by J. L. Beck
“Just stop Corey. Go find someone else to terrorize.” Rex says roguishly, and from the way he's avoiding the question, and the way his body language is, I’m just going to assume that whatever Corey is going to say is going to cost us the game. The question is can I pick up the pieces, or will it all be unrepairable.
“Oh this is great. You see Jenna… I actually had it wrong this whole time you know. It wasn’t you who was the only slut. You can’t become one without having a good example of one walking around in your life daily. You know someone to show you the ropes, how to connive and use people, how to ruin people’s lives. Oh no, the only person who could’ve taught you those kind of things is your mother.”
I stare at him wide eyed, is he on drugs. He has to be, my mom works impossibly hard. She's fought for her nurse position at the hospital for
so long, all she ever has time for is work. “I think you have the wrong person, also are you on crack, because if so, I think you should lay off… its messing with your head.” I push myself away from Rex’s body and walk around his truck to the door, pulling myself into it and slamming the door. I’m done listening to his lies, his insults. He always tries to find a way to fuck with everyone’s happiness. I refuse to give him that anymore. I stare blankly as I watch Corey’s facial expressions morph into rage, I can’t see Rex’s, but I know he’s doing whatever he can to get him to stop. What seems like hours, which is only a few minutes later, Rex enters the truck.
A bleak look on his face, he looks tense, his eyes meet mine and the storm cloud blue is dark just like the clouds when they fill with water, the way they look before a big storm is about to occur. A look between disgust, and self loathe crosses his face, and I feel the need to reach out and comfort him. I don’t though, because for some reason I’m rooted to my seat. So I hope my words can.
“It’s not your fault he’s that way…” I mutter out. The tension in the truck is almost more than I can take. Sweat beads on my forehead, and my stomach feels like it’s going on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
“Fuck.” He roars out, as he slams his fist into the steering wheel multiple times. The anger that’s raging out of him startles me. I’ve never seen someone act like this before.
“God. Fuck. I’m sorry.” He says, sorrow filling his voice. I smile over at him. He has nothing to be sorry for, although his anger is unnerving it’s exactly how I feel on a daily basis.
“Don’t be sorry. We all have to let our feelings out sometimes.” I say patting his knee affectionately. He runs his fingers through his hair, before leaning his head back on the headrest.
“I have something to tell you, but I’m not sure I’m ready yet.” His statement scares me a little bit.
“Also, I’m sorry he ruined our date night. Geez, I should have known he would pull something like this. I should have. I’m sorry Jenna. I really am.” I shake my head at him before he can continue to rattle off his apologies for nothing that he could control.
“Don’t its fine. You can tell me when you’re ready, and you have no reason to be sorry. All I want is to be here with you. I don’t want to talk about Corey and what he says to try and ruin our time together.” I smile up at him, and he returns the favor. Grabbing my hand in his, all I need is him, he makes those moments that seem so dark and weak, brighter and easier to walk through. With him by my side Corey can never succeed.
Hate Is a Strong Word
Hate is a strong word, probably one of the strongest words that you can use to describe your feelings about someone. If you’re going to use it you best really “hate” that person. That’s the difference between me and others. I didn’t hate these people for being mean to me. That’s why when Angela, Corey’s sister and the most wickedest witch of the west dumped her whole tray of food on me, not once, but twice, and told me how much of a piece of shit I was and that she hated me, I sat there and did nothing.
The difference between them and me when it comes to the word “hate” was that I had been given every reason under the sun to hate them, yet I didn’t. They had no reason to hate me, but yet they did. It was an understatement to say I was having a bad week.
After heading to the bathroom to pick spaghetti noodles out of my hair, and get the red sauce off of my sweatshirt I headed to my locker, or to find Mimi whichever I came across first. I left the bathroom with my head held high, that bitch would get what was coming to her. They snickered, pointing and laughing as I walked past the lunch room. They were the worst kind of evil.
“What the hell happened to you Jen?” Mimi’s voice echoes in my mind, pulling my attention to her and away from the cackling evil witches. I look at her dolefully.
“What does it look like happened?” I say pointing at the red splotches on my shirt and looking for a noodle in my dark locks that I’m sure I missed. Her eyes avert to the girls behind me that I know are still staring and probably laughing.
“She did this to you? That little bitch.” She says, glowering at them. “I’m so going to go fifty shades of crazy on her ass. Where’s Corey, he probably put her up to this.”
I shrug my shoulders. “It doesn’t matter Mimi, I try not to draw attention to myself, they’re mean, I fight back, and then they become meaner. It doesn’t matter what I do they don’t stop.” I sound defeated, and really I am. I’m exhausted.
Mimi grabs my arm leading me down the hall toward the gym and away from the cafeteria. “You have to tell someone Jen, you have to. What about your mom? A teacher? I can’t let you go through this anymore.” I shake my head at her. What doesn’t she get? No one cares and no one will help.
“You know my mom is too busy to care, and even if she did take notice she wouldn’t say anything other than stop causing problems for yourself and we both know what getting the school involved does. “Sigh, this is a lost cause. Nothing will stop them until I move away, and most people are sad to graduate. Not me, I’ll have my middle fingers so high in the air.
“I don’t know what to do. But I do know I’m not letting you deal with this alone anymore. What does Rex say about this?” Great now were back to Rex. Just what I want to do, she switches gears so fast I don’t even think she knows what she’s talking about sometimes.
“Rex and I have done everything we possibly can to keep our friendship a secret. They found out about a week ago, Corey made up yet another rumor, this time about my family something about my mom sleeping with a bunch of people and slutting around. Apparently I was raised in that environment and that’s where I got my slutty tendencies from. Anyway there’s nothing to be done.” A look of shame crosses Mimi’s face, but is evaporated as fast as it was put there.
“What was that look for? If you know something you have to tell me.” I demanded. “I don’t know anything Jen, this is the first I’ve heard of this rumor. But I have an idea. It might be childish but Corey’s having a Halloween party. What if we dressed up, snuck in, and did some harmless but most definitely evil pranks on him?” The evil Mimi grin forms on her face, and I know things are about to get really bad.
“Question, why the fuck would I want to draw more attention to myself Mimi? Because he’s going to know who did it, and it’s not like I don’t already have a target on my back.” I say rolling my eyes. This isn’t a good idea. Not at all.
“So what’s your point, or question? How much worse can things get for you? It’s not just you he’s going to come for, he’ll come for me too, and when he does I’ll be ready.”
I ponder her plan for a millisecond, it could get really bad for me, or I could continue to sit here and mope about it all. “I’m in, what are we doing?” I ask excited. She rubs her hands together, going into evil mastermind mode.
“How cute do you think he would look if his skin was green?” She asks. I snicker, “Oh he would look absolutely Oompa-loompa-adora-lish.” She smiles, “Exactly what I was thinking!” Two great minds think alike, and just like that I’m forgetting about the wicked witch of the west and her cackling clan.
Why the hell did I agree to go costume shopping with Mimi? Someone kill me now. “You could go as an actual whore… you know, it fits the theme and all.” She says as I look through the racks of barely going to cover my ass cheek costumes. I roll my eyes at her.
“Funny har-har… but no. You can be the slut, it suits you better.” She gives me a look that all but says doubtful before pushing through more racks. Halloween, just another holiday for people to drink, have sex, and for girls to wear practically no clothes.
“What’s Rex going as? Maybe we can coordinate your costumes to match.” I give her a deadpan look, “No.” She squints her eyes at me before pulling a dress off the rack that looks very similar to Dorothy's from the Wizard of Oz.
“This is cute, and it looks like its just long enough to be Jenna approved.” She says handing it to me, so I can try it on. I hold it up against my clothes, hmm, I suppose.
“God forbid I don’t want my labia flapping out in the wind.” I respond to her comment in a sarcastic tone. She lets out a snort. “If your labia are flapping out in the wind, you’ve got way bigger fish to fry girl.” I give her a dirty look. “You know what I mean.” I turn and make my way over to the small changing rooms.
I remove my clothes, leaving my bra and undies in tack. I shimmy the dress over my head slipping the straps over my shoulders and my arms into the sleeves. The dress ends a little higher above the knee than I really like, but its way better than anything else Mimi has picked out. At least the top part is modest.
“How’s it look?” Mimi’s voice vibrates the small confined space. It looks sexy and sleek but I’m not telling her that, her ego will burst. “It looks good.” The second the words leave my mouth I regret them. The door is thrown open as Mimi comes barreling in. I back up, falling in the sitting position on the small stool.
“What the fuck Mimi?” I ask dumbfounded. “Have you lost it? If you wanted to see it, all you had to do was say so, you didn’t have to come in here and plow me over.” Her eyes grow wide as she takes me in.
“Sorry but we both know you wouldn’t have let me see, and the only one who’s going to be doing the plowing is Rex. Holy balls, your one sexy bitch.” I laugh profusely, as I wrap a lock of my hair around my finger and say, “You really think so?” While biting my lip, Mimi’s face grows serious. “Don’t ever do that again.” I give her a fake pout and we both burst out laughing.
“I found these shoes, they would totally go with that dress, and you know the Wizard of Oz theme and all.” She says pulling a pair of sparkly red flats out from behind her back. I take them from her slipping them onto my feet and stand to look myself over in the mirror.
I catch Mimi’s facial expression in the mirror, and she’s biting her lip trying to hold back laughter. I almost feel annoyed. “What’s so funny?” She shakes her head “Oh nothing you just look so adorable, and child like it’s really cute.” Great. I’m going to a teenage Halloween party looking like I’m five, fabulous.
“Great. Next.” I say annoyed. Shopping with Mimi is so mundane. “Nope. This is the one.”
“No. I’m not going to this party looking like I’m five. It’s bad enough that I can’t find anything I really like, nonetheless anything that covers my entire body. Do people even realize that in October its cold out? Who wants to wear something like this?” I say pointing to the small skimpy red dress hanging on the inside of the door.
Mimi has a defeated, heartbroken look on her face as she holds a hand over her heart as if I’ve wounded her. “Excuse you, but I would.” I roll my eyes at her comment. Of course she would.
“It looks fine, you look fine, and everything will be fine.” She says, pulling my hair into two pigtails. “See sexy as hell.” I give her a thumbs up as I all but push her out of the changing room. She squeals, “You're getting that or I’m getting it for you and I mean it.”
“Okay Mom.” I yell. I pick up the dress and shoes and exit the dressing room searching for Mimi. “Mimi” I call out, I see her flowing brown hair over in the corner of the store. She’s standing next to what looks like a copy machine. Shit. Don’t tell me she bribed the owner into allowing her to use this thing. Mimi has been known to bribe a person or two in her day.
“What are you doing?” I ask eyeing the papers in her hands. It looks like it’s an ad of some kind. A sweet smile forms on her face as she pushes a couple buttons on the machine, it starts shooting papers out. I grab one, looking it over. It’s just that, an ad. It says: CMW who still lives with mommy, looking for a daddy. Prefers big black men, long walks on the beach, and being tied up and spanked. Call for a good time and then Corey’s cell number.
“You cannot do this Mimi, it’s just… crazy… its utter madness. He’s going to kill us.” I say shaking my head at her. I can’t help but feel a spark of happiness at the same time. He may kill us, but the satisfaction of getting even a little bit even with him is so worth the fact that he may retaliate.
“I’m almost done making copies, and then we’re going to head over to Java Bean, pick up some coffees and go and hang these awesome flyers up. Also we have to swing by Wal-Mart on the way home. I have a few things I need to pick up for the rest of the pranks.”
“Wait you have more pranks you're going to do? You don’t think were slightly overstepping our boundaries here do you?” I ask hesitantly. Mimi can be quite a spitfire when she wants to be. She looks at me as if I’m stupid, and then her look changes to anger.
“Let me ask you something Jen, was it overstepping when Corey told the whole school that you were being treated for crabs? Or how about when he put sticky notes and wrote I’m a slut all over your truck?” She pauses. “Or how about when Angela poured her whole tray of food on you not once, but twice?” I roll my eyes at her. Ugh, she can be so convincing sometimes.
“Okay I get it, I get it.” I mumble out. “Good, because I shouldn’t have to explain to you all the reasons why you have to pull these pranks. They will in no way have the same effect that his rumors did, but it’ll be the satisfaction of having a small slice of pay back.”
She’s right, but at the same token I can’t help but feel like we're setting ourselves up for failure. That doing this might be fun now, but the repercussions will be bigger. It doesn’t matter how much I tell myself that I’m not afraid of Corey or the things he said. Everything he says or said about me wouldn’t have nearly half the effect on me if I didn’t love him. I don’t love him now, but I did and that’s what hurts.
We pay for our things, and pile into Mimi’s jeep. Her parents have money, as most other families around here do. Well except mine, there’s just me and my mom. My dad walked out a long time ago, and just never came back. My mom doesn’t like to talk about it, and I never ask. It’s better to leave those kinds of things in the past.
“So here’s the plan, I’m going to swap out all of Corey’s shampoo and conditioner with hair remover. I’m going to put Orajel on his toothbrush, and I mean the super strength kind that numbs your mouth forever. Hopefully I can get the shower head off. I’m going to stuff a bunch of Lifesavers in the cap so when he turns the water on and gets in to bathe, he’s going to get sticky. He’ll get out to dry off or fix the shower head and the towel will stick to him. Ahh. I love my super sweet ideas.” Oh. M. Gee. My best friend has lost her ever loving mind.
“You thought all of this up?” I ask astonished. I knew she had some ideas, but I thought they were just that, ideas.
“Yup. I’m also putting some dye in with the shampoo and conditioner, and he may or may not come to school green.” A grin that tells me she’s thrown a lot of thought into this appears on her face.
“You’re so bad Mimi.” She puts the car into drive and we make the short drive over to Java Bean. “Yeah well not nearly bad enough.” She responds. My thoughts drift to Rex, and how for the first time ever, I’m going to be able to enjoy a party, my first real high school party. Hopefully we can make it through the party without Corey
realizing what we're up too.
Revelation
I filtered through the hall as the last bell for classes went off. My backpack felt like it weighed fifty pounds and my shoulder was throbbing as I searched the halls for Mimi. I was really starting to get angry. She told me to meet her at her locker at the end of the day and that was over twenty minutes ago. Yet, here I was searching for her ass.
I all but growled as I continued to search the rest of the academic hall. I wanted to yell out for her but was afraid there may be some lingering students left behind. More often than not, the wrestling team would run the halls, but there wasn’t anyone in sight.
Then it hit me, the art room. Mimi had art class last period of the day; maybe she was down there and forgot about the bell because she was too caught up in a project. It’s seriously happened before.
The halls were decorated with tacky Halloween decorations. Fake spiders hung from man- made spider webs, and there was orange and black garland hanging all over the place. Ghoulish looking faces were taped to the windows in the cafeteria. It looked festive in a childlike way. My favorite parts about Halloween weren’t the decorations though, but the pumpkin carving, the pumpkin seeds, the smell of fall and leaves, and handing out candy. Well, honestly who doesn’t love candy?
A noise sounded from behind me startling me from my thoughts. Turning around I looked to the other end of the hall from the way I just came. There was just no way someone could be behind me, I would know.
“Hello.” I called out angrily, mad that someone would try and trick me. Fear trickled in slowly as a scratching sound emitted from down the opposite direction I was facing. I swung my gaze back around only to come face to face with a very hairy, wolf like creature.