The Beehive Book One

by Milena Clarke

  Chapter 15

  The Lounge

  After barely escaping what was sure to become a chase, the girls end up in the school’s discreet lounge. There are empty round tables scattered around the room. The place looks deserted. One of the tables is painted with a light coat of blue paint. The girls put their hand bangs on the colorful table and sit down.

  “So, what do you think?” Elena asks with an upbeat optimism. The run-in with the YouTube girls had uplifted her spirits. She reminded herself that things could always be worse.

  “It’s ok so far.” Aya replies. She knew it wouldn’t be wise to show any sign of enthusiasm. The girls seemed to despise the school with a passion.

  “Hopefully you now realize how fortunate you are to have us by your side.” Evan comments while applying some bright pink lip gloss.

  “As you can see, we’re pretty much the only group resembling anything close to normal.” Lara adds with haste.

  Lara was unpredictable. She always seemed like she was on the move; impossible to hold in one place. She was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. She was an omnipotent presence who seemed to follow everyone who came into contact with her. A force to be reckoned with.

  “Definitely.” Aya says as a wave of anxiety takes control of her body. This school seemed to be surreal, like from out of a movie. It was a stressful place for anyone to be in, let alone someone who was new to it.

  “I gotta go to the restroom.” Elena announces from out of nowhere. “I’ll catch up with ya dolls later!” She briskly gets up and exits the cafeteria in the blink of an eye.

  For some reason, Elena’s sudden departure has left Aya feeling even more on the edge than before. Even though they had barely talked, Aya had felt an instant connection towards the group’s only brunette. She now felt more vulnerable, like she had been thrown to a pack of wolves. Would she make it out alive?

  Evan’s phone starts ringing out of the blue snapping Aya back into reality. She could get so lost in her own thoughts. It was something that had gotten her in trouble in the past. Fortunately, that wouldn’t be a problem with this group.

  “It’s Nikki.” Evan says after picking up the phone.

  “Put her on speaker.” Lara orders while rolling her eyes.

  “We’ve found your replacement.” Evan announces. She winks at Aya and sticks her tongue out.

  “Who is it?” Nikki answers with a jovial tone. “I wanna meet her!”

  “I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.” Lara says. She couldn’t resist the opportunity to make a snarky remark.

  “Oh Lara!” Nikki cries. Her voices takes a sudden shift and becomes wobblier. “I didn’t know you girls were hanging out!”

  “Yeah.” Evan says nonchalantly. “We’re at the lounge.”

  “Oh how amazing!” Nikki screams. “Why don’t we all get together after class? My bleeding has stopped.”

  Evan turns the speaker mode off and looks at Lara. “What do we tell her?” She asks with a focused expression on her face.

  Lara tilts her head from left to right several times. It was clear that she didn’t want to take Nikki’s offer.

  “No, we’re actually just chilling tonight…” Evan says. She sounded so natural when she was lying.

  In the meantime, Aya is closely observing them. It seemed that every decision had to go through Lara’s approval. It was a dynamic she had never seen before.

  Evan covers the phone up with her hand. “She says she’ll bring the Moss if we hang out.” She whispers to Lara so that Nikki can’t hear her.

  “Ok. Whatever.” Lara rebuffs. She was over Nikki’s constant attempts to fit in but she had made her an offer she simply couldn’t refuse. Moss was the hottest commodity in town and she couldn’t pass it up. “Let her come.”

  “Meet us at 7.” Evan spits out. “And don’t be late like last time.” She pauses and then adds. “And whatever you do, don’t bring that horrendous head scarf with you.”

  Evan hangs up the phone and looks at Lara with an expression that indicates a fervent annoyance.

  “She somehow always manages to squeeze herself in.” Lara says while tossing an empty pack of mints aside.

  “Who’s Nikki?” Aya asks without really wanting to know the answer. Even though she knew little about the group, Aya sensed that she would have to fight her way in. She would have to earn their respect the hard way.

  The other girls look at her as if they had just acknowledged her presence. Her tactic had paid off.

  “That’s a good question.” Lara says while looking pensive. “I suppose Nikki’s a hybrid cross between Rebel Wilson and a pampered poodle.”

  Evan laughs out loud and Aya can’t help but chuckle. Lara had a nasty attitude but something hilarious would come out of her mouth every now and then.

  “I can’t wait for you to meet her!” Evan exclaims. She was beyond excited for the dynamics of the group to change with Aya being in the mix now. Maybe that would give her the chance to finally dethrone Elena as Lara’s best friend.

  Chapter 16

  Locker Room Encounter

  Elena carefully opens the door to the boys locker room. The room was located on one of the campus’ most remote areas by the marine sciences study center. It was always crowded after school but during the day not a soul was to be found there.

  “Where are you?” Elena whispers without moving a bone.

  “Right here!” A strong rugged voice replies back.

  Elena follows the voice and notices it’s coming from inside the janitor’s closet. The closet starts shaking more and more frantically the closer she gets to it. She finally opens the door and smiles.

  “There you are.” She says with sweetness before planting a kiss on the boy’s cheek.

  “I’ve missed you.” The boy says. His name is James. He’s a junior who plays for the varsity soccer team. He and Elena have been regularly hooking up since the spring.

  “Let’s save the talking for later.” Elena demands with a confidence that’s disarming as it is sexy.

  James wastes no time and takes his shirt off. He then grabs Elena by the waist and starts kissing her. They both fall down and hit the ground as they continue to strip themselves naked. Elena kisses James all over his body: his abs, his arms, his neck. It’s apparent that she’s infatuated by his lean physique.

  James starts feeling up Elena’s breasts while playing with himself. Elena could make him feel a passion he didn’t know existed. The fire of first love was changing every fiber in his being. Nothing would ever be the same.

  “Hold up.” James says.

  Elena looks disconcerted.

  “Why are we stopping?” She asks.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” James says with a serious look on his face.

  Elena covers herself up and sits on the floor.

  “What is it?” A flurry of self-doubt now hit her stream of thoughts.

  “Well…” He takes a long pause. He wanted to build more tension on what he was about to reveal next.

  “Why are you so freakin’ hot?!”

  James flashes a radiant smile and Elena puts her head down in a moment of relief. He could be such a tease.

  “You’re a jerk, you know that?” Elena says with a playful tone. “But since you asked…this is why.”

  Elena removes her top off and starts dancing in a sensual way. James continues to laugh but stops abruptly as soon as Elena takes her silk underwear off. They both seem to be having the time of their lives.

  Chapter 17

  The Lounge

  Lara, Evan, and Aya are hanging out by the blue table. The lounge is still empty and they are playing with their phones. A look of boredom seems to have taken them hostage. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen. Something dramatic.

  “Where did Elena go?” Evan asks. She tried to keep tabs on everyone’s whereabouts all the time. “She’s been MIA for a while now.”

  “I don’t know.” Lara
says without looking up from her phone. “I’m gonna go look around for her.” She pauses and then drops a sarcastic remark. “You guys have fun chatting it up!”

  “Bye!” Evan says. She was relieved to be getting a break from Lara. The first day of school had already proven to be quite the roller coaster.

  Lara gets up from the table in a brusque manner and disappears. Even though neither would admit it, both Evan and Aya had momentarily closed their eyes in relief at the same time.

  “You don’t like to talk much, do you?” Evan asks. She couldn’t bear the weight of the silence between them. It was just the two of them now.

  “It’s not like I’ve gotten much of a chance to.” Aya replies.

  “I get it. It’s a lot to take in.” Evan replies while showing rare instance of empathy. “My first day here was terrible. Lara and Elena picked on me relentlessly.”

  “Really?” Aya asks in disbelief. She was shellshocked by Evan’s startling confession.

  “They used to bully me back in freshmen year.” Evan says while nodding her head. “I don’t know how I did it but somewhere along the way I was able to turn things around for myself. I mean, look where I am now, at the top of the food chain.”

  Aya seems amused by this new facet to Evan’s past. Perhaps they had more in common than what she had previously assumed.

  “Have Lara and Elena always been close?” Aya asks with curiosity. It was a good of a moment as ever to get a bit more of information on the two leaders of the pack.

  “Oh yeah.” Evan affirms. “They live on the same block so they’ve been inseparable since birth practically. You have to see their homes, they look like they were designed by Dubai’s oldest oil moneyed family!”

  Aya was thankful for the tidbits of information Evan was providing her with. At the same time, she was skeptic of Evan’s obsession with wealth.

  “Do you live near them too?” Aya asks.

  “I live downtown actually.” Evan replies while trying to hide a look of fear. “In an apartment of my own.”

  “That’s pretty sweet.” Aya says. She was surprised someone’s parents would let their teen daughter to have so much independence at such an early age. “Beats the flashy palaces if you ask me.”

  Evan lets out a nervous laugh just when a group of students enter the lounge. The students seem to be dressed in black and sport looks of hateful anger on their faces.

  Evan points at them and says. “Don’t they look a mess?” Unlike Lara, Evan was an expert at drawing the attention away from herself.

  “I can relate.” Aya blurts out in a moment of sincerity. Without realizing it, she had succumbed to Evan’s charms.

  “What do you mean?” Evan asks. Her eyes had opened wide and were focusing in on Aya. She felt like a detective; about to discover a crucial clue.

  “That’s what I look like…” Aya says while meticulously planning every word coming out of her mouth. “…after a night of heavy drinking.”

  Evan laughs and Aya immediately follows her lead. She had barely saved herself.

  “Just wait until you see Elena tonight.” Evan says. “She can’t keep her feet on the floor past 10pm. She walks like this.”

  Evan gets up and proceeds to imitate Elena’s clumsy drunk walk. She jiggles her body from left to right while squinting her eyes. Aya laughs and crosses her fingers under the table.

  Chapter 18

  Parking Lot

  Lara comes rushing out of Vista High’s main gates. She walks right towards the parking lot and approaches one of the cars that’s stationed by the entrance. The car in particular is a Mercedes G-Wagon. The driver proceeds to roll down his window after spotting Lara.

  “Hi babe.” The man behind the wheel says with a peculiar British accent. He’s impeccably dressed and is wearing a black tie. He looks like a hunky business man that one only really sees in the movies.

  “Hi love.” Lara says while lifting up one of her hands. The driver touches her hand and kisses it with care.

  “Thanks for making it all the way out here. Work keeps you so busy I feel like we barely have time to see each other.” She says while pouting her lips.

  “I know, sweetie.” He replies. “I’ve been making so much more money lately though.”

  “You keep saying that yet you haven’t wined and dined me in like forever.” Lara says with the high-pitched tone proper of a private school girl.

  “I’ll take you out soon, I promise.” He says with the elegance only a distinct businessman knows how to exude.

  “You better.” Lara says. She pauses and takes off her oversized sunglasses. “So, did you bring me what I asked for?”

  It seemed their meeting had an ulterior motive.

  “You mean the little present I picked up on my drive over?” Lara’s lover asks without missing a beat. Lara’s manipulative ways didn’t seem to bother him. On the contrary, they seemed to excite him all the more.

  He digs into his pocket and takes out a small zip log baggie. Lara squeals in delight when she sees it.

  “What do you say?” The mysterious driver asks while raising his perfectly trimmed brows.

  “May I please have that, my lovely British boy?” Lara asks with a juvenile tone.

  “And?” He asks again. His face denoting a growing impatience.

  Lara makes a gesture of someone who’s been caught off guard. She straightens up her neck and peers her head down to the driver’s seat. Her neck looks strained by the effort of it all.

  “And may I please have that, Mr. Big, BIG, Ben?” Lara asks while drawing her head even further downwards.

  “There you go.” He says with a picture perfect smile. “It’s all yours.”

  He hands the small bag over to Lara and proceeds to plant a kiss on each of her cheeks.

  “Not here.” Lara says while taking a step back. The sweetness of her face has now been traded with a bitter look of disgust.

  “Oh, sorry, darling.” He says with a look of remorse.

  Lara waves him goodbye and starts walking away. “You’re the best!” She says while holding up the zipped bag.

  “Call me tonight!” The driver says before she's out of his reach.

  “I sure will, dearie.” Lara exclaims before leaving the parking lot behind.

  The car exits the school’s grounds as Lara heads back to the lounge. She hides the bag in her giant hand bag and proceeds to rub her hand over her mouth.

  “Bloody wanker!” She whispers to herself in a mocking British accent.

  Chapter 19

  The Halls

  After their locker room getaway, Elena and James are talking in the middle of the school’s main hallway. They’re all smiles and seem to be having an enjoyable conversation.

  Lara, fresh from her meet up with the British guy, is strolling down the hall when she spots Elena and James. Fortunately for Elena, she sees her so-called best friend before she can pick up what’s going on between them.

  “Go rub another one out by the concessions stand!” Elena yells while pushing James away. She was one hell of a good actress when she wanted to be.

  Lara quickly jumps into the action and comes to her friend’s rescue. Or more objectively, for her own satisfaction of putting down others.

  “Is this kunta kinte bothering you?” Lara asks with an inherent coldness.

  “He was trying to get me to tell him my bra size!” Elena says while trying to look offended. “As if!”

  “What a sad, sad, sad little boy you must be.” Lara declares. She was now honing in on her target. No one could predict what she could do next.

  “I’m sure you want a taste of this too, boo.” James strikes right back. Elena looked anxious at his defiant reply but Lara didn’t struck any sort of fear in him. It was as if he was immune to her vicious tongue.

  “Over my dead body.” Lara says with a smirk.

  “Let’s get away from this perv.” Elena says in an attempt to save James from Lara’s wrath. “He’s not worth our t
ime.”

  Elena grabs Lara by the hand and they briskly walk away. However, Elena subtly turns her head and throws a wink at James. She hoped he didn’t take what she had said about him personally. She was just merely playing a part. He would understand.

  They both continue walking down the hallway when the bell rings. Lunch break is over and Lara unexpectedly turns towards the building’s top floor.