The Forbidden One

Brielle Dunlop |E|

EDITED

Evangeline

A girl with bouncy, flawless, red curls, fair skin and thin figure strut toward me. She leaned against the locker beside mine and offered me a pleasant smile. "You're Evangeline Ross, right?" I nod, focused on retrieving my school books for my first class of the day.

"I'm Brielle Dunlop," She says with another pleasant smile. "I was wondering if we could speak somewhere a little more . . private?" I shut my locker and arch an eyebrow. That has got to be the most strangest thing a girl has ever asked me.

"Um, I suppose." I say cautiously as she leads the way. Brielle looks familiar, I know she's in my grade and she's popular but I can't press my finger on it.

But when I saw a group of cheerleaders, it hit me. Brielle Dunlop is a cheerleader and cruel one at that. She's the definition of a bitchy cheerleader. She shoves me into her friends causing me to drop my books and backpack. "You know, Ross, I don't really see it." She snickers, her pleasant smile and tone no longer around. "Why would my Albert be chasing you? I mean look at you! You're disgusting!"

I stood in between Brielle and the group of cheerleaders. If I ran, they'd catch me. If I fought back, it'd only make it worse. It cannot get past insults. Words don't hurt; people do.

"You look nervous, doesn't she, girls?" Brielle says menacingly. "Are you, Ross? Are you nervous?" I don't say anything. I don't know what to say to her. I don't see her hand flying to my cheek with a loud slap. "Speak, bitch!"

My hand goes to my aching cheek, it got physical. Be the better person and argue rationally. Fights are never good. "I understand you're angry but was it really necessary to slap me? This isn't Black Friday, there's no need to get physical."

Brielle scoffed, "Well, I don't want another one. Albert is my piece of fabric! You're the one that needs to get your own fabric! Wait. You just called Albert fabric, I can't wait to tell him what you think of him!" She laughs.

"I never said Albert was a fabric, I said it wasn't Black Friday. You're the one who said fabric." I say, smiling as her face scrunched up in anger. "I also don't think your friends should be here to witness you looking like a fool right now. What would the others think of word got out?"

"You're in for it now, Ross!" Brielle snaps. "Grab her!" In a matter of seconds, a pair of hands fly to grab mine and Brielle gets closer to get a better aim at my face. With every punch, she muttered, "Stay away from Albert!"

Throughout the time she's punching me, I can't help but think. All of this for a boy?

🌬

I tried my best to avoid any attention being brought to me. I can't believe the school day had just started and I already got beat up by a cheerleader. Luckily I sat in the back of the class in most my classes but not in all.

I also have Albert in a few now since he rearranged his schedule claiming he'd learn better if I was close to him. What a load of bull. "Oh, God!" Some girl that always sits beside me and talks to me shrieks in horror once she catches a glimpse of my face. I wouldn't call her my friend but I also wouldn't consider her a stranger. She's more of a good acquaintance. She cares like a good friend would but we don't hang out like friends do. I guess you could call us Math Buddies or whatever.

"What happened to you!?" She whisper-yelled. "Who did this to you!?"

I have her lower her voice to just a whisper instead of whisper-yelling and I calmly lie to her. "I sort of fell down the steps of my house this morning. My dad's a doctor so he said I'd be fine to come to school after he applied some treatment."

"But it looks like you got beaten!" She says then her face falls into realization. "Did your parents beat you!?"

"What!? No!" I quickly defend. "They would never."

"It's not logical, Evangeline." Shelby thinks to much of this. "Stairs don't hit the lower lip that much."

I arch an eyebrow, "How would you know? Have you fallen off some before?"

"No but -"

"It was an accident, Shelby. I'm fine," I reassure her and she nods but I can tell she's still not very convinced. Albert walks into the class laughing with his buddies but his face scrunches into a scowl once he sees my bruises.

If the teacher wasn't already starting her lesson, I'm sure Albert would've made a scene out of what happened to my face.

It's a conversation I don't anticipate on happening.