Keep Your Enemies Close

Chapter Six People Aren't Who They Seem

The morning bell rang as soon as I dashed into class. Mr. Briggs was standing at the front of the classroom, wearing a sweater vest and a tie that didn't match. He was scowling, knitting his eyebrows together.

"It's nice to finally see you in class early, Mabel." I sunk down into a desk that was in the front row.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. What? Now he wasn't calling me Ms. Jennings? Penny came into class and sat in the desk next to mine.

"Yeah, why are you so early?" She slipped her backpack off her shoulders and started to take her books out.

I frowned at her. Before I could speak, Lila and her friends walked in, again, wearing matching outfits. They all glared at me and Penny viciously. I stuck out my tongue playfully, which was childish, but I knew it would piss them off.

Avril stayed quietly behind them as she placed her manicured hand on my desk, leaning forward.

"I did what you wanted me to do," she whispered softly, then swiftly moved past me, not wanting anyone to notice that she was talking to me. Penny shot me a look, but remained silent.

So Avril befriended Jennie? I had to see this for myself before I trusted her word.

"Why are you in this class? You guys have Mrs. Wenningam," I asked Avril. Raven laughed at me.

"We transferred classes because we hate Mrs. Wenningham. She gave us detention when she saw us painting our nails in class. She's a witch. She even looks like one. And besides, Jodey is in this class too."

Penny let out a scoff as she gawked at them. I looked over to where Lila sat, flipping her curled blonde hair as she talked to Jodey. Raven smirked as she went to sit down beside Avril and Lila.
At least she gave me an explanation.

I fell asleep for most of the lesson and Penny had to call on me repeatedly. She actually found this information interesting. I didn't. And I probably never would.

Gym was another case, sadly. Lila tripped me twice and everyone trampled all over my new converse. During volleyball, Raven initiated a wild serve at my head, but luckily my teammate, Ashley Kenneth, spiked it back to their side, which cost me no injury and won us the game.

During a free period, when I was closing my locker, I saw Jennie on her phone. I was about to ask her if Avril was being nice to her when I heard her talking about Avril. I pushed myself up against a locker in the corner and eavesdropped.

"You owe me a hundred now, Avril! I'm your 'friend'," she said sarcastically, "so pay up! This better be worth it."

I gasped, but not loud enough that she could hear me.

"Yeah, I know you're popular, but why are you paying me to be your friend?"

There was noisy talking on the other end, what seemed like shouting.

"Yeah, I know that Mabel was threatening you to hang out with me. She's stupid. But I'm not some toy you can just throw around."

My chest tightened and I almost went to strangle the girl. And I was the one who was stupid. I couldn't believe I was being betrayed by two people. I had known Jennie since elementary school and we had been friends in the fourth grade, but here she was, calling me stupid.

"Just drop off the cash at six." She wheezed exasperatedly, hanging up the phone as I intentionally went to corner her.

Her expression immediately turned terrified as her eyes darted towards the exit doors. She dug her phone deep into her pocket like that was going to make me forget what I'd just heard. Her lips were trembling and she looked somewhat guilty.