Bad Girls

by Aurora Yeo

  “Of course, you didn’t. He was probably too busy sucking his girlfriend’s face off,” I mumbled bitterly under my breath.

  Wesley looked at me in confusion, and I sighed. “It’s just…Blake and I aren’t exactly on talking terms right now.” I rubbed my arm slightly and looked down at the ground.

  “Wow, I disappear for ten years, and the whole world falls into chaos! I am important!” Wes laughed, and I smiled just a little. He always knew what to say to lighten up the mood, and for that, I was grateful.

  “Tell you what, Jerald, we go alone, and I’ll treat you ice cream. What do you say?”

  “I want chocolate.” Wes winked, and I chuckled. “Beats your stupid cookies ‘n’ cream any day.”

  “Watch what you say, Jerald, or you might not get that free ice cream after all.” I laughed and ruffled his hair with great difficulty because he was taller than me.

  He grunted in mock annoyance and threw his arm over my shoulder. We walked out of the school as he hummed a merry tune, and I felt my spirits lift up.

  I took in a deep breath of relief; it had felt like forever since I had last smiled so genuinely. It hurt my cheeks, yet I welcomed the bittersweet pain.

  Chapter 2

  Wesley Christopher Jerald was many things. He, like Blake and I, grew up to be a perfect rebel one way or another. I guess how you turn out to be is really dependent on the friends and people you mix with because even though we spent most of our teenage lives apart, we still came together as the same type in the end.

  Technically, I wasn’t a bad girl until recently. I was a good girl, the golden girl. I had wonderful grades, wonderful friends, and a wonderful life. Charlotte Brooke came in without any warning, swinging around a figurative machete, and destroyed my entire life. What I’ve worked so hard to achieve, my entire empire, broke down because of a stupid, little wallflower.

  My friends soon became her friends, and Blake, my boyfriend, soon became her boyfriend. She took absolutely everything away from me, except for three things: Summer Dollen, my love for high heels, and last but definitely not the least, Wesley Jerald. I was hopeful that this list would just keep getting longer in the days to come.

  Over our bonding session, which consisted of chocolate and cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream, he came into mutual agreement with me that Charlotte was nothing short of a vile and despicable human being who had something wrong with her mind. He sat there and listened to my whole story without interrupting once, unlike my so-called ex-best friend or ex-boyfriend, who didn’t even bother listening to me finish saying, “Hear me out,” before deciding that all between us were to be cut off.

  I guess now that I was spending time with Wes, I noticed what a perfect match Blake and Charlotte were. They came into my life like huge fireworks and exploded everything that belonged to me. They ruined me. They destroyed the person I was.

  But of course, I had to give it to them. If they hadn’t done what they did, I wouldn’t be the Avery Chase I am today. I would still be in Blake’s arms, listening to his sweet nothings. I wouldn’t be sharing ice cream with my other childhood best friend, and we wouldn’t be laughing. I would still be under Blake’s nefarious spell. So, sure, Charlotte, in some cruel, twisted way, was a blessing in my life.

  But that didn’t mean that I didn’t want to rip her throat out. She still played the lead act in ruining my entire reputation and life, so I still hated her. I still wanted her to rot under my shoes. I wanted her to feel what I felt, to have everything she ever had to be completely ripped away from her.

  I want her gone.

  And I knew just exactly how to do it.

  Tucked under a giant willow tree just outside our favorite childhood ice cream shop, I fished out the heavily drawn-on notebook just as I finished up my ice cream. I dusted my hands off lightly on the fabric of my pants, flipped the notebook around, and examined each drawing with utmost curiosity. Scribbles and quotes adorned each little corner of the notebook, curling and trailing on like vines of a tree as they curled into something more. Each doodle seemed so filled with life though color lacked from it greatly. My heart pumped bitterly when my eyes ran over the initials of Blake and Charlotte’s names.

  “So, what is that?” Wes gestured to the little white notebook I held in my hands while licking his ice cream cone. I tested its weight, lightly tossing it in the air, and my lips curved into a sinister villain-worthy grin.

  “That, my Igor, is Charlotte Brooke’s notebook. She apparently had been crushing on Blake since middle school and writes love songs about him. You will not believe the amount of information these pieces of paper hold.”

  At my words, Wesley faked an exaggerated gasp. Slapping the palms of his ice cream-covered hands over his cheeks, his proclaimed in a faux shocked manner, “Wow! I didn’t know that people actually thought of storing information in paper! Such a wonderful discovery!” Upon seeing my unamused expression, he gave me a simple, lopsided grin. “I admit, though, that is absolutely disgusting and stalker-ish.” Wesley laughed before dusting off the remaining crumbs off his hands and cheeks.

  “Your sarcasm was not appreciated. And yes, I know. This was like a diary to her. And this will be her downfall.”

  “What do you plan to do?”

  “You’ll see. You’ll see.” I grinned, a wonderfully diabolical plan forming in my mind.

  ***

  “You’re in school early,” Summer commented as we made our way toward our lockers.

  “I know. I had to be,” I vaguely replied to her while opening my locker.

  “A little bit more information would have been nice,” Summer grumbled, and I laugh slightly. “I miss those times when you told me about absolutely everything and anything. And that includes that juicy little tidbit about that junior, Mason Pil—”

  “Patience, my little munchkin. You’ll know soon enough.” I chuckled as I cut her off mid-sentence, patting her cheeks lightly, and slammed the locker door shut.

  I was walking to the cafeteria when a scream came from behind me, followed by an all too familiar voice I recalled on many sleepless nights. “Avery!”

  I spun slightly on my heels to face Blake as he came stomping over, a piece of paper in his hands. “What is the meaning of this?” He held up the paper in front of my face, and I smiled innocently.

  “What is the meaning of what, Blake?” Sticking to the tried and trusted same old routine, I batted my eyelids as daintily as I could, a small flattered smile shaping the corners of my lips. Deciding to play innocent had never been a better idea. If this were a cartoon, fumes would have already been shooting out of Blake’s ears. He looked livid as the paper in his hands crumpled slightly from his tight grip.

  “This! You stole Charlotte’s notebook and pasted photocopies all over the school!”

  “I did no such thing, Blake. Such false accusations!” I smiled and lightly took the paper away from his hand. Pretending to examine it, I smirked as another idea formed in my head. Clearing my throat, I began to read, “You’re the light of my world, the one who lights my sky. You’re the star, glimmering with your eyes. My heart brightens upon seeing you, my heart flutters when you’re near—” He ripped off the paper from my hand, and I laughed, my voice echoing through the school’s hallways as Charlotte came into my view.

  “Char! I didn’t know you write songs about Blakey here! And would you look at the date? My? Did you write this in middle school? You’ve been crushing on Blake since middle school?” I mocked, placing both hands on my hips as Summer stifled a laugh from behind me. “Well, at least we know that the writing belonged to a child and, thankfully, not a teenager. I mean, your writing skills can’t still be that awkward now, can it?”

  “That’s enough, Avery. You have no right to do this to Charlotte. She had done nothing to offend you. So back off,” Blake growled, taking a threatening step forward after shoving Charlotte behind him and what he thought was away from the crowd’s view.

  “On the contrary, Blake.
She did. And I will make her life miserable. This—” I dramatically gestured to our surroundings “—is only the beginning.” I winked at him, turned on my heel, and walked away. Charlotte was a crying mess.

  ***

  “What you just did was epic!” Summer laughed, giving me a high-five as we sat down and placed our trays in front of us.

  “I know. That’s why I was in school so early today. I had Wesley help me with all this. So technically, I wasn’t lying. Remember him? Real tall, shaggy brown hair and always left scorpions on your front door with his siblings when we were younger? Wes did all the work, and I was just the brains.” I laughed and munched on my apple. Just as I was about to bite into it again, someone took away the apple from my hands, and I heard a crunch from behind me.

  A wave of cologne hit me as I frowned slightly, disappointed about the disappearing fruit. “Wes! That was my apple! Get your own,” I grumbled, snatching the apple back.

  He grinned and then shrugged slightly as he pouted fakely. “Sorry, princess, you owe me now. You know how much work it took to spread those sickening love notes? I lost my breakfast because of it, so this is payment.” Laughing, Wes took the apple from my hands once more and bit into it in an exaggerated manner, his laughter echoing in my ears even after he had long left the cafeteria.

  Chapter 3

  I appreciate these things in my life:

  First, heels, and second, delights such as pizza and ice cream. Lastly, the three Jeralds—Wesley, William, and Winnie.

  These triplets were like every cliché story’s triple threats. The only difference was that one of them was a girl, but that didn’t mean that there was any difference in their reputation. Like I said, I grew up with Wesley, but of course, knowing Wesley immediately came with the package of knowing his siblings, William and Winnie, too.

  They weren’t identical triplets; that’s for sure. While Wes had brown hair and simple brown eyes, both Will and Winnie looked like angels sent down straight from the heavens above. They had hair that looked as if they were spun from golden sunlight and eyes that would pierce through your soul. From what I remember, they looked more alike, and Wesley had always been the black sheep among the three of them. He didn’t, even for one bit, look like Will and Winnie’s twin brother.

  As far as I know, Winnie had been a heartbreaker starting at a tender age. She was young, yes, but she knew the exact angle in which her hair would catch the sun’s glow, and her eyes would sparkle to capture any boy’s attention. Perhaps it was also true, that I had spent some time with Winnie before their family disappeared from our town.

  We would always head to school together, along with Will and Wesley, since they lived just down the street from my house. I remember that my dad would drive us four to school, and when we were in school, we would meet up with Blake. At first, I was closest to Wesley out of all of them, but it was only natural for me to drift more toward Blake after Wesley’s disappearance along with the rest of his family.

  Even back when we were mere children, Winnie Jerald was a sight for sore eyes. She would always wear those cute little dresses to school, and I could recall every single boy basically falling over just to lend her their crayons when she asked. Heck, she didn’t even need to ask, and they would rush to help her, desperate for her attention. When I hung around her last time, I would feel like the ugliest person on earth, even when we were basically toddlers.

  It’s just plain fact that I was an ordinary kid while Winnie looked stunning as if she came out straight from a child fashion magazine.

  I hadn’t been very close with William from what I remember. He had glasses from a young age and always carried a book with him no matter where he went. However, that didn’t stop girls from flooding to wherever he went. He was mainly shy, but he was an overall generally sweet guy. Among the three of them, he was the sensible one. While Wesley and Winnie caused chaos around every household they stayed at, William would just tuck himself in one corner with a book in his hands.

  That didn’t mean he was a nerd, though.

  When I met them again on a Friday night, I could hardly even recognize them. Will had ditched his glasses, making his blue eyes stand out even more, while Winnie looked like a Victoria’s Secret model. I was supposed to be asleep when I heard stones pelting against my window. When I peered out, you can already imagine how shocked I had looked when I noticed three stunning idiots standing just below my balcony, hissing out my name just to catch my attention. I felt as if I was in a twisted version of Romeo and Juliet.

  Only I had three Romeos.

  And one of them was a girl.

  “What are you people doing here in the middle of the night?” I grumbled, pulling my lavender hair out of my face.

  “Wow, Wes. I thought you were lying when you said that Miss Uptight, Avery Chase, became a purple unicorn.” The blonde grinned with her arms crossed over her chest.

  “It’s not like you’re any better.” William shoved his sister slightly, which only gained him a scowl from her.

  “Bunch of idiots,” Wesley grumbled, stepping closer to the balcony. “Jump down, princess. Dress warmly.” Grinning, he gave me a suggestive wink, and I scowled and pulled my silky nightgown higher up my chest.

  After turning back into the room and shutting the curtains, I shrugged off my soft outfit and slipped on a dark purple sweatshirt and faux leather leggings with a pair of black Vans. I stepped out to the balcony once more, slipped one leg over the railing, followed by the other, and jumped.

  My room wasn’t that high up, only on the second floor. The soft grass cushioned my impact when I jumped down, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.

  “You could have used the front door.” Will laughed ever so vibrantly when I grimaced in pain.

  “I didn’t want to risk waking up my dad.” I scowled at him, and Winnie laughed. “It’s already bad enough that I have three strangers right outside my bedroom window in the dead of night.”

  “Strangers? I’m offended.” William pouted, placing a hand on his chest as he blinked.

  “Come on, unicorn. We have a particular ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend to destroy tonight.” Winnie giggled, placing her arm over my shoulder, and dragged me out of my lawn and toward a red pickup truck. Her long blonde hair flew gently against the wind, a skip in her step as the two boys followed behind us.

  ***

  “That will be $156.70,” the cashier grumbled in a bored tone, chewing her gum noisily and not even looking up from her phone.

  “Thanks.” William grinned, smiling so damn brightly at the girl manning the cashier when she looked up upon hearing his voice. Her jaw dropped when her gaze landed on William, which only earned a laugh from both me and Winnie and a scowl from Wesley.

  “We’re running late, playboy. Sun’s going to be up in a few short hours,” Wesley grumbled, handing the cashier the money, and grabbed William by his collar, dragging him out of the supermarket. “Keep the change,” he shouted behind over his shoulder at the cashier.

  Still shaking with laughter, Winnie and I carried our purchases, following the guys back into the red truck. “So, what are we doing?” I asked once we all settled inside the vehicle.

  “I told you, unicorn. We are going to take revenge on a nasty ex-boyfriend. And our poor unfortunate victim will be our childhood best friend.” Winnie snapped her fingers, a satisfied grin hanging from her lips as she glanced at me from the front seat.

  From the driver’s seat, Wesley shook his head lightly, gripped the steering wheel tightly, and carefully maneuvered the truck out of the parking lot. “Winnie, you are going to get us arrested by the police again.”

  When I looked at Winnie questioningly, the blonde cleverly evaded my gaze by turning back to face the front. William, however, started to chortle from his position. “She was arrested when we were in New York for vandalism. Her girlfriend had cheated on her with a college frat kid, and she decided to repay the debt by making out with the guy in front of her ex
-girlfriend. Then she proceeded to spray very explicit graffiti all over the poor girl’s living room wall. It was the most amusing thing out of our ten years out of California.”

  I let out a low whistle and shook my head in disbelief as I laughed. “That was bold.”

  “But it was also fun. Jennifer deserved it, that bitch. Though I’ll admit, her new boyfriend was much more entertaining. Pity I can’t remember his name, though.” She shrugged. “Nevertheless, this trip is going to be fun too, and we’re not going to be arrested, I can assure you.”

  Chapter 4

  When Winnie had claimed that illegally breaking into a private property was fun just now, it was an absolute understatement. When we reached Blake’s house, it was already, well, past the wee hours of the morning. To be exact, we reached his house at around 4:00 am, dangerously close to sunrise. The thing about going with friends is that they know exactly how you want to destroy someone. Going with Wesley, Winnie, and William was probably the best decision I unknowingly made in my entire existence. The triplets had handpicked thousands of weird items, and because of their suspiciously weird connections with other people, there was even more kickass equipment in our arsenal of weapons for tonight.

  The one thing I personally loved most about what we bought was the box of sharpies. They came in all sorts of colors: black, blue, pink, green, purple, and even silver. Winnie had shot me a quizzical look when I had dumped the packet of twelve colors in the shopping cart, but I was absolutely sure that she was proud of me.

  “I am so proud of you, girl. Damn, you grow up so fast! It is true, children do learn quickly.” She wiped away a fake tear as we stood back to look at our masterpiece. One mistake Blake had made was getting a white car. Specifically, a snow-white Ferrari. I honestly didn’t even know they sold this design in white until I’d seen him ride it to school, but then I thanked my lucky stars that he had gotten it in such a pretty little clean canvas. The possibilities!