The Big, Bad Badboy

Chapter 8 - Surprise Attack

This is one of my favourite chapters where we meet Heidi, a really awesome person who I love dearly. I hope you do too.

~D

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"Oh my god Emmie, I haven't seen you in SO LONG!" Heidi screamed into my ear as I winced, trying to push her away. It had only been two weeks.

Heidi's grip around me tightened. She was truly insane and one of these days I was going to die of suffocation as a result of her python-like hugging. Heidi eventually let go when she realised my face was going purple and as she did, I let out a long, much-needed exhale.

"Emmieeeee, how was your holiday?" Heidi questioned me enthusiastically, sitting down next to me and clasping my hand in her two smaller ones.

Let me explain. This freak of a girl is my good (but very excitable) friend, Heidi Brown. I have known her for all of my high school life, and in that time, I have had many near-death experiences by way of her extreme hugging, which discounts any regard for personal space. Despite her murder attempts, Heidi is a great friend and her cheerful attitude always raises my mood. Her hair reflects the bright aura she carries with her; it is bright pink and falls to her shoulder in little ringlets. Oh yeah and one more thing: Heidi is the only person who calls me Emmie instead of Emma. Why? I haven't a clue. It is just a nickname that's stuck.

"It was great!" I told her, trying to match her enthusiasm, but in reality, I sounded dead inside. This was the effect that schools had on their students.

Heidi gave me a warm smile and turned to the rest of the table.

"Whitey!" she exclaimed, her gleaming light brown eyes focused on Dee's alarmed face.

Dee gave her a scared smile as Heidi flung herself across the table and squeezed her hand tightly.

"Hello Heidi..." Dee greeted, gritting her teeth and trying not to cry out in pain.

Through all this excitement I had completely forgotten about the newcomer to our table, Steve Gold. Boy would he be confused.

Heidi had turned her head away from Dee now and her eyes locked on Steve's terrified green eyes.

"And who," Heidi started, a smug smile on her face, "is this young man?"

I cringed internally. She sounded like my mother. Steve looked very uncomfortable under Heidi's gaze. I didn't blame him. Even after 3 years, I still felt the same way.

Steve gave Heidi a forced smile before putting his hand out and introducing himself.

"Steve Gold."

Heidi's eyes looked from his hand to the table and back again whilst the rest of us sat there, watching her in confusion.

Steve's hand just stayed there, awaiting Heidi's introduction. But none came. Instead Heidi's began to shriek with laughter, tilting her head back and giggling like maniac.

"Oh my god!" she yelled, "is he actually...he wants... to shake hands... ahahahaha!"

She was trying to speak between fits of uncontrollable laughter and it was amusing, to say the least. Even Steve's lips twitched upwards into a smile.

"Stevie boy," Heidi spoke up, following her insane laughing fit, "I'm Heidi and I'm crazy. It's great to meet another cutie!"

Steve looked slightly distressed at her comment and even more so when she leaned forward and took his cheek between her thumb and index finger, to give it a small pinch.

"Cuuuuuteeee," Heidi cried out in excitement as Steve went red.

"Um..." he muttered, speechless at her actions.

Before anyone could say anything more, Dee decided to change the subject.

"So, Heidi, how was Florida?" Dee asked, feigning politeness through gritted teeth. I giggled internally. Was Dee jealous of Heidi teasing Steve?

Heidi didn't realise this; she immediately snapped her head back to Dee, who was sitting there patiently with a strained smile.

Heidi then went on to tell us every single detail of her two-week trip to Florida. By the end of it, I was falling in and out of consciousness, Dee was bored to death, and Steve's eyes were glazed over.

"Is it over yet?" Dee whispered not-so-quietly to us all. Heidi heard her loud and clear and her eyes grew dark. We all went deathly pale at this sudden mood swing. Heidi was terrifying when she was angry.

Dee had to save the situation, or we would all be beaten to a pulp.

"Uh, I meant the lunch break, is it over?" Dee smoothly continued, not breaking her eye contact with a demon-eyed Heidi.

Heidi's eyes buzzed with light again as she nodded.

"Yes, sorry Whitey, I think it is!" she answered with an apologetic look on her face.

Heidi stood up dramatically, waving at us with a pout on her face.

"I have to go now but I will see y'all soon. Bye Emmie, Whitey and Stevie!!!" Heidi yelled as she skipped off.

She left and I released a long breath I didn't realise I was holding.

"Well she seems lovely..." Steve chipped in.

Dee and I burst out laughing. Steve was trying to be nice but we both knew that 100% of Heidi was hard to come to terms with for a newcomer.

"It's ok if you feel overwhelmed, Stevie." I joked to the guy who looked embarrassed at the nickname.

"You'll get used to her..." Dee added as Steve nodded in a somewhat composed manner, but I could tell he was still shell-shocked by the entire experience.

With that, we all got up and left to go to afternoon registration.