Nerds
I woke up to screaming. And to soap bottles being thrown at me.
“AH- WHAT THE- WHY ARE YOU-”
“WHY ARE YOU IN MY SISTERS BATHTUB?!” I looked up to see a very startled and possibly angry Mindy. Oh no, it wasn't Mindy, this girl had short dark red hair that looked very frighting like she died it with the blood of her enemies. At a closer look, it was definitely Mindy.
“What happened to your hair!?” I asked very concerned.
“Wha- NOTHING YOU FREAK!”
“This was the only open bathtub!” I explained. She looked very pretty in the morning light, those angry green eyes sparkled with such rage I was probably going to die. I saw that she was in a pink fluffy towel, and only a pink, fluffy, towel. Covering my eyes I quickly scrambled out of the tub tripping on the curtain and falling into a wall where everything went black.
I opened my eyes to what felt like days later.
I was laying on the softest bed I've ever felt. Groaning I picked my head up.
Mindy was standing there in a black bikini top and a blue skirt. Oh no that's a bra.
“You're awake.” She said not at all sounding happy.
“You're not wearing a shirt.” I said in dismay.
“Well don't look if you're going to be a baby about it.” I shut my eyes, dropping my head back onto the bed.
“Did I sleep through the week?” I asked in a panic. Think of all the school I missed…
“You slept through my shower and that's it.” A sigh of relief. “You can look now.”
I sat up yawning.
She threw a hoodie at me. It was a men's hoodie thankfully but it was black and had some sports logo on it. I looked down at my button-up grey shirt and my blue bow tie in my khaki pants. Frowning I asked “Why do I get a hoodie? Wait are you marking me as territory? I heard women do that.”
She gave me that confused irritated look. “You've obviously never met a woman. It's just so you don't look like you are asking to be beaten up.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Do you not like my bow tie? It's very professional.”
“Que getting the shit beat out of you.” She said opening a jar and putting a glob of something on her hair.
“When did you dye your hair?”
Scowling she answered, “Last year. I haven't stopped dying it when it needs a refresher.”
She slicked her hair back with what I'm guessing was hair gel. I hadn't noticed the wig until she picked it up.
“That stays on through cheer?” I asked.
“Through school, through cheer, through se-”
“Gah! I get it, I get it please don't say it.”
She frowned. “What? Sex-” I covered my ears and closed my eyes. After a second I opened up to find her laughing.
“Stupid fucking Nerd!” She howled. “See this is why I hate your type. I could get undressed right now and you would just gawk like fish out of water, not knowing what to do.” I frowned. She fanned her face, “You know the only difference between you and a fish is you've never been to a wet place!”
“Hey!” I scolded. She didn't need to be mean about it. “I would know exactly what to do. I've read up on it enough and I went to a rainforest when I was in Africa so I have been to a wet place!” She only laughed more, bending over gasping for breath. Frowning more I grabbed the hoodie walking out.
I rubbed my neck heading downstairs. It wasn't even six-thirty, I wasn't sure what she would be doing for the next hour and a half. Her mom was asleep on the couch, some things never changed it seemed. I walked into her bright kitchen, grey floors, white counters, and cabinets with a deep blue backsplash. It still looked very nice and clean, but opening the fridge I saw there was practically nothing in it other than milk and eggs.
The pantry was almost empty short of a few baking items. I opened the cabinets to the plates. I rubbed my finger along the center of the plate. “Yeah, I thought so.” I sighed looking at the layer of dust I had picked up. I went down to the basement and instead of looking at her posters, I looked around. What in the hell had happened here?
I went back upstairs and grabbed a trash bag to pick up the basement, almost filling it with trash and old food. I opened the windows, rummaged through the upstairs closet until I found the vacuum, and set to work. I had also seen a mini-fridge buried under the stairs and opened it to find mostly rotten food and some beer. However, there were some blueberries that were still good so I took them and cleaned everything else out.
Once I felt pretty good about the state of her room I moved upstairs and hand washed the dishes I would need for breakfast.
:-::-:
Mindy
One face and a half of makeup later I came downstairs. Something smelled good. I could hear laughing. I walked into our kitchen to find my mom smiling sitting at the breakfast bar talking to Nerds, who had a nice little mark blossoming on his noggin from the fall he took earlier.
“You're up early.” I grumbled.
“Oh dear, you look so much prettier when you don't frown.” I frowned more. “Your little boyfriend here made breakfast and asked if I wanted some.”
Nerds turned red but I didn't bother to correct her. “You woke her up?” I asked Nerds. “Wow. Brave of you to deal with that hellfire.”
“She was still nicer than you.” He remarked. His rebuttal was surprising. Looks like he was more comfortable, I just laughed.
“Spoken truthfully,” I added. He handed me a plate of fresh blueberry pancakes. “Did you go shopping?” I was almost positive we didn't have fruit.
“No. The milk and eggs were up here, everything else I was able to scavenge in the pantry, and the blueberries were in the mini-fridge downstairs.”
“Everything in there was rotten.” I said looking skeptically at the pancake.
“Not the blueberries.” He said with confidence. Considering I've never heard him so sure of himself I took a bite and shrugged.
“Thanks.” I said with a wave, walking off to my cave of darkness and solitude until we had to leave.
My cave of darkness and solitude was bright and reeked of that Bastards cologne.
There wasn't a speck of trash anywhere, even the foosball table was laid neatly against a wall, it's broken leg on top of it.
A cold breeze drifted through the room, taking the smell of smoke and sweat away with it.
Whatever. It was clear that getting in my pants was the last thing he wanted, so if he wanted to clean up after me and make me food might as well let him. I sat down on my couch, eyeing a suspicious stain. The pancakes were good but I wasn't about to praise the weirdo.
This was probably the first time I'd eaten breakfast in months I thought to myself smiling slightly remembering how much my sister loved blueberry pancakes. She made them all the time. She didn't like cooking or doing work but no one else could make them the same way as her. Food was her secret hobby. The only thing she liked as much as being popular. She didn't like cooking and complained about it, but I think she was proud to be creating instead of destroying. Eating my sister’s meals was the only time our family didn't fight.
Not because we were happy to be around each other, but because we were all busy eating to yell.
I would always get stuck doing the dishes. A mountain of plates and pans. I hated dishes more than I hated my sister, but I did them anyway. It was better being around my mom and dad yelling at each other than being alone in the basement with my thoughts.
A chill went up my spine as I walked up the basement stairs.
She was going to make food when she got home. I hadn't eaten all day and I was so hungry.
My phone had been buzzing nonstop. I had been ignoring it for hours. Not being able to get out of bed, not having the energy to even roll over.
My footing got shaky on the last three steps, my heart pounded in my chest as that day crashed over me in a blinding few heartbeats.
There was a knock on the door. I never answered the door. I didn't even go out the front door. My sister insisted I use the back so no one knew that a reject like me lived with her. I was fine staying invisible.
So I laid in bed as my phone buzzed. As the knocking on the door continued. I just wanted to eat food. I just wanted my sister’s food. My mom started screaming. I couldn't get up. Even now when something must be wrong. I couldn't get up.
The door to the basement opened and Gwen ran down the stairs, her dark makeup streaming down her face in tears.
“Jean?” She had croaked.
Why was she crying? I was so tired. When was Ell getting home? She said she was going to make food for me.
“Jean I’m so sorry.” She cried.
I didn't like seeing her cry. I would kill anyone who made her cry.
“Why…” I had swallowed. My throat had been so sore. “Why are you crying?”
“Jean I know we hate her…” sobs racked my friend. “But your sister… gods I'm so sorry about your sister…”
“My… my sister?” And then my head, my head that had been silent all day, started screaming. I had jolted out of bed, finally understanding the racket of today.
I grabbed my phone. Hundreds. Hundreds of notifications from my friends. Hundreds of missed calls.
One voicemail. From Elenore Mindy.
I opened it, pressing play as I went to my notifications on social media.
“Hey Missy. I hate you. I always have. But you hate me more. You even swore you would kill me one day.
Listen I know you like being invisible.
But I have a favor to ask. I want you to be the next Queen of Camille. Take my name.
You're stronger than me. And it's not like you have much of a life anyways.
So when the time comes.
I want you to take out Emma Park.
I couldn't do it. But you'd kill her without hesitation.
Rip out the bitches heart.”
I couldn't move. Everywhere on my page was the same picture. Everything was the same picture.
“And then. Crucify the bastard that tied her up.
Don't die a coward like me.
Bye Missy.”
On the ground in front of some building downtown, was an ugly red blotch, smeared across the sidewalk and street. In the middle of the ugly red laid my beautiful sister, twisted at odd angles, with her face, that stunning face, half smashed on the concrete.
Gwen was crying and I just sat there staring at that picture.
I was frozen on the steps. Shaking. Tears threatening to tear away the makeup and reveal the reject underneath.
“Not the makeup.” I breathed.
“Mindy? We are gonna be late to school…”
The door opened, Nerds staring at me.
“Mindy?”
“Not the makeup.” I said desperately. Frozen. Shaking in fear from a memory I had worked so hard to suppress. “Please.” I begged as tears rolled down my face.
I dropped my plate, the half eaten pancake falling with it.
The ground swayed beneath me.
Elenore would never have ruined her makeup.
And then the floor rushed to my face and my world went black.
:-::-:
Emma Park
I was walking through the hall to my first period. I hurried my pace, this was the hallway with Mindy’s locker.
I wished Dunkin was here, he always made me feel stronger. I missed the feeling of his arms wrapped around me, calling me an angel and telling me he would protect me no matter what.
I didn't hear the usual gossip coming from the right side of the hall where Mindy usually was this time of morning. I glanced up, hugging my books closer to my body.
Mindy was just standing there. Her back to the lockers, just standing, staring at the wall. She didn't even notice as I walked past. Then I noticed someone rummaging around in her locker. The lanky boy finally took a step back, straightening his back as he closed Mindy's locker, his arms full of her school books.
What the heck was my brother doing with Mindy? And why was he wearing a hoodie? He didn't even own hoodies.
I stopped. I could do this. I could be brave for my little brother. She could bully me, but my brother? I didn't think so. She must be threatening him. I bet this was just to get to me.
I turned around, weaving through the crowd until I had reached the other side. Mindy's side.
Dexter said something to her and she snapped out of that trance. She looked over to him, but her eyes stopped dead on me.
I wish Dunkin were here. He would be strong and walk right up to her and demand she stop making my brother carry her things.
I wasn't some useless little girl anymore. I knew real fear, I had been close to death once before, and anyways, Mindy wasn't half as scary as her sister. I straightened my back and took a step forward.
“Turn around.” Mindy said. Her voice was so sullen but had such an edge of rage to it that I almost listened.
Almost.
Dexter whipped his head around. He had a purple bruise on the side of his head, oh god. The look in his eyes was begging me. He was begging me to save him!
“No.” I said firmly.
I started walking forward again.
“TURN AROUND,” This time I stopped. Her icy blue eyes were so cold. The whole hall stopped, the kids turning to see the pathetic little girl being yelled at. Mindy's breathing was uneven. Erratic. “If you don't.” She said in a deadly calm. “I will kill you.”
She was shaking, I realized. Shaking with fear? No. Anger.
I took a step back. Alright. If she comes after me I'll hit her with my books, that will be enough to get her down, but then I'll run? But where? She has a network of gossip through the schools if anyone sees me she will be after me-
“Let’s get to first period.” Dexter said in a calm, soothing tone. I looked up to thank him, ready to take his hand as he walked me to first period and told me everything would be okay.
But when I looked up he was looking at Mindy. He offered her his arm. She turned away, taking his arm, letting him lead her to her first class.
What just happened?
:-: :-:
It was lunch and I had just sat down.
“Pizza!” Jax drooled.
“You ate pizza for breakfast!” Harry said.
“I could eat pizza for every meal.” Jax said through a mouthful.
I laughed at the two, taking a bite of my ham and cheese sandwich, it was plain but I loved it.
Dunkin sat down, kissing me on the forehead, my cheeks went red and Harry laughed at me, teasing Dunkin and me.
“Emmy and Dunkin sitting in a tree-” Dunkin stole Jax’s plate, he immediately shut up. Dunkin smirked, setting the plate down again.
“So Emmy got threatened today, how does that make you feel overprotective Alpha Dunkin?” Harry taunted.
Dunkin went still, his dark brown eyes going cold. The sunlight streamed through the cafeteria windows, Illuminating his angry face, he clenched his teeth, the sharp jawline tightening in displeasure. His eyes shot to me and I looked away.
Harry and Jax went still, not wanting to anger him further considering he hadn't known about what happened this morning. I hadn't told him, not wanting to worry him.
“Emmy.” He said, anger laced his voice but he was still kind. He would never be mean to me. “Is this true?”
I nodded and told him how Mindy had threatened to kill me.
He stood up.
“No, Dunkin please!” But he didn't listen. Brushing his shaggy black hair out of his eyes he walked to Mindy's table, the muscles in his back clear through his tight white tee shirt.
“Mindy.” He snapped.
The laughing at Mindy's table stopped.
She gracefully stood up, turning to face Dunkin. They were separated by a single table, the Goth and Punk table, who were looking at Mindy, not with anger but confusion. Probably the first time I'd ever seen them not scowling at everyone. They had all been pretty nice to me. They would tell me I need to grow a backbone but they would help me pick up my books anyways. Their leader, I think her name was… I can't remember, actually told Elenore off for me once.
“Sorry.” She said, back to her usual tone. “But if you got sick of your little commoner, well I can't help you. I don't touch those who have been tainted with such filth. Even if they are, the famous, Dunkin S. Hawthorne.”
“You threatened Emma.” He growled.
She gave him a winning smile. “I promised your little whore-” Dunkin was there in an instant, his hand raised over his shoulder in a tight fist.
“Don't call her that.” He snarled.
“What? Whore?” She smirked. “Do it. You won-” He swung.
I screamed no but it was too late. I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch Mindy fly across the cafeteria. After a second I looked back up.
Mindy was snarling in Dunkin’s face like she was a feral animal. Her hand had caught his fist. Their arms were shaking, pushing against each other.
“How DARE you.” She scolded, her white teeth bared in utter disgust.
The lunchroom was dead silent. Eleanore would never have caught that.
Then Mindy did something Eleanore also would have never done. She jerked her knee up, hitting Dunkin right in the groin.
The lunchroom gasped.
“Oh my god.” Jax and Harry said in unison as Dunkin dropped like a rock in the water.
“Don't you ever fucking touch me, Dunkin S. Hawthorne!” She yelled.
Then she kicked his face with that hot pink stiletto heel.
She stepped over him like he was little more than garbage as he groaned on the floor. She started walking away until Dunkin said; “She deserved her death.”
Mindy stopped.
“Ede faecum.” Was all she said.
The only sound in the lunchroom was the tap of her heels as she walked off.
:-: :-:
Gwen
I ran into the bathroom. Emit and Dunkin had gotten in a fight afterward, spurring the Football members to go after the Punks, us Goths spent the whole time doing damage control, trying to get them to separate until the teachers got there. It had been fifteen, no, twenty minutes.
Enough time for Jean to wreak havoc on herself. I knew where she was when I spotted the tall kid standing outside the bathroom with her books. I had eyed him and his bruise suspiciously before walking in.
The bright lights blinded me, the nasty smell of perfume, and whatever air freshener the school used assaulted my nose.
“Jean?” I asked.
The bland pink walls clashed horribly with the baby blue flooring, I followed the wall of dented and crooked silver stalls until- A pink heel stuck out from under a door.
“Jean!”
I closed the gap, banging my fist against the stall.
“JEAN!”
She was in the fifth stall, the one where the door is all screwed up, maybe with enough force-
I slammed myself against the stall, the door didn't budge. I did it again. And again. I did it until my side throbbed and head pounded.
“One-” BANG “More-” BANG
The door crashed open, flying and hitting Jean, I was too busy falling to apologize, catching myself on the toilet seat and wall I took a deep breath.
All I could see was red. I stood back up, my hand over my mouth as sobs wracked my body.
“Gods.” Was all I could manage.
Jean laid there on the floor, her shirt was lifted up, exposing her torso, exposing the blood streaming out of fine lines.
A small pocket knife laid next to her, inches from her hand like it clattered away from reach.
I dropped to my knees, looking at all the scars she had reopened.
On the knife were cruel words that must've taunted her. “Beauty above all.” Her sisters. No doubt.
I pulled Jean to me, hugging her, staining the Show me your fangs shirt I currently wore.
Sniffling I called Emit.
Minutes later he burst into the bathroom, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths. Together we lifted Jean up, Emits jacket covering her torso.
When we got out into the hall the Skinny glasses kid had already gotten her bag. After a few minutes of avoiding cameras and people, we snuck out a window in a portion of the old school.
Emit cursed Dunkin the whole way.
We got back to her house, her mom not batting an eyelash when we carried her bloodied daughter through the front door into the basement. Only commenting ‘She looks horrible.’ Before taking another swig.
Emit had cleaned her cuts, and we bandaged her torso up, laying her in bed.
“Forty-nine.” Emit said. “Any idea why she chose forty-nine?”
“She has a preferred number?” The glasses asked.
“I think... I think she went until she blacked out.” I answered, flicking open the now clean knife. Serrated blade.
Gruesome to the core aren't you B?
:-: :-:
Emma Park
I walked up to my steps, pulling out my keys, smiling at the Panda face on my home key, because let’s be honest pandas are adorable.
I opened the door and gasped. A flurry of pink and purple, my favorite colors, balloons, and streamers greeted me.
I walked in, a giant ‘I'm sorry banner’ handwritten, can't imagine how many markers it had taken, was staring at me, a giant Panda stuffed animal the size of a living room chair was in the middle of the room, a bouquet of flowers and chocolate in its arms. I walked into the kitchen, now eating the chocolate, and was met with a beautiful blue high neck no shoulder dress, and a pair of diamond earrings. A note was written, in neat handwriting was;
I really am sorry,
You were right, I went too far,
Please forgive me,
Let's go to the Italian resultant tonight that you
like so much. I'll be waiting outside in the car
at eight.
-Love Dunkin.
I smiled, how could I stay angry at him when he went through all this trouble.
I picked up the beautiful new dress and earrings. I had four hours until he picked me up so I figured I would do homework and maybe watch a movie, maybe I'd even make cookies for us.
I put the dress in my room and heard something fall outside the door. I poked my head out to see Dexter, he wore the hoodie still and had an old duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
“Dex?”
He looked up. And scowled.
I don't think my brother had ever scowled at me.
“I hope you're not going to that stupid dinner tonight.”
My cheeks went red and I closed the door a little more, obscuring his view from that dress… but by the looks of his deepened scowl, it seems he already saw.
“He didn't mean to…” I looked away.
“He did,” Dexter said. “He meant what he said.”
“You're not being fair to him-”
“Oh no. I'm not being fair to a handsome rich boy who gets whatever he wants and just told a dead persons, little sister, they deserved to die.” He scolded.
“Eleanore told me I deserved to die plenty!” I yelled my face heating up the angrier I got, but even as I said it guilt panged through my chest.
“Scum like you never got the chance to live. I think you should at least get the chance. I've lived plenty.”
“And plus.” There was a small, sad smile.
“You remind me of someone,
And she might never get to live again.”
Dexter looked angry. Truly angry, like he knew exactly how hollow my words were.
“Do you even know Mindy?” He asked.
“I know your eyes were begging me to save you from her! She even hit you!” I said desperately pointing to his bruise.
“No. My eyes were begging you to stay away from her.” He was so cold. "And the mark is from falling out of her shower this morning."
Her whAT…?!?
Ignoring that last comment I continued; “She kicked Dunkin when he was defenseless! Don't tell me you're defending her!” I shouldn't be yelling.
“You're defending a man who tried to punch her.”
“He was provoked! He was defending me! And I was mad at him for everything that happened! I didn't speak to him for the rest of the day!”
“And he bought you back with some cheap streamers and diamond earrings. Money solves his every problem. Whatever. I'm leaving.” He started walking downstairs.
“Dexter! Wait! Where are you even going?!” I said running after him.
“Mindys.”
“For the night?! Wait are you two like a-”
“I'm just staying until she's better.” And then he was gone.
“Until she's…”
Better?
ns 172.68.245.4da2
