B I T T E R

C H A P T E R TWENTY ONE

The next morning, the girls and I decided to walk past Ace's locker. He stood with the school's police officer as he cleaned out his locker. Many students were staring, but the police officer would try to get them to go to class.

Ace and I made eye contact as I past him. Hate flashed through his eyes. No one had ever looked at me with such disgust, not even Caitlyn.

"He's such a lame." I rolled my eyes.

"He had it coming." Havoc shrugged. Her voice reminded me that I'd brought her punishment to school. I pulled a bottle of a green, disgusting liquid out and handed it to her.

"Drink up, Havoc." I smirked.

"What is in this?" she grimaced.

"Ketchup, pickles, pickle juice, a raw egg, mustard, and everything else in my fridge."

"That makes me want to throw up." Spencer covered her mouth. Riley gagged and closed her eyes, preparing to watch the horror.

"What if I don't drink this?" Havoc asked.

"Just like Ace, you will be expelled. But, just from the squad."

She rolled her eyes and slowly raised the bottle to her mouth. She chugged the drink and when she was finished, she ran to the bathroom. We ran after her and laughed as she barfed in the bathroom.

"That's a great way to start the day." I joked. Havoc came out the stall and wiped her mouth. She began to rinse her mouth with water.

"That was actually very trifling." She complained.

"You learned something, so it's alright." Riley patted her shoulder.

"Five minutes until bell! See ya'll later." Spencer left. The rest of us left to go to class too. I didn't want to be late ever again.

We went our separate routes and I was alone now. I finished my coffee and threw the cup away.

When I entered the stairwell, Ray was standing in the corner.

"I've been waiting for you!" he said.

"You could've texted me."

"I did, dumbass." He rolled his eyes. I checked my phone and sure enough he had.

"I need you to hold something for me until the weekend. They're doing a backpack check on me today because someone reported me for having weed." He explained.

"I'm not babysitting your herbs." I shook my head.

"No," he pulled a familiar object out his backpack, "It's a gun."

I didn't want to touch it at first and hid my hands behind my back, "Why do you have that?"

"I always keep it on me, but I forgot to take it out my backpack today. Please, Charlotte. I can't go to jail." He pleaded. He really needed my help and my chances of getting caught were slim because I never get in trouble.

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed and allowed him to hide it in my backpack. He put it between my books.

"Be careful and thank you." He hugged me. I only had a couple of minutes left to get to class, so I just about sprinted up the stairs.

The entire day, I was cautious when going in my backpack. I was scared someone would accidentally see it and report me. I felt like I was being constantly watched, but in reality, no one was paying any more attention to me than usual.

At the end of the day, I was walking to my car when I felt someone following me. I turned around to Caitlyn, who had healed since the last time. Her black eye was faded.

"What did you do to Ace?" she asked.

"You must mean to ask what did he do to me." I replied. This was unbelievable.

"He told me everything. He even believes me now." She crossed her arms.

"I did nothing to you. And Ace raped me." I shook my head.

"Just admit it." She pushed me. I'd seen enough movies to know that she was wired. I pushed her against the wall and she groaned. I lifted up her shirt and pulled her phone off the side of her hip. I dropped the phone on the pavement and stepped on it, until it was shattered to pieces.

"Caitlyn, just give it up. What's done is done." I sighed.

"This is not over." She cried.

"There was never anything to begin with. I honestly don't understand why you hate me."

"You stole my best friend, lied on him, pushed me down the stairs, and jumped me with your little friends!"

"That never happened." I denied it. I was so used to lying that it came naturally now.

"Charlotte, you're a real life psychopath and you need help." She stated.

"You don't know what I got in my backpack, bitch." I said quietly, only for myself to hear.

"What?"

"Have a good evening, Caitlyn." I put on a fake smile and got in my car. I waved at her as I drove off.

You're a real life psychopath

I was perfectly fine! After everything I'd been through and the school year was only half way through, could you blame me for my actions? You can't break someone and blame them for how they choose to repair themselves. I was not a psychopath!