Proceed With Caution

Chapter 7

"He what?" Carrie exclaimed in shock. I nodded.

"Yeah, he pushed me against the whiteboard and called me an 'incorrigible bitch'. He was very, very pissed off." I told her. Carrie's mouth formed an 'O' in surprise.

"Then what did you do?"

"I called him an 'incorrigible asshole', and then I kinda flipped around and shoved him up against the whiteboard and then I-"

"Oh my gosh, Angie, you're gonna get into so much trouble!" Carrie cried, cutting me off. Her eyes were wide open with fear.

"So, long story short, I've got detention after school tomorrow with him. And I'm so looking forward to it." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Angie, don't do anything crazy anymore! You've made him mad enough. Stop, please!" Carrie begged. She was right. I could only imagine what Mr Harrison would do to ruin my life if I pressed him further.

"Okay, okay. Chill." I said, trying to diffuse the situation. We were in the girl's bathroom in school. I was in a dilemma a few hours ago, wondering whether or not I should tell Carrie about the whole Mr Harrison thing. But I did in the end, because I entrusted her with my life, and I knew she would never betray me.

"Promise me you won't agitate him anymore?" she said, looking up at me and pouting.

"I..." I said, and then stopped.

If I stopped fighting with him, then what about my popularity? I need to put up more of a fight. And I need people to see it.

"I won't, provided he doesn't agitate me either." I said firmly. I was not going to lie to her. Carrie sighed. She fixed her hair in the mirror and then glanced at her watch.

"Come on, it's time for lunch," she said.

"You go on ahead, I need to fix myself." I replied. She patted my arm and left the bathroom.

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. In my eyes was a fire. A fire that told me not to back down from any fight with Mr Harrison. I did not see any problem with standing up for myself and the down-trodden, and I did not really care if Carrie did. I turned on the tap and splashed some cold water on my face.

As I was drying my face, a bathroom stall door flew open and a deafening 'bang' filled the room, scaring me senseless. I whirled around to see Jessica Monet storming towards me furiously.

"You fucking bitch!" she screeched at me, her voice shrill like nails on a chalkboard. I grimaced, my heart still pounding from the abrupt noise.

"What the hell did I do?!" I asked in defence. She glared at me.

"Don't act innocent, Velazquez! You've been having an affair with Mr Harrison!" she yelled.

"What the actual fuck? I'd rather use a cactus as a dildo than even touch him." I retorted, mentally high-fiving myself for my hilarious hyperbole. She grabbed my blouse tightly and pulled me towards her.

"Don't lie, bitch. I heard you. You said he smashed you against the whiteboard, and you did the same to him. That's flirting, and there's definitely something going on between you and him." she hissed. I looked at her as if she had grown another head.

"I think you mean 'fighting'. In what universe is shoving someone against a whiteboard and calling them names considered flirting, huh? We're not having a damn affair!" I said defensively, trying to rationalise with her.

But obviously my rationalisation was to little avail, because I was dealing with a bitch with a strikingly low IQ.

"Listen to me, Velazquez. I'm gonna say this once and only once, okay? Stay away from Mr Harrison. He's mine!" she spat.