Bad Girls

Chapter Nine

I LIVED MY life by three simple golden rules. That was to respect any and every person that respects me, to help whenever I can, and to love everyone equally as long as they were deserving of that love.

To Charlotte Brooke, those rules were no longer in effect. When I was still a member of the student council at the peak of my popularity, Charlotte went out of her way to stay out of my path. Our relationship had been nothing but strictly professional. Unfortunately, after the entire debacle with Blake, I no longer see any reason to show her any bit of respect.

Everyone in school avoided her like the plague after the incident during the assembly period. Charlotte was called in for questioning by the principal, as well as Peter via an email to my father. Peter, my lovely little brother, didn't rat me out when my father and the principal—my uncle—had asked about his involvement in the mysterious change of the presentation slides, thankfully. Instead, he was laughing like a mad man when he told me about Charlotte's punishment for mistreating the children of the orphanage.

Ah, I loved that boy right away.

As punishment, Charlotte received a whole week of in-school suspension, a whole week of detention after the week of suspension, and she had to help out in the cafeteria during lunch break for an entire month. This was priceless. It made all the trouble I had to go through absolutely worth it. I finally got my temporary happily-after. And so did Peter at long last.

The poor boy did not talk much during his first few days staying with us, and I could only assume it was because he wasn't used to the attention he had received. My dad had always wanted a son to take over the family business since I had made it clear that I wanted to find my own path, but obviously, he was only stuck with me as his only child. Peter was like a golden ball of sunshine for him. My dad showered Peter with endless gifts and attention, but Peter hardly even gave a hoot to him. He focused his attention solely on me, and I can't believe I am admitting this, but I liked it. I liked being an older sister, and I liked helping people who needed it. Guess a bad apple wasn't necessarily bad to the core but only bruised on the outside. Peter's reaction to both my father and I, luckily, only grew warmer and warmer as the days passed. And soon, we became best friends. Of course, when Wesley came over, he would try to convince Peter that he was his favorite, but that little troublemaker had never quite succeeded in changing Peter's mind.

Peter opened up to me about why he was always sent back to the orphanage, and when he told me the whole story, my heart shattered for him. He was a scarred boy. His past had broken him in so many ways. The couples who tried to adopt Peter had never really given him the attention he truly needed. They never took the time to understand him and his past. They would try to act as if Peter was nothing but an adopted child and not family. Obviously, Peter never opened up to them, and they would return him to the orphanage, thinking he was depressed. The only depressing thing was that those couples couldn't give Peter the family that he truly needed, and yet they dared to put the blame on the poor boy.

For every one that I held dear to my heart, life was filled with nothing but sunshine and rainbows, unfortunately for Blake and Charlotte.

And I was hoping it would stay that way for days to come.

***

I took Peter's hand and tugged him toward the neighborhood park. The poor kid had played so many computer games that he even got bored of it. I thought no one ever gets bored of games, and yet I had a living breathing specimen. My father pampered him so much that it was nearly overbearing for Peter.

"How do you even know that he even wanted to go out?" Wesley shoved both of his hands into the pockets of his jeans, and I laughed.

"'Cause he is bored of video games. I thought guys were never bored of games." I pointed out, laughing at Wesley while Peter scoffed.

"Yeah, we do. When we play too much," Peter grumbled and pulled his hand out of mine, walking over to my other side to hold on to Wesley's hand.

"See! I told you that he likes me better. High-five, little man," Wesley practically shouted in my face with pure joy. I scowled when my traitorous little brother high-fived Wesley.

"I'm his sister, not you." Snapping, I crossed my arms over my chest and turned my head away from Wesley.

"Aww, come on. Don't be like that." Wesley put his free arm around my shoulder and hoisted Peter up with the other.

"Look at that, Roger. What a cute little family." An old lady walked past us and whispered to her husband. She wasn't exactly speaking in a soft volume, though, so every word could be heard clear as day.

"We're not—" I began to say, but Wesley smoothly cut me off.

"Thanks, ma'am. Today's our anniversary as husband and wife. Isn't my wife ever so lovely?" Wesley winked at me and placed a kiss on my cheek. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as Peter held back a laugh.

"Oh yes, she is. Such a lovely young couple," the old lady mumbled more to herself than to Wesley, her hand still in her husband's as he beamed brightly at her, love shining from his eyes. That, however, didn't mean that I wasn't pissed at Wesley anymore.

"What was that?" I hissed, pulling out of his semi-embrace.

"I was giving the old lady what she wanted to see. Would you deny the poor old woman her last wish?"

"She isn't dying yet, you butthole." I shoved him slightly as Wesley laughed out loud.

"Oh loosen up, Avery. Laugh a little." He winked, draping his arm back on my shoulder, and a smile unknowingly crept on my face. "Plus, we are all dying. Just at different rates."

That smile didn't last for much longer, though. His arm fell off my shoulder the moment a couple stepped in front of us and into our view. Standing in front of me with her arms folded across her chest was none other than the queen of hell, Charlotte Brooke, and her twat of a boyfriend, Blake Ryder.

"I knew it. You were the one that framed me! How could you? Are you really that desperate for Blake back?" She burst into hysterics and made a step that hinted she wanted to charge at me, but luckily, Blake held her back.

"Charlotte," Blake calmly said.

Ignoring her boyfriend, she lashed out at me once more. "You're the real slut in Crescent Grove! Changing boyfriends as if they were nothing but clothes! What? Targeting Wesley Jerald now when only days ago you were with his brother?" Her face grew smug when she noticed Peter in Wesley's arms. "And you, the orphan boy. Her family will dump you like last week's cheesecake; faster than any couple that ever tried adopting you! They are rich folk, Peter. You are nothing but a fool, boy! Nothing!"

Wesley's jaw tightened, and he placed Peter on the ground and stepped forward as if he was about to throw away all his morals, ready to punch that bitch in the face. Then again, he wouldn't be throwing away his morals since Charlotte wasn't exactly a lady, but I stopped him anyway. I placed a hand on his chest and held him back. He didn't try to push through, but his stern look was still on Charlotte, watching her every move.

"Charlotte!" Blake's breathing came out in short haggard breaths, obviously trying to control his anger. "Don't make a fool of yourself because of someone so insignificant," Blake harshly whispered to Charlotte, but I heard every word crystal clear as if they were meant for me instead.

I watched, with my mind still in shock, as Charlotte collected herself, tugged her jacket in place, and stomped off in the opposite direction with Blake following her. None of that actually registered well in my mind, though. The few words that echoed through my whole body were what Blake had just said.

Don't make a fool of yourself because of someone so insignificant.