The Undercover Bad Boy

Chapter Ten - Fragile Humans

Chapter Ten - Fragile Humans

Sierra and Tara go back a long time, way before Luke, Parker and I came into the picture. They had some unknown past that was kept between each other. A secret, even. Any time I brought up the topic of their friendship, it always seemed to be quickly brushed off with a change of topic or diverted attention.

In our third year of high school was when I discovered some of the truth.

It happened outside, in the parking lot before school started. Tara and Sierra got into a huge argument over something silly at first, but then it became serious. They were spitting insults each other. I had never seen the calm, composed Tara Holmes act like the complete opposite of herself. She was so angry - lethal.

That type of anger could not of been fuelled by dislike. I knew that they didn’t get along, but it had to be real hatred to spark something like that. And for there to be such hatred, there had to be a reason.

I remembered a large crowd had gathered, forming a tight circle around them. Some people were cheering them on, they expected a fight.

Sierra was threatening Tara, with each step closer she took, a new insult formed. Tara had remained silent during this and took the full blast of Sierra’s outrage. She stared at her with a look of boredom, as if the words meant nothing to her.

But soon her mask crumbled.

Sierra had noticed this as well, there was hardly any space between them. Her lips had twisted into a triumphant, evil smile. She then said something in a hushed, low whisper so that only Tara was able to hear. The look on Tara’s face was an enraged one. I expected her to shoot back a comeback, but she didn’t do what I was anticipating. Her reaction surprised me so much that I gasped.

Tara slapped Sierra square in the jaw.

I couldn’t say that I felt sorry for Sierra. Tara’s hand was still hovering in the air, her eyes clouded over and then there was Sierra; hissing and wincing as she clutched the right side of her face, a res mark already forming. Tara seemed to snap out of a daze. She looked at the scene surrounding her in surprise, her eyes locked with mine. There was a crazy, panicked look on her face.

She sprinted into the school building.

It was five minutes later when I found her there. She was slumped at the back of the supplies cupboard; mascara running down her cheeks and arms wrapped around her legs. I had never seen her looking so weak and unstable.

“I really messed up, huh?” Her voice cracked on the last word.

I shook my head wordlessly and sat down next to her.

She ran a frantic hand through her hair, which was purple at the time. “I shouldn’t have slapped her. That was a stupid mistake.”

“Did she deserve it?”

Tara met my eyes. She seemed to be thinking over millions of things in her brain.