by Tony C. Skye
The man looks up from his computer, “The school board won't allow me to legally hand over the reins like that. But your efforts should be rewarded. I believe you can be trusted with this kind of responsibility.”
The man points his right index finger at the four girls sitting in front of his desk, “If you can promise me that you will not try to sanction an event with drugs and alcohol in mind, I will promise to approve every event you put on my desk without any questions.”
Mr. Donovan folds his hands upon his desk, “Do we have a deal?”
“Yes,” Rebecca excitedly answers.
“You ladies need to stay clear of parks unless you're together,” Ms. Davis instructs.
“We will,” Rebecca answers for her squad.
“Unless you ladies have any more questions, you're free to go,” Ms. Davis dismisses them all.
The five seniors exit Mr. Donovan's office together. They make a left and turn right down the next hall. Rebecca spins around and forcefully shoves her right index finger into Mandie's chest. The sore girl grunts.
“Bathroom. Now,” Rebecca orders.
Mandie nods in obedience. She follows the S.V.C. down the hall, to the left into the next hall, and into the bathroom found on the hall's left side.
“S.V.C.,” Rebecca loudly announces, “Get out.”
Two sophomore girls stop checking their faces in the mirror and quickly rush out of the bathroom. Jennifer posts up by the door.
“What was that?”, Rebecca speaks through gritted teeth, “What are you doing?”
“I'm sorry, Rebecca,” Mandie calmly answers, “I should have asked you guys first.”
Rebecca pushes on Mandie's chest and walks the new girl backwards until her back slams against the far wall.
“What are you trying to prove?”, Rebecca questions threateningly, “What's your gain?”
“I have nothing to gain, but your respect,” Mandie explains.
“Ha-ha,” Rebecca laughs mockingly, “You're a Tamara's Submissive.
Rebecca pushes hard on Mandie's lower lip causing it to split back open. The girl winces as the blood drips down her chin, but refuses to show any fear.
“There's no respect for you to gain,” Rebecca declares.
“I think what she did was great,” Jennifer calls out from across the room, “It was better than what we were...”
“Shut up!”, Rebecca orders, “Are you trying to get us into trouble?”
“Jennifer's right,” Tamara sides with her bff.
Rebecca spins around in anger. But whenever she sees Tamara's dare you to cross this line expression, Rebecca calms her demeanor.
“What she did isn't right,” Rebecca proves her point, “We were blind-sided in there.”
“You must admit, Becca,” Tamara counters, “What she did was masterful. It got the job done. And she did it without blackmail.”
“Dammit!”, Rebecca snaps, “Why don't you all just tell her everything?”
Tamara's left brow lifts slightly. If she understands Mandie, the girl already knows everything. She knew about Jennifer bringing the supplies so she could clean the mess up while Mandie slept. And Tamara didn't mention anything about it.
Tamara grins devilishly at Rebecca.
“No don't,” Rebecca sounds more desperate than demanding.
Tamara looks over at Mandie. The girl is allowing the blood to drip freely from her chin.
“Becca and Jenny have a video of Ms. Davis and Mr. Donovan making out. And Mr. Donovan's married. We were going to use it to frame him into giving us control over senior activities,” Tamara busts out her friends.
“I can't believe this,” Rebecca objects.
Tamara gives a warning look to her captain before returning her attention on Mandie.
“Anyway, part of that plan meant that I would have to go on a date with a geekoid named David Snow in order to pull it off.”
Caroline stands near Jennifer. She shifts her weight from her right foot to her left. Mandie unnerves her. But for the life of her, she can't figure out why. The girl doesn't act suspicious and isn't a threat. Overall, the girl seems to be gentle in nature. But being around her is like standing on the edge of a pool filled with snakes and scorpions. The fear welling up within Caroline is unsettling. And it seems to only happen when the new girl is around. But then again, Caroline hasn't been away from her that much this morning either. It could just be her imagination. A connection made which isn't there.
“Rebecca's usually the one who plans these kinds of things,” Caroline forces her fear down while setting her bff out.
“I'm sorry,” Mandie responds while looking at the angry captain, “I didn't mean to ruin your plans.”
“You didn't ruin anything,” Tamara jumps in, “I sure didn't want to go on that ridiculous date.”
Tamara's head retreats as her mind cycles over what she just said. She gazes into Mandie's green eyes with a new admiration.
“Are we making her the varsity captain, too?”, Rebecca dramatizes.
“Calm down, Becca,” Caroline coaches, “No one's trying to replace you. But there's nothing wrong with making new friends either.”
“And since when do we make friends with a Tamara's Submissive?”, Rebecca points out an obvious fact.
Jennifer rolls her eyes and walks across the bathroom floor. She winks at her bff, Tamara, as she walks by. The tall cheerleader closes the remaining distance between her and Mandie. Caroline follows Jennifer's lead. But unlike her friend, her mind screams to run.
“Hi,” Jennifer offers her right hand, “I'm Jennifer”
“Mandie,” the girl greets nervously. She shakes Jennifer's hand once before letting go.
Caroline holds her hand out as Jennifer steps out of the way. It feels like she has just asked someone to cut her hand off at the wrist.
“Hi. I'm Caroline.”
“Nice to meet you” , Mandie nods while reaching out to take Caroline's hand.
“Ow!”, Caroline yells out, “What was that?”
Mandie glances at Tamara with confused eyes. She looks back to Caroline.
“It felt like you shocked me,” Caroline explains while rubbing on her right hand.
“I-I...”, Mandie stammers around her words.
“She didn't touch you,” Rebecca informs.
“Yes she did,” Caroline argues, “I felt it.”
“No she didn't,” Jennifer supports Rebecca's observation.
“Certain medications can cause parts of your body to fall asleep,” Rebecca informs, “It might be that.”
“It's not my Valium,” Caroline disagrees with her bff's assessment.
“Valium?”, Jennifer questions, “How much do you have?” Jennifer sees Rebecca and Tamara give each other glances.
“What are you two looking like that for?”, Jennifer defends, “I meant how much did she take?”
“What was prescribed,” Caroline answers.
“Side effects?”, Mandie makes an attempt to become part of their conversation.
“Maybe,” Caroline answers before opening her purse. She reaches in and grabs her phone, “I need to call my mom.”
Caroline walks towards the door. She pauses and turns around.
“It was nice meeting you, Mandie,” Caroline finishes with her greeting.
“You, too,” Mandie answers, “Sorry about your hand.”
“Not your fault,” Caroline says before turning to face the door. She pulls on it and exits into the hallway.
“We need to get to class,” Jennifer states the obvious. She gives a cold stare to Rebecca.
“Whatever,” Rebecca concedes to Jennifer's threat.
Rebecca walks over and holds out her hand to Mandie.
“Just make sure to run your plans by us first from now on. We don't do that to each other.”
Rebecca pauses, “But it was a good plan.”
“Thanks,” Mandie is barely able to shake Rebecca's hand before the blond pulls her hand back. The c
aptain turns and faces Tamara.
“You know you have to release her now. Friends can't be one of your Submissives,” Rebecca orders.
“Yes, captain,” Tamara submits to Rebecca's authority in the matter.
Rebecca walks past Tamara and heads to the sink with the long mirror above it. She double-checks her face and hair. Jennifer watches her bff as Tamara closes the distance to Mandie.
Tamara holds out her hand, “Hi.”
“Hi,” Mandie greets with her offered hand. Her body heats up as her small hand slips into Tamara's familiar larger palm. Jennifer smirks when she sees Tamara's eyes agree with the contact.
“You're no longer aloud to park in the back row. The front row's for S.V.C. only,” Tamara does her best to sound legit.
Mandie removes her hand suddenly. Tamara turns around and sees Rebecca staring.
“Are we good?”
“We're good,” Tamara nods to her captain.
Tamara follows Rebecca towards the bathroom door.
“You need to go shopping, Mandie,” Rebecca announces while walking, “Tamara can explain it to you.”
“Okay,” Mandie agrees while she watches the two girls disappear into the hallway.
Jennifer walks up to Mandie with a new wet-wipe.
“Here. For your lip.”
“Thanks,” Mandie takes the wipe and puts it to her lip while walking closer to the mirror.
“Don't mention it,” Jennifer turns and finds her own way out of the bathroom. Not long afterwards, Mandie exits into the busy hall full of last minute students rushing to class.
* * *
Can we talk?, Tamara reads the words written on the top left corner of Jason's notepad.
She looks at her boyfriend and smiles. The boy's returning smile seems forced. Tamara writes on her notepad and slides it to the edge of her desk.
Problem?, Jason reads the words meant for his eyes only. He shakes his head and then smiles. Tamara gives him a knowing stare. She can see through his fake facade. He puts pencil to paper and pushes his notepad to the desk's left edge.
Talk at lunch, Tamara reads Jason's words. She agrees with a nod. Her boyfriend immediately ignores her and turns his attention towards the teacher. An action he has never done before. Tamara's brows narrow.
She can understand if he feels hurt because she didn't call him for a couple of days. But if this is an act of jealousy, he can kiss her goodbye. Tamara doesn't have time for baby games. She's not going to waste her life with someone who is unable to trust her. Granted, she did cheat on him – technically speaking. But Jason doesn't know about it. No one does. So there's no reason for him to be jealous.
* * *
Mr. Tolbert finishes roll call. The man glances over as the late student shuts the door, but doesn't say anything. Mandie chooses to sit in the same chair as last time. Front row desk at the far left of the classroom. Cater-corner to her right rear side, Jennifer and Rebecca sit next to each other in the last two rows. Mandie feels it's too soon to sit with her new friends. It's an honor which needs to be by invitation only.
This group is tight nit. They stick together and have each other's backs. They don't hurt each other over gossip or with rival jealousies. They are not self-serving. Not even Rebecca. At least when it comes to her friends that is. Anybody else is fair game. Mandie learned this the hard way. But she, also, learned that this group has very good qualities about them. They are friends. The kind of friends that last over a lifetime.
“Can anyone tell me why the gods and goddesses seem to be harsh when they are assumed to be punishing someone,” Mr. Tolbert questions his Greek Mythology class.
His brown eyes scan over the room of raised hands.
“Yes, Mr. Paciniack,” the teacher makes his choice.
Whenever the boy begins speaking, his tone sounds faked to Mandie; although, she knows it isn't. She concludes he just has that I'm a rich person who is better than all poor people sound. It makes her want to laugh, but she holds back the urge out of respect.
“Thank you, Mr. Tolbert,” the boy begins his speech as though the teacher is the hired help.
“The gods. The goddesses. They were better than the people they ruled. They were far more intellectual and far more superior.”
“In my opinion, Mr. Tolbert,” the boy speaks as though his parents placed him here to learn about the lesser commoners, “The gods and goddesses did those people a favor. They demonstrated the importance of ranking and how to separate the strong from the weak. Because of their justice – and mind you it was not harsh – the ruled then became the mighty.”
The boy's tone peaks for his finale, “Without distinct separation of the social classes, the world would be thrown into chaos and would self-destruct. The weak need the strong to rule over them. The punishments as you so eloquently put it, Mr. Tolbert, are part of the requisite needs of the lower class.”
Jennifer nods towards the front left corner of the classroom. Rebecca glances over and observes Mandie fighting with the case of the giggles. The more she fights, the greater her struggle. It's quite apparent she fights every time Eric Paciniack speaks a new sentence.
Rebecca grins. Jennifer joins her. By the time Eric speaks the teacher's name for the second time, Mandie has her face buried into her arms. Her shoulders are shaking violently. Rebecca notices Mandie's mouth is latched onto her bruised right arm. She is biting herself to help maintain. Rebecca and Jennifer both begin giggling. For them, however, the sight of Mandie is the cause for their laughter.
“For the simpletons,” the boy continues, “who are unable to learn the complexities...”
“S-s-s,” Mandie hisses, “S-s-stop.”
Eric glances over, but Mr. Tolbert shakes his head to inform the boy that he should ignore her.
“As I was saying,” Eric informs Mandie that she is rudely interrupting, “Mr. Tolbert.”
“Ah-ha-ha,” Mandie releases her bridled laughter, “P-please s-s-stop it.”
The girl raises her head and looks towards the back of the classroom. Behind Eric, Rebecca and Jennifer are wiping water from their eyes.
“Ms. EvéMari,” the teacher intervenes, “Would you like to take some time to gather your thoughts?”
Mandie nods while grabbing her backpack. She walks in front of the classroom towards the door with her giggles.
“Thank you, Mr. Tolbert,” the boy conveys his gratitude.
“Ha-ha-ha,” Mandie drops her backpack and wraps her right arm around her tightening belly. The pain from her wounds causes her to bend over. She pats at the air with her left hand.
“S-s-shh,” Mandie begs.
“You cannot shush me,” Eric objects.
“Ha-ha-ha,” Mandie laughs as she forces herself to stand upright. She looks at the teacher, “M-m-mister ha-ha-ha.”
Jennifer and Rebecca let loose and laugh out loud. The rest of the class joins in. Even the teacher grins. Eric, however, doesn't find any of this funny. He decides to take control of the situation once and for all.
“If Ms. EvéMari is finished,” Eric speaks.
“You ha-ha-ha” Mandie points at the boy before placing her finger against her sore lips, “must be vewy quiet.”
The class erupts into more laughter. Mandie grabs her backpack and laughs all the way to the door. She turns the door handle and exits into the hallway. As the door closes, she leans her back against the wall to the right side of the entrance. Mandie lets out a full unbridled laugh.
* * *
“Has anyone seen Mandie?”, Tamara asks the other three S.V.C. members sitting at their normal lunch spot within the cafeteria. Jennifer and Rebecca exchange grins.
“Not since Greek Mythology,” Rebecca informs.
“What's so funny?”
“Mandie,” Jennifer answers, “Mr. Tolbert let her leave because she couldn't stop laughing.”
“Why was she laughing?”, Caroline questions.
“I think it was because of how Eric Paciniack talks,”
Jennifer explains her take on the matter.
Tamara grins.
“Can we talk?”, Jason interrupts as he walks up with Marcus to the cheerleader's table.
“Here?”, Tamara's tone implies that the lunchroom is unacceptable.
“No,” Jason catches on, “Outside.”
“Be back,” Tamara tells her friends. She stands up and follows her boyfriend out of the busy school cafeteria. Marcus decides to grab a burger from the lunch line.
Jason doesn't say a word through the school's hallway. Tamara obliges him by remaining silent. She follows him out of the school, across the street, and into the student’s parking lot. He stops by Tamara's vette, spins around, and grabs Tamara by the waist. He pulls her close and nears her lips. Tamara rests both of her arms over his shoulders while his tongue separates her lips. He pulls back after a short time and searches her brown eyes.
“Hi,” Jason quietly greets.
“Hi, yourself,” Tamara smiles.
“Retreat, huh?”, Jason sends a mixed signal.
“No,” Tamara tells the truth, “I had to take care of something for Rebecca.”
“No you didn't,” Jason glances over to a rusty brown truck which is now parked in one of the center rows.
“You mad?”, Tamara keeps her gentle tone.
Jason looks back at his girlfriend.
“No, Tam. I'm not mad,” the boy explains, “I'm just tired of all of this high school junk. Ball is the only thing this place has to offer.”
Tamara shoves Jason back, “And that's how you feel about me?”
“No. I love you,” Jason reveals, “I just don't love your dark side, Tamara.”
“My dark side? You didn't seem to have a problem with any side whenever you climbed on top of me.”
Tamara waves her left arm outward, “Now, all of a sudden there's a problem.”
The cheerleader brings her arm down and rests her hand on her hip, “Thanks a lot.”
