Between Two Girls

Chapter 23

"Does everyone have what they need?" the teacher asks. When said everyone nods, he then adds, "Alright! Start working."

Lucy motions Paige over to her desk. She gets the notebook out and goes through the pages. When Paige arrives, Lucy say, "We can split up the facts and put them in their categories."

"That can work," Paige says.

"Great. You take the front and I'll take the back?"

Paige nods, and Lucy excuses herself to get something. Paige starts reading over the facts, and as usual tunes out the voices. She takes her time sorting them out in where they need to be. As she does, Paige hears a pair whispering behind her back.

"What's up with Lucy?" the first girl asks. "She doesn't normally partner up with a lame bookworm."

"Read 'bookworm,'" the other says. "It's obvious Lucy wants to get a good grade." Paoge bristles at the comment, but keeps to herself.

"Don't you want to smack that bitch?" Juli asks. "It'll help you feel better!"

"Only if Paige wants to get suspended," Emery retorts.

"Well, like, can't Lucy do it by getting that girl to do her work without being partners?" the first replies to the second. "Because like, honestly, no one wants to be with that freak."

Paige clenches her fists as she writes something down. Her pencil breaks from force, and she growls as she stands up to sharpen it. A few seconds later, she gets back to the seat and continues writing. Unfortunately, the pair behind her hasn't stopped trash-talking.

"--should just kill herself," the other girl says.

Paige whips her head around, facing the girls. "What did you say?!" she demands, standing up.

"Whoa! You just got her mad!" the first girl cackles.

"Of course she's going to get pissed if you're wishing for her to die," Emery says. For once he seems to drop his cool.

"I said," the second girl answers Paige's question. She also stands up, and puts her hands on the desk in front of her. "That if you're starting to talk to yourself and be a waste of space, do us a favor and kill yourself!"

Paige stares at her in disbelief. "What's your problem with me?" she asks. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Like, didn't you hear what I said? You're just wasting good oxygen for in reason."

Paige raises an eyebrow. "Wow," she says. "I didn't realize you're smart enough to use 'oxygen' instead of 'air."

"Ohhhh!" Juli calls out. "Burn!"

"You bitch!" The girl slaps Paige hard across the face. Paige lifts up her hands in defense as the girl keeps attacking her. Everyone else stops what they're doing and watches the attack opening up. "You fucking piece of shit!"

"HEY!" the teacher booms. He rushes to them and pulls the girl away from Paige. "You two! Go to the principal's office."

"She started it!" the girl whines.

"Yeah! I saw it happen!" her partner backs up.

"I don't care who started it!" the teacher says. "Both of you, to the principal, now!"

The girl huffs, and Paige glares. The bookworm slowly walks out of the classroom, with the girl following not far behind. In front of Paige, Lucy walks out of the hallway to her left, carrying books.

"Hey, sorry it took me so long to get these, and the lock got stu--" Lucy stops mid-sentence as she sees the walk of shame. "Paige, what happened?"

"Why don't you ask your fan?" Paige says, her voice low. She walks past Lucy, and she can hear her asking the girl what happened in the time she was gone. Paige growls in annoyance. "Is this ever going to stop?" she asks.

Neither voice has any answer to the question.