Victim // Ariana Grande x Josh Dun

ONE

Crowds of kids filled the corridors as I hugged my drumsticks close to my chest, desperate to get through the groups.

Heads turned in my direction and I continued to stare at the floor.

"It's Drumstick!" a kid shouted, causing roars of laughter. I blushed horrendously and continued.

Brushing it off, I made a direct point to my safe place. Thanks to my gazing at the ground, I could see in advance the feet out to trip me over, and I jumped over them, much to the disappointment  of my predators.

Down the stairs. Around the corner. As I think I'm away from them I realise the hard way that I'm not.

The first thing I register is a sharp pain zapping through my nose at high speed.

I'm on the ground, and I know as soon as I see the shadow looming over me who did it.

"Oops, my bad." I heard her say as I grabbed my drumsticks and turned around to look at her.

There she was. Brunette locks tied up in a loose half up half down ponytail, her chocolate eyes staring into me, so cold as to freeze a desert. Ariana Grande.

Behind her was her two cronies, Nicki and Iggy. Both of them stood with the same bored smile as they looked me up and down, their minds clearly churning with new ways to make a fool of me. I can't help but think of how much I hate them all.

"You're in our way." Ariana said menacingly, folding her arms across her petite frame.

I had no intention of getting beaten up for the millionth time by Ariana's gang and so I turned around and started walking in the opposite direction, eager to get away.

"So you're just walking away?" Ariana called, and soon enough I heard the click of her heels catch up to me. "Give me those."

She pulled my drumsticks out of my hand and examined them. "Such a shame you can't be as thin as these."

"Give them back!" I pleaded, but to no avail.

"Bad things happen to kids like you." she said evilly and slammed them against the white wall.

SNAP. They immediately cracked in half, chunks of wood and splinters falling on the purple carpet as she dropped the half still in her hand to join them.

"Go join the trash." she said and nodded to Nicki and Iggy, who pushed me down into the pile of jagged chunks of wood.

As I cried into the carpet, I heard them strut off, giggling madly to themselves.

---

The last lesson before home. Science. We all filed into the classroom, everyone taking their seats. I sat in the one at the very back in the corner, and I stared down at the graffiti on my desk.

Our teacher finally managed to calm the rabid group of energetic teenagers down and moved onto the news she was giving us.

"Today," she said whilst sitting down at her desk, "will be the kickoff of your partnered project."

The mention of the word "partnered" made every group of friends give each other glances of happiness.

"Before you get overexcited,  I have chosen your partners." she said. Great, I'll actually be given a partner.

A chorus of groans flooded the white room, bouncing off the tiled ceiling and echoing. The teacher pressed a button on her computer and a powerpoint slide appeared on the interactive whiteboard, displaying the partners.

Whilst some cheered, others moaned. Scrolling down the list I realised Nicki and Iggy were together.

That's when I saw. Right at the bottom of the list, printed clear on the slide.

Joshua Dun and Ariana Grande

My heart lurched. Of all the people in this classroom. Her? Why? It seemed Ariana had noticed her partner too.

"Are you kidding me!?" she shouted loud enough for the class to hear, "I'm with Drumstick!"

Echoes of laughter erupted around the class, and I buried my head in my hands.

"Just give him hell!" a boy called out,  one of the voices I recognised that banged on the door while I locked myself in the toilet cubicle at break and lunch.

I was not looking forward to this.