Not Your Girl

CHAPTER 4: PLANNING

As I paced back and forth in my room, I composed sentences in my head, trying to find the correct words to use in an explanation to my parents. No matter how I rearranged the words that I would use to prove my innocence, I knew they were not good enough to stop my dads from freaking out. How was I supposed to tell them that a girl I've known since elementary school has been assaulting me all these years? That she had come by today to insult them? That today it was all because of a stupid Chanel bag?

The mirror in my room stared back at me, taunting me as it realized how weak I had been for so many years. Why had I not done anything? Why had I not said anything? Tears began to fill my eyes at the same time as a knot invaded my throat. Instinctively, I buried my head into my hands and began sobbing. My blood boiled with anger, my hands shook with fear, and my heart ached with pain. I wasn't scared of Courtney; I was afraid of my parents' reactions.

"AY, ¡DIOS MIO!"

"OLIVIA WALKER HERNANDEZ, WHAT THE HELL HAPPEN TO THE DOOR?" I heard my dad yell from outside. My hands shook as I wiped my tears and hesitantly came out of my room. Pa gasped and ran to my side, hugging me. Immediately, I began to cry again. Unlike Pa, dad put his hands on his hips, clearly infuriated. "I AM WAITING FOR AN EXPLANATION!"

"Andrew, can't you see Liv is clearly shaken up? What happened, dear? Are you okay? Who did this? Oh, we're so sorry we left you alone. We shouldn't have done that. Please tell me you're okay." He asked, worriedly. I quietly replied, "I'm okay."

"OLIVIA, I'M STILL WAITING," my dad said, infuriated by the situation.

"I-I-I-I was, uh, watching a show when a-all of a sudden I heard a knock on the door and I, uh, noticed it was a girl from my s-school. She heard me inside and so I-I opened it. I know I sh-shouldn't have, but I thought she would apologize for wh-what she did today. But she just started going crazy and insulting me and so I closed the door and she b-b-broke the door," I cried, sobbing in between words. Dad, even more enraged, crossed his arms.

"AND WHO THE HELL WAS THIS GIRL? I NEED A FULL NAME, OLIVIA." My dad waited for me to reply, but Pa jumped in, asking me in a much calmer tone, "Sweetie, this girl is clearly bullying you, and we are here to help you speak up. I know it can be hard, but if you tell us her name, we can go and report this."

"AND ACTUALLY TAKE LEGAL ACTION BECAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUS," dad yelled, clearly agitated. I wiped the tears away and closed my eyes, feeling Pa's arms trying to comfort me.

For a moment, I thought about what exactly I would say. If I confessed Courtney's name, my parents would get the damages paid for, but Courtney would know I was the one that "snitched." If I kept it to myself, my parents would be disappointed, have to pay for the damages, and Courtney would get away with it. In either situation, I knew Courtney would not stop messing with me. It sounded like confessing had more pros than cons.

No, I told myself. I can't say her name. If I do, I'd be facing hell. But then again, if I blame her, maybe I can finally get her to pay for what she did. No, no,

but she would definitely get me back. Even worse. She would definitely get away with it then. But even if I don't say anything, my parents would probably go to my school and show the security footage of our front door to my principal. Courtney will be to blame regardless.

"Um, her name is, uh, Courtney....Hill," I hesitantly said, and quickly added, "but if you're gonna deal with this situation, I would prefer it if it were parent to parent, you know?"

"Hill? Like Hill Co.? The multi-millionaire company?" Pa asked, clearly thinking that it was going to be hard to fight against such a rich family.

"Yeah," my voice cracked.