The Girl Next Door

Chapter 19

The next day was Thursday and Perrie felt anxious during the first period.

The blonde's eyes glued to the back of Leigh-Anne Pinnock's head as she thought over and over again about the girl which she and her friend were bullying.

It's not even bullying anymore though. We're being cruel. She kept hearing Leigh's voice saying 'I need it' and 'This isn't funny' in her head. Her mam had to come pick her up early yesterday. Oh boy I hope that she told her about how awful me and Jade are being. I don't want to get in trouble but I don't want her to end up committing suicide or something. She had read up online about the condition Leigh-Anne had. Her and Jade's abuse was enough to trigger anyone into becoming depressed and suicidal much less for a mentally ill girl.

"Please pass your papers up students."

Perrie startled. Shit. I didn't write a thing. She started to hurriedly put letters for the multiple choice next to the numbers. When she finished she sent her paper up with everyone else's.

"I mean it wasn't all that difficult." Jade said at her side as she spoke to a boy sitting in front of them a few minutes later. "What did you think Pez?" She patted Perrie on the arm.

Perrie stared at Leigh as the girl spoke to kids about why her answers were correct. "I think I should apologize."

Jade and the boy exchanged a look. "What?" She noticed where Perrie's eyes were and gasped. "Perrie."

The blonde startled. "Huh? Oh the test? Oh that was an easy one. I've only got four words for it; 'Ru-di-men-try!'" She forced laughter.

Jade narrowed her eyes and then told the boy to face forward. "Perrie, haven't we discussed why is it that we're doing what we're doing already?" She said quietly.

Perrie looked at Jade. "But Jade, her Mam had to come pick her up yesterday. I somehow think that it had something to do with what we did."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Of course it had to do with us." She smiled. "But that's a good thing."

Perrie looked disturbed. "But how Pickle? Everyone at school was so concerned. I heard her lying to them earlier saying that she had an allergy attack. They believed her even though it was clear that she was lying. She's a horrible liar Jade!"

"Shh!" Jade told Perrie to breathe in and out so she could calm down. "I know but the fact that her mam had to pick her up says that it's becoming a bit much for her. Didn't you see how angry her mam looked?"

Perrie thought back to the look on Leigh's mother's face as she walked a shameful Leigh to the office to report that she was bringing her home early. It was as if the woman had been looking for somebody to blame for why her daughter had no medicine. "Doesn't that mean that she might hunt us down and destroy us both for bullying her daughter?"

"Don't use that word Perrie. We're not bullying her. We're merely defending we selves." Jade smiled more though it shook. She herself felt bad about everything but she could think of no other way to ensure that Leigh-Anne did not take over the school and turn all against her. "Her mam's anger means that she might pull Leigh-Anne out so that she won't be a problem to us! Yay." She did not sound so enthusiastic on the 'Yay'. Her voice was nervous.

Perrie looked worried about Jade. "We need to stop this."

Jade was about to say something but she saw a few people around Leigh's area turning back to look at her.

"Look right at there. Don't you think she's got a big forehead?" The boy named Andre asked Leigh. He spoke loud accidentally.

"It's massive ain't it?" A girl next to Andre said looking fascinated by the size of the upper front of Jade's face. She too was louder than it seemed she wanted to be.