Bad Blood

Chapter 6

I didn’t know how to talk to Emma.

After learning about the whole bullying incident yesterday, I have been acting stiff and unnatural around her. Emma, being the better friend, obviously noticed. 

“Are you okay?” She placed a hand on my shoulder, her gaze filled with concern. 

“Yeah,” I shrugged her hand off, offering her a strained smile.

Emma frowned, opening her mouth to reply when things took a turn for the worse. I halted at the sight of Sofia and her friends walking down the hallway, giggling about some joke they just made. I felt Emma stiffen behind me at the sight that greeted her. 

As Sofia drew closer towards us, she caught our gazes, a smirk playing on her lips. The corners of my lips tugged downwards as she puffed out her chest and ass, shooting an innocent look at us. A stream of stifled giggles erupted behind her right after.   

When they finally exited the hallway, I snuck a glance behind at Emma, only to see her biting her lips and fiddling with her fingers.

I am such a bad friend… My shoulders sagged. 

And I was.

My best friend was being bullied right in front of my face and I’m not even acknowledging it, let alone stopping it. My heart broke a little at the sight of her expression - a futile attempt to conceal pain.

“Em?” I asked softly.

She lifted her head up slowly before forcing a glamorous smile at me that would have fooled anyone else, “Mhmm?”

Not knowing how to approach the sensitive subject, I heaved a sigh, “Nothing… I just…”

The sudden shrill scream of the class bell cut my words off.

Saved by the bell, I sucked my cheeks in, puckering my lips.

Despite having to leave for class, I knew that this conversation was far from over, and that it had to made soon. The problem : I don’t know how to even bring up the subject.

My solution : Consult the expert on bullying. 

Aka. Dante.

***

When I went to find Dante after school, I was shocked to see him standing and waiting. 

His backpack was slung over a shoulder as he leaned against his locker. No flash of surprise registered in his gaze as he caught sight of me approaching him.

“You’re late,” He commented, his face placid.

“Um…” I scratched the back of my head, stopping as I reached in front of him, “I didn’t realize we scheduled a meeting time...”

Dante scanned my features for who knows what, “I know, but you’re usually here before 3.”

Throwing my hands up in the air, I made a face, “Oh, so now you’re just expecting that I’d just turn up?” 

“Yes.” 

I winced at his bluntness, “Well, aren’t you supposed to have football or something?”

Shaking his head, he responded with a chuckle, “And you were the one who was chasing me down a couple of days ago. And to answer your question, it’s off season, so I only have practices Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Not that much.”

Not that much? My eyes nearly bulged out of my sockets.

Dante heaved himself off from the locker, walking towards the exit.