by Kai Juniper
I'd rather help my dad. Charlotte's my only friend and I only see her at school. She spends all her free time at cello lessons, choir practice, and doing rich people stuff her parents make her do. She takes etiquette classes every Saturday, which her dad said is necessary for her to be successful in the business world. I'm so glad my dad doesn't pressure me like that. That's one good thing about not being rich. You don't have all that pressure to keep up with the other rich people. My dad doesn't care what I do as long as I'm happy.
A half hour later the pizza arrives and I insist we eat in front of the TV instead of at the kitchen table. I don't want my dad asking me any more questions about my grades or being valedictorian. He says he doesn't care about that but I know he'd be disappointed if I'm not the one giving the speech on graduation day. He wants this as much as I do. He just doesn't know what's at stake right now, what Briggs is willing to do to take it away from me.
I don't know what to do. I'm not someone who backs down, especially to bullies like Briggs, but I can't let him destroy me. And unfortunately, he has the power to do it.
The next day at school I pass Briggs in the hall.
"Hey, Ella," he says, giving me a smirk. He's wearing a tight, black t-shirt that clings to the muscles along his chest and shoulders. I catch myself staring and scold myself for even looking at that monster. I quickly look away, continuing down the hall.
All day long I check my bag, searching every part of it to make sure he didn't put anything in it, not that he's had a chance to. I haven't let it out of my sight. I even took it with me when I went to get a beaker during AP Chem lab. There was no way I was leaving it next to Briggs.
Even though Briggs said he'd leave me alone this week, I don't trust him. I've been on edge all day, thinking he's going to do something. During lunch, I searched online for security cameras I could put in my locker that would link to my phone so if Briggs or his friends put something in there I'd have proof.
"Are you okay?" Charlotte asks as we're leaving school.
"I'm fine." I give her a smile. "Why do you think I'm not?"
"You've seemed nervous all day. Is it because of Briggs?"
"Briggs?" I ask, as we walk to her silver Mercedes, a gift from her grandparents for her sixteenth birthday.
"Didn't you see how he was staring at you all day?"
"No. I didn't notice." I actually did but I ignored him. He was trying to intimidate me but I wouldn't let him. I wouldn't even look at him.
Charlotte gasps. "What if he's going to start bullying you again?"
"Then I'll tell him to go to hell, or I'll ignore him like I did before. You need to stop obsessing about Briggs, and stop being afraid of him. He's not going to bother you. I'm the one he hates and he's left me alone for over a year."
She stops at her car, her eyes widening as she looks behind me. "He's coming over here!" she whisper screams. "I have to go." She opens her car door.
"Charlotte!" Briggs yells.
She freezes, looking like she's about to be murdered. I don't know why she's so terrified of him. He used to tease her but that was over a year ago and it was nothing compared to the shit he did to me. Sometimes I wonder if her fear of him is really because she's attracted to him and that's why she gets so nervous around him.
"Hey, Briggs," she says in a breathy voice, giving him a quick glance before looking back at her car.
"What are you doing on Friday?" he asks, ignoring me as he walks up to Charlotte.
"I have a cello concert." She shoves her glasses up as she turns to face him.
He nods. "That's right. I forgot you played cello. Just come to the party after the concert."
"What party?"
"The one at Deke's house. People will start getting there around nine. You should come."
Deke is one of his rugby friends, another rich asshole, but at least he doesn't bother me. I don't think he's ever spoken to me.
"Why do you want her at the party?" I ask, getting between Charlotte and Briggs. "So you can throw her in the pool, knowing she can't swim?" I glare at his perfect face. "Get away from her."
"What are you, her bodyguard?"
"I'm her friend, and I know your invite is just some trick to get her to show up so you can do something to her."
"Why don't you come along and find out? Oh, that's right, you can't. You have to mow lawns on Friday night."
"Go." I lock eyes with him "Now."
"I'll go when I feel like it." He folds his arms over his chest, his eyes going back to Charlotte. "What do you think? Will I see you there?"
"I don't know," she says, sounding breathless. "I have to go." She gets in her Mercedes and jerks the car in reverse before taking off.
"What the hell was that about?" I ask Briggs.
"What? I can't invite her to a party?" he says with a smirk.
"Asshole," I mutter, going around him, heading to my truck.
He catches up to me, coming in front of me and grabbing my shoulders, his face back to the cold, threatening look I'm used to with him. "You want to mess with me? I won't just come after you. I'll come after your friends. Or friend. I forgot, you only have one."
"Leave her alone," I say through gritted teeth.
"I will if you cooperate. If you don't, she's fair game."
"You said you'd give me a week. Friday is still part of this week."
"Friday is just a taste of what's to come. Nothing will happen to her on Friday. It's just a way for me to gain her trust so that next time—"
"Just stop!" I shove his hands off me. "You are NOT hurting her. In any way. You hear me? I will not let you involve her in this."
He leans down to my face. "I'll do whatever the fuck I want. And your little friend will go along with it because she wants me, like every other girl. She'll think she's living out her fantasy. Until it ends."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
He backs away, smiling, then turns and walks off.
"For the record, she doesn't want you, asshole! She hates you!"
He ignores me and keeps walking.
I've always hated Briggs but now I hate him even more. He can come after me but he can't come after my friends.
I didn't think he'd take it this far. He's playing dirty, turning this into a dark and twisted obsession to win. And the game hasn't even started yet.
Chapter Eight
Ella
It's Tuesday, which means I have less than a week left before Briggs starts his all-out war against me. His warning yesterday in the parking lot almost had me thinking I should just let him have what he wants. It's bad enough he's going after me, but going after my friend? I can't let that happen. Charlotte can't be involved in this. It's not right.
But despite his threats, I can't make myself give in to his demands. I have every right to be valedictorian. I've earned it. While everyone else was out partying and having fun, I was home studying. That can't all be for nothing. I deserve this. Just because Briggs is used to getting what he wants doesn't mean he gets to take this from me. But how do I get him to back off?
"That's it for today," Ms. Tate says as she finishes her lecture. "I'm going to come around now and collect your assignments."
She starts in my row and I look through my backpack for the paper I wrote. I did it last weekend and printed it out, knowing Ms. Tate is the only teacher who makes us print stuff out and bring it to class rather than submit it online.
"Ella?" She stands by my desk, holding her hand out. "Your assignment?"
"Sorry, I need a minute to find it."
She continues to the next row while I search for the ten-page paper that I know I printed out on Sunday. I put it in a yellow folder, the one I use for AP French. There's no yellow folder in my bag. What the hell? Where did it go?
I take out everything in my backpack, setting it on my desk, pens falling out everywhere. I hear Aubrey laughing from two rows behind me. I glance back and see her smirking at me as she hands Ms. Tate her assignmen
t.
Why is she laughing? Did she do something? Did she take my assignment? How would that even be possible? The only time I've been around her all day is now, in this class, and she's nowhere near me. There's no way she could've taken my assignment.
Everything's out of my backpack, piled up on my desk, but my assignment isn't there. I even checked my other folders, just in case I put it in the wrong one, but it's not there. It's gone.
The bell goes off and Ms. Tate stops at my desk again. "Your assignment?"
"Um, yeah, I can't seem to find it," I say, stuffing everything back in my bag. "I'll go print it off at the library. It should only be a few minutes."
"Ella, you know the rules. Assignments must be turned in during class. I don't accept late assignments. If it's late, it's considered incomplete."
"Ms. Tate, I promise you I had it." I hurry to get up, flinging my backpack over my shoulder. "I just misplaced it somehow."
She walks back to her desk. "I'm sorry, but the assignment was due during class. You'll be getting an incomplete."
Ms. Tate started working here last fall and doesn't know me yet. She doesn't know I'm not the type of person to forget an assignment. She's acting like this is no big deal, while I'm in state of panic right now, knowing I didn't turn in a paper that's worth ten percent of our grade!
"I'll submit it online," I tell her, racing up to her desk. "I'll send it right now. The paper is done. I did it last weekend. I just need to—"
"I don't accept papers online," she says, putting her reading glasses on as she looks down at the stack of papers everyone turned in. Everyone except me. She picks up a pen and starts reading the first paper.
"Please. Just let me go print it out. I never do this. Ask anyone here. I always turn in my assignments. I've never not turned one in."
She looks up from her desk. "I'm sorry but rules are rules. I'm sure after this you'll remember to bring your assignments to class."
"I did bring it. I swear to you, I had it. I just—"
"Ella, please," she says with a sigh. "I have work to do."
I turn to leave the now empty classroom and see Aubrey walking in, her pink, glossy lips turned up into a slight smile as she comes up to me. "I found this by the door when I was leaving. You must've dropped it."
She hands me my paper, the one that was due.
"How did you get this?"
"I just told you." She flings her long, blond hair over her shoulder. "I saw it on the floor when I was walking out. I was going to toss it but then I saw your name on it and thought you might need it."
"It's my assignment." I turn back to Ms. Tate. "I must've dropped it on my way into class. I know it's late but would you at least consider taking it?"
She takes the paper from me and sets it on her desk. "I will do it this once, but there will be an automatic ten percent deduction from your grade, and if you do it again, it will be an incomplete. No exceptions."
"Thank you," I say, with a relieved sigh.
"You should be thanking Aubrey." She glances at Aubrey. "Now please, move along so I can get to work."
I follow behind Aubrey as we walk out. When we're in the hall, I grab her arm and get in front of her. "How'd you get my paper?"
She yanks her arm from me. "Don't touch me, you filthy bitch!"
"Tell me how you got it!"
Her light blue eyes narrow at me. "When you mess with my boyfriend, you mess with me. Got it, bitch?"
"You did this for Briggs?"
She leans down to me, lowering her voice. "This was just the beginning. Watch your back, Trailer Girl."
She turns and walks off. I look down the hall and see Briggs coming toward her. They meet up and kiss, then continue down the hall. Briggs looks back at me and gives me a smug grin.
He did this. He took my paper, but how? The only time I wasn't with my backpack today was when the teacher made me go up to the front of the room to read a scene from a book in AP Lit. But nobody from Briggs' inner circle is in that class. Did he pay someone to do it? I bet he did. He has the money to do it, but nobody here needs money except me. But Briggs also has power. He can make people do stuff for him. They'll do it in the hopes they'll get to be his friend, which is really pathetic.
It's the end of the day, and as I hurry out the door to leave I bump into a guy standing just outside the building. It's Calvin, this tech-obsessed guy who’s always in the computer lab writing code. I've had some classes with him but never talked to him. He doesn't like talking to people.
"Sorry," I say, going past him.
He doesn't respond and I feel him watching me as I continue through the parking lot. He kinda freaks me out because he's always so quiet and keeps to himself. But he's been teased and bullied for years, like me, so he probably thinks it's safer to be a loner and not draw attention to himself.
"Ella!" I hear him say.
I turn around and see him coming toward me, his thin, black hair falling over his forehead. "What do you need?"
"Is there any way you'd um..." He looks down and adjusts his glasses. "Maybe give me a ride?"
"A ride? What happened to your car?"
Like everyone else here, Calvin has a very expensive car. His father created some kind of software that made millions, or maybe even billions. I only know that because I saw his dad being interviewed on the news a few months ago.
"It won't start," Calvin says, pointing to the dark blue Ferrari parked in the second row of the parking lot. The Ferrari must be new. He used to drive a Mercedes sedan. He doesn't seem like someone who would drive a Ferrari. Maybe he thinks it'll get him girls.
"Did you call an auto service? Maybe they could fix it."
"I called, but they can't get here until tonight. And my dad's out of town." He scrubs his hand through his hair, making the thin strands get all staticky and stick up. "I need a ride home but I guess I could just call a rideshare." He turns and walks away.
Normally I wouldn't give a ride to someone I barely know but I'm pretty sure Calvin is harmless. And I'm pretty sure if he wasn't that I could take him down if he tried to attack me. He's about as tall as I am and probably weighs less than me. He's really scrawny. I think he gets so into writing code he forgets to eat. I've never seen him in the cafeteria.
"Calvin!"
He turns back. "Yeah?"
"I'll give you a ride."
“Really?" he says with a hint of suspicion, like he thinks I’m playing some kind of prank on him. The guy's been bullied so much he doesn't trust anyone. And yet he asked me for a ride.
I motion him to follow me. "Come on."
He runs toward me, an awkward run where his knees come together and his feet swing way out. I notice people laughing at him. A girl from my French class is pointing at us as she talks to her friend. I swear, these people need to get a life. Do they really have nothing better to do than make fun of people?
"It's open," I tell Calvin as he stands by my truck. The locks always get stuck so I don't bother locking it. It's not like anyone would try to steal it. It's twenty years old and has rust everywhere.
"Thanks for doing this," he says as he tries to put his seatbelt on.
"You have to yank it really hard," I say, watching him struggle with the seatbelt. I finally just take it from him and pull it over him.
"Thanks," he mutters, seeming embarrassed. I didn't mean to embarrass him. I just want to hurry up and leave.
"So where do you live?" I ask, pulling out of the parking space.
"A few miles from here. Turn left out of the parking lot."
A car pulls in front of me, blocking my way. It's Parker's silver Porsche convertible and behind it is Finn's shiny white Range Rover.
"Shit," Calvin mutters, biting his lip.
"What?" I say, glancing at him. "You think I'm letting those assholes block me in?" I roll down my window and yell at Parker. "Move or I'll run you over!"
The top on the Porsche is down and Parker's arm is casually resting on the door. Dark
sunglasses cover his eyes. He doesn't even acknowledge me as he turns to Scarlett, who leans toward him and kisses him. Finn has a girl too. She's practically in his lap, her mouth attached to his.
I honk my horn and yell out the window. "Move out of the fucking way!"
"You're just pissing them off," Calvin says.
"They're not pissed off. They're enjoying this. But if they don't move, I'll run them over. This truck would crush that Porsche."
"Learn anything?" Parker yells at me as Scarlett messes with her hair.
"Meaning what?"
He just laughs, then speeds out of the parking lot. Finn pushes the girl off his lap and takes off, going just as fast.
"What was that about?" Calvin asks.
"I'm guessing that was their attempt at an insult, implying we don't know how to kiss." I roll my eyes as I gun the engine and take off. "They're such assholes."
"Then why are you always talking to them?"
"I don't talk to them. I stay away from them."
"Not Briggs. You've been talking to him all week."
I glance at Calvin, wondering if I shouldn't be giving him a ride. "Have you been watching me?"
"No, I just noticed you were talking to him."
"Talking to him doesn't mean I'm friends with him. He's been giving me shit since we got back from break and I'm trying to get him to back down."
"What kind of shit?"
"I don't want to talk about it. You said to go left?" I ask, turning out of the parking lot.
"Yeah, and keep going for about five miles. I'll tell you when to turn." He looks out the side window. "Sorry about this. I didn't know who else to ask. I'll give you gas money."
"Don't worry about it. I don't mind. So what happened to the car?"
"I don't know. It just wouldn't start."
"Is it new? I don't remember you having a Ferrari."
"I got it for Christmas," he mutters. He doesn't sound very excited about it. Most people would be thrilled to get a gift like that.
"Why a Ferrari? Trying to get girls?" I say in a kidding tone, giving him a smile.