Teachers Pet

5: Perfectly Fine

        When the bell rang for third period, I bolted out of my seat and out the doors. I didn't care who saw or what they thought. Everyone already knew. Ditching was the best thing I could think of right now. This was my study period. I could go out the doors by the library. I'd climb out a window if I had to. Anywhere was better than here. As I tried to make my escape, someone called my name. Again, I stopped in my tracks. The feeling of being frozen, unable to move made me punch myself internally. I found the strength to at least turn around and face the traitor.

       "Jillian." I greeted her the same way I greeted Dean. The malice in my voice could kill. My blood boiled, my fist were clenched and my eyes... they burned with fresh tears that I would not allow to betray me. Not now. She wouldn't think me weak, not if I had any say about it.

       "It's been three months... Can we talk now?" Jillian was smart. She planned out her decisions before acting on them. She wasn't one to jump right in. This decision though, provoking me... This had to be the dumbest decision she's ever made. She's always been the pretty blue eyed girl that made everyone laugh. Her dirty blonde hair was always down, wavy and beautiful. Her middle part always allowed her hair to frame her pretty face. Her eyes were a few shades darker than Deans. Her jawline was defined, but it only made her more feminine. Her nose was perfectly straight, her eyebrows nearly twins instead of sisters. Jillian's skin was fair and clear. The only flaw I ever saw in her, even now, was the slight gap between her bottom front teeth.

       She was the friend that I never wanted to lose. Now we were nothing. I refused to be anything to her. A friend, peer, stranger... we were worse than strangers. I didn't want to know her and I wished she would go away somewhere far. I once loved her and Dean... To think, this is what things were like now.

       "I told you to stay away from me. I'm pretty sure not talking was part of the deal too." My voice rose as I snapped at her. She looked around to see if anyone had heard. I didn't care anymore about keeping her dirty little secret. No one knew why me and Dean broke up. They just knew that we did. I had told Jillian that she needed to keep her distance and never talk to me again. If she did, I would tell everyone that she was a backstabber and a slut. I'd ruin her good reputation in school.

       "Please hear me out. You've avoided us long enough. We gave you your space, but it's time we talked about what happened." My anger was getting the best of me and I was letting it. I stepped to her, getting in her face. With my fist clenched, I was ready to punch her. I was ready to slap the sad look off of her face. I wanted to see her bleed. Maybe then she'd feel a small amount of the pain they both inflicted on me.

       "Jillian, I'm warning you. Turn around and walk the other way. I want you to walk away because if you don't, I will do something I won't regret. The next time you try to confront me again, I will not hold back." My voice shook and cracked in places I wish it hadn't. My fist shook too, ready to hit her. I was holding back tears still, but it was getting very hard to. Thankfully, Jillian turned with a sigh and left quickly. This hallway was never really busy, but now it was just empty. I put my hand to my mouth, trying to hold in a scream. I would not cry, not here. If I did, I'd never stop. I took deep breaths and tried to calm myself. As strong as I thought I was, a tear managed to slip away; at the wrong moment too.

       Mr. Pierce slowly came around the corner with a troubled look. I quickly wiped the remnants of my pain from my eyes before he could see. He didn't seem surprised though, to see me this way. He must've heard everything. Why was he in the wrong places of all days?

       "Are you okay, Miss Harper?" His voice was soft and quiet. Of course I wasn't okay. I was absolutely miserable. I couldn't think of anything else but what Jillian and Dean did to me.