Corby thought she was enjoying this scene and the scandal. But if that was the case, she would be a pervert and that wasn’t true. Though, who knew? Did Corby know everything about her parents? Probably not. No one knew everything. Did her parents know everything about their fifteen-year-old daughter? Did they know anything about her? What would happen if they did? “I want to fix it, but I don’t know how. What can I do, baby?”

  “Leave me alone?” Corby suggested.

  Mom took her hand off Corby’s back, depriving her of the pleasant comfort, and stood up. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

  “Just please, don’t go to the school,” Corby said hurriedly.

  “I won’t.”

  Mom left the room and Father moved to the edge of his chair.

  “Corby, she tries. So do I. Everyone makes mistakes. I think if you explain to those girls how you feel ... How they make you feel …”

  He paused when Corby looked at him.

  “Dad, you don’t understand,” she said and turned back to the TV.

  He said no more and left after a few seconds.

  Corby turned off the TV and slowly walked to her room. She saw the green button on the phone flashing, telling her about a message or a missed call, but she didn’t rush to check who it was. A couple of weeks ago, she waited for any message just to know that someone thought about her, remembered her, acknowledged her existence. Now she was afraid of any attempt to contact her. It could have been anyone with whatever news. It could be Jane who seemed not to be frightened by the police anymore in her desire for revenge. She wasn’t even punished for her last action because neither Corby nor Jacob wanted to go through all the process of proving who was right and who was wrong. The photo wasn’t sent from Jane’s phone, but someone from the state of Oklahoma, according to the number. Corby deleted the message in case her mother decided to go through her personal life. She was sure that the majority of kids did the same.

  Corby sat on the bed, staring at the flashing light and then went to the window. She looked at the people hurrying in different directions, taking photos next to her father’s shop and examining the shop’s window. Their street looked the same as it had looked in the good old days. Corby didn’t know what the good old days were, but that was what her dad insisted. It had small private shops and beautifully decorated windows instead of huge, soulless malls that sold the same things in any city, any state, any country.

  Thinking about the good old days, about the time when a special little freezer in their shop contained piglets instead of human corpses, Corby took the phone and opened the message with one quick gesture.

  The first one was from Abigail and Corby smiled in spite of her mood. A friend, she had a friend.

  How are you? I hope everything is fine. The whole school talks only about you, Glasgow and River. I’ll call you after the first class. Okay?

  Okay, Corby wrote and went to another message. From Jacob.

  It was the morning, people went to school and work, but he and Corby were at home, expelled for three days.

  Why don’t you answer? I get it if you blame me for everything. I’m sorry it happened.

  Corby flopped on the bed in disbelief. Her heart, which was barely beating this morning, came to life.

  “He blames himself?”

  Corby shook her head and reread the message.

  “He’s crazy.”

  She thought for a few seconds before writing back.

  Corby: Blame Jane.

  The answer came in less than a minute.

  Jacob: I agree. That bitch is guilty of everything.

  Corby: I want to go to another school, to make it all stop.

  Jacob: Don’t even think about it! So she can win? I want to see you. Can we meet today?

  Corby: I don’t know. My parents r crazy. Mother wants to do something but doesn’t know what. If she goes to school, I’ll kill her.

  Corby: Not literally.

  Jacob: Lol. Got it. Let me know, okay? I miss you and have something to talk to you about.

  Corby: Good.

  Corby: I miss you, too.

  Corby didn’t wait for another message and put the phone away. She thought about taking a shower, but then climbed into the bed, under the blanket, in the same pajamas she’d been wearing all day, and turned on the computer.

  Twenty minutes later, Abigail called.

  “Hello, Corb,” she said, as if they’d been friends for a hundred years. “
How are you?”

  “Fine,” Corby said, trying to speak in the same tone as her new friend.

  “Cool. Look, it’s crazy here. First, did anyone send you a link to YouTube?”

  Corby didn’t want to say that she had no one to send her any links, so she answered with a simple no.

  “I’ll do it now. Someone recorded your fight yesterday and it’s all over social media. You can barely see faces. You can see Glasgow a little bit, but not you. You turned away sort of. Jane is the star of the show. Her parents came yesterday, after all of you left for home. I don’t know what went down, but all the teachers are in a freaking panic mode. I saw River’s father, he was mad. I’m not kidding you. I don’t know what will come out of this. Don’t be sad, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ve got to go, but I’ll send you the link. I’ll call you tonight. Bye-bye.”

  “Buy Abie ... gail,” the last letters Corby added when the connection was already broken. “Abie.”

  Corby smiled. Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. She had a friend, whom she could call by her nickname. Jacob wasn’t upset with her and wanted to see her. Something to discuss. What?

  When a new message came, Corby opened the link and found a poor quality video, where she could only see her back. Jacob was taller than her and his angry face was clear. Jane was presented in some moments and she seemed to be scared. The video was bright, but shaky. Still, Corby watched it several times because of the fist, crashing into Bronson’s jaw. It was beautiful.

  “Not as impressive as an ax descending on someone’s head, but still.”

  Corby growled. The inner voice again.

  “You’re both crazy. Admit it.”

  “Not us! Jane is the psycho, not us!”

  “But you killed Sylvia, not her. Sylvia— beloved daughter and sister. How could you do that?

  Corby slammed the lid of the computer and turned on the TV. She rarely watched TV in this room. Mom constantly whined that her daughter spent too much time in front of the screen. She didn’t care if Corby did or not, she said it for show, because other parents probably did it too. The TV screen in Corby’s room was much smaller than in the living room, but this time everything was fine. Corby changed channels until stopping on her Mom’s station. She checked the clock and saw that it was five minutes before the beginning of the news. Corby didn’t like news and didn’t care about her mother’s appearance much, but they often presented videos from YouTube that had become popular overnight. What if they showed the one with her and Jacob? She hoped not.