The Secret Life of The American Teenager

Chapter Eight

"How's your mom doing?" Danielle sighed as she turned to look at Adrian, shutting her locker as she did so. Danielle shrugged as she leaned against her locker. "Crying herself to sleep' Danielle answered and Adrian gave her a small smile, "That's understandable" Adrian stated and Danielle nodded. Danielle's dad had been gone for about a week, and Anne tried to hide how upset she was from the girls. They weren't stupid though, especially not Danielle. They all knew. They just didn't want to make it harder on her. So, they pretended to be clueless to what was going on. But Danielle hated hearing her mom cry at night and not able to do anything about it. "Are you okay" Adrian asked and Danielle shrugged, "They just need some space. It's only temporary" Danielle stated and Adrian nodded at her. Even as she said the words, Danielle didn't believe them. Danielle knew, deep down, that it may not be temporary. That this may be something that they can't get past. "Hey" Grace said as she walked up to them, "Hey" Danielle responded as Adrian turned to look at the blonde. Adrian had started to put up with Grace after Danielle started to talk to her more. "Did you know" Grace asked and Danielle raised her eyebrows, "Know what" Danielle asked in confusion. Grace raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You haven't heard" Grace asked and Danielle raised a brow. She heard a lot of things in this school. She just had other things going on right now. "Obviously not. So, why don't you fill us in" Adrian told her and Danielle snorted at the annoyed tone in the Latina's voice. She liked the idea that she wasn't the only one that wanted to be mean today. "Ricky's in therapy." Danielle tensed against the locker. "What? How could you possibly know that" Adrian asked as Danielle tried to keep an impassive face, but it wasn't working. This fueled her anger. "It's all over school." That was it. Danielle knew exactly who said it. Danielle dropped her bag onto the ground, making a loud thud, snapping Grace and Adrian's eyes to her. Danielle stormed down the hallway in search of the person who started this 'rumor'.

"Danielle, where are you doing?" "Who are you looking for?" Danielle ignored Adrian and race as her eyes landed on her target. Jason Fields. He was talking to some football players, laughing. Danielle marched up behind and shoved his back roughly. He fell into one of his teammates. "What the hell, Danielle" he shouted as he turned to look at her and she raised her eyebrows. All conversation in the hallway stopped and everyone was looking at them now. Danielle didn't want to attract attention to them, but anger got the best of her. "You promised" Danielle said lowly and Jason raised his eyebrows, "You promised not to say anything" Danielle repeated and Jason smirked as people started to crowd around them. They wanted to pick up more of the conversation. "Oh, you want to defend your boyfriend" Jason stated and Danielle rolled her eyes as whispers broke out in the crowd. 'I knew it.' 'He's been cheating on her this whole time.' Danielle ignored them all, never taking her eyes off Jason as he smirked. He was enjoying the attention. "Yeah" Jason said as he nodded, "People saw you two at the fair" Jason told her and Danielle shrugged. "I don't care. I'm not here to defend my actions. You're not my boyfriend. I'm here to defend my friend" Danielle told him and Jason raised his eyebrows, "Why' Jason asked and Danielle rolled her eyes. "You know why he's in therapy, right? Because he's fucked up in his head..." Danielle scoffed before Jason leaned close to her ear. "He trash." He was at her ear, but he said it loud enough for everyone to hear. Danielle shoved him roughly.

Ricky had just managed t push his way through the crowd, next to Amy and Grace. Ben was on the other side of Amy, and Adrian was beside of Grace. Jack had told him that something was happening in the middle of the hallway. Which was why the football player was standing on the other side of Adrian. "He's trash." Ricky watched as Danielle shoved Jason away from her roughly. Jason seemed shocked. Danielle didn't waste no time in slapping him, hard, causing the boy's head to turn. A string of 'oh's' broke out in the crowd. "BITCH, DON'T TOUCH ME" Jason shouted as he pushed Danielle back, nearly making her fall. Ricky felt himself wanting to punch Jason, but all hell broke loose in the hallway before he could really react. "Bitch?!?" Ricky grabbed Danielle by the waist as she jumped towards Jason. Everyone was yelling at the opposite side. Adrian ended up punching one of the cheerleaders that shoved her. The student body was split in two. One half was on Danielle's side, and the other on Jason's. Amy, Grace, and Ben were even in this. The three people who never fought anyone. "Enough" a voice boomed causing everyone to look up. The football coach. "What's going on here?" Ricky sighed as he looked down at Danielle in his arms. She was still glaring at Jason over her shoulder.

Danielle rolled her eyes as she sat in Principal Miller's office and watch Jason agonize over his jaw. He was putting on a show for Miller and coach. Danielle was tempted to clap her hands, but decided against it. She was already in enough trouble. They were talking about suspension. "All I want to know is what started all this? You two have always been good students." Danielle raised her eyebrows. Did he really not know what was going on in these halls? Or did he just not care? "I don't know. She just walked up, pushed me, and slapped me for no reason" Jason said and Danielle scoffed, "I think she loosened a filling" Jason added and Danielle smiled smugly. "I'd be happy to knock it the rest of the way out" Danielle told him and Jason rolled his eyes. "Enough, Miss Juergens..." Danielle leaned back in her seat. "Why don't you tell me why you pushed and slapped Mr. Fields" he told her and Danielle shrugged. "He was spreading rumors about a friend of mine" Danielle stated and Jason smirked, "It's not a rumor if it's true" Jason defended and Danielle scoffed. "Ricky is not messed up in his head! And he's not trash!" "Then, why is he in therapy?" Danielle narrowed her eyes at Jason as coach turned to Miller. "Oh! And he called me a bitch, and pushed me. That's when the riot got started." Danielle as nodded as both men raised their eyebrows. If Jason was going to try to put the blame on her, she was going to do the same thing.

Ricky raised his eyebrows as someone poked his arm. He turned to look at Adrian. They were in the hall with Ben, Grace, and Jack waiting for some news on Danielle. Amy was here, but then she decided to go try to get some information from the office. They all had lunch right now, so it wasn't like they were missing anything. "Do you think they're gonna get suspended?" Ricky shrugged at Adrian. "Serves them right if they do" Ricky told her and Adrian raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "Are you serious" Adrian asked and Ricky rolled his eyes. Yes, he was serious. "Danielle shouldn't have started an argument" Ricky told her and Adrian scoffed, "She was trying to defend you, Jackass' Adrian snapped and Ricky nodded. "I didn't ask her to do that." Ricky didn't give Adrian a chance to respond before going to talk to Ben. He saw Danielle's mom storming down the hall. He thought it was safe to assume that Danielle was suspended.