Be My Girlfriend

6

Jo's P.O.V.

"Okay, kidding aside. Is something wrong?" We placed our tray on the table.

After we got our food, I saw Brittany and her minions seating from afar. She was already looking at us, or just at me when my eyes found hers. 

Since yesterday, I will always catch her looking at me. Will even start a conversation with me, which is weird. She never talks to a nobody, why all of a sudden she does? Like she was really interested in me and Reese.

She's weird.

Reese's face was so sad. Something is bothering her.

"Hey," I called her.

"If it's those bullies, ignore them. I'm here, okay? I will protect you from those minions of satan." I tried to joke to lighten her mood but to no avail.

"What if you're not here? You cannot pick me up every after class and drop me off at the next one." She was really bothered by this.

"I cannot sleep, Jo. Thinking that the next day will be another day of slamming my face into something or that a drink will spill from my head, or my stuff will be pulled from me and scattered on the floor or worst in the dumpster, I cannot seem to close my eyes... I cannot eat, and my Mom is already noticing it." 

I stared at Reese. A tear was threatening to fall and my heart melt at that. I grabbed her hand and squeeze it.

"What do you need me to do, Reese? I swear I will do it." Seeing my best friend suffer like this, all my anger was focused on Brittany and those bitches.

Reese shook her head.

"You can't do everything. You're doing enough already, but you cannot do everything."

"Well, did you tell your Mom?"

She again shook her head.

"I can't. My Dad works for Brittany's Mom. I cannot afford for him to lose his job because of me." 

I nodded at that, remembering her Dad works in one of the many companies of Andersons.

"I think... I think I will just transfer." I looked at Reese who is now looking down not meeting my eyes.

Did I hear her right? She's gonna transfer?

"W-What?"

"I just... I cannot take it anymore, Jo. It's getting too much. Yesterday, my Mom saw the bruising on my knee, I had to lie to her that I got it because I was so clumsy stumbling on my stomach."

She met my eyes this time.

"I lie to her every time she will see bruises on my body or I will go home with my clothes wet because somebody slushied me. I know she was worried and even if I always tell her it was my clumsiness, I know a part of her doesn't believe it and I really thought knowing it will be the last year of high school, I would be able to take it..."

"I need to do this, Jo, for my sanity. I will still see you, I can come over to your house when your Mom was not around, or you come over to mine every weekend..."

I felt the pain creeping up my chest. 

I cannot begin to think of a day without Reese's presence in the school, with no one to talk to or walk with. Nobody to listen to my problems, I will have nobody to joke with, I mean, I love making her laugh, to whom will I do it now? And just to see her during weekends? It's not enough. No... She cannot move.

"Jo..." 

But in a way I understand her. Every day was hell for her and she was right, I will not gonna be with her all the time and protecting her.

I looked at her sad eyes.

"There must be... another way. Maybe I can talk to Brittany and let her stop the bullying... I mean..." My voice cracked, I didn't mean to cry but thinking of losing my best friend because of those stupid ass girls, sadness, and anger is what I feel at the moment.

"Jo..." She called on me again.

"Can we talk about this again later, Reese? Please? Don't decide yet, please?" I begged her.

Reese nodded at me. I tried to eat my food even if I don't taste anything. I need to eat for practice later, If only I can skip it, it's the first day of practice and I don't think my coach would appreciate it if I was not there.

It was almost one in the afternoon, I have a lot of time to kill. I walk Reese into the parking lot after lunch before I proceeded to the library. I figured I'll do my homework here and maybe do some thinking on how Reese can stay here in school without anybody bullying her.

I was telling the truth when I told Reese that I will speak to Brittany, maybe she will listen, maybe she has a heart, I don't know, I have to try, if I want Reese to stay I have to try.

It was already 02:20 in the afternoon when I reached the field, and most of my teammates are already here doing their own warm-up.

"Hey, Jo. What's up?" Rachel snaked her hand into my waist and bumped our shoulders together.

The first time she did that to me I was uncomfortable, especially since I know that she was a lesbian but in time, I saw that it was just nothing and it was just how the way she greeted everybody.

I did the same to her and smiled. Rachel is also popular in the school, she knows Brittany and her girls as they go to the same parties sometimes. Maybe she can help me.

"Hey, Rach. Can I ask you something?"

"Do you want me to be your girlfriend?" She said teasing, her hand still on my waist.

I made a little distance between us enough for me to slap her arm. We both laughed at that.

If I don't know Rachel, I might feel offended by that, but we've been playing for years now and I know she doesn't think of me as girlfriend material, we're more like sisters.

"Tell me."

"Well, you know Brittany and her girls, right? How close are you with them?" 

Rachel's brows furrowed, wondering why would I ask her such. Ever since we've known each other, I never mention Brittany's name to her or even the entire team. 

"Why'd you ask?"

"Hmm, you know my best friend, Reese, right? Well, I need them to stop bullying her." I told her straightforwardly.

"Oh, babe..." She removed her hand from my waist and picked up the ball that was on the ground.

"There was no stopping it, well, I mean there is if Brittany will stop it. But you know, Brit doesn't really care about people, so I don't know Jo, maybe you can talk to Brittany?"

I nodded at what she said, so I really need to speak with her.

"She's over there, you know..." She continued pointing to the benches. My eyes followed it and saw Brittany and her girls seating there, watching us.

"She never watches any practice, I wonder why she's there now." I looked at Rachel.

"I guess, it wouldn't be hard for you to speak to her about your case, and who knows, you might not need to beg." She said giving me a meaningful look.

"The four walls of this school talk, Jo. Every encounter, every banter, all the students know." She continued while walking away from me.

What's that supposed to mean?

I looked at where Brittany is seating, I found her eyes, was it a smile on her face?

I ignored her and run toward my team. I tried so hard not to look at her again, I know she was watching me, I could feel her eyes following my every movement, and it confirmed with Rachel teasing me.