My roommate Claire and I were the only early graduates starting at Texas Prairie University this year and it was lucky that we got along because pretty much everyone else wanted nothing to do with us. We got along despite the fact that we were complete opposites. Claire was small, with mousy brown hair and thin in the extreme. I was medium height with bold red brown hair and a curvy size six. She was quiet and meek whereas I was loud and sometimes aggressive. So when I came back from a long day of classes to see Monica Morrell and her posse of skanky Monikette's ragging on Claire yet again something inside me snapped and I saw red.
I ran up the stairs two at a time and yanked one of Monica's friends, Jennifer, by the hair and pretty much threw her aside. Monica whirled on me with a sly grin curving her glossy pink lips. "Well well, if it's not the other freak".
"Look who's talking honey" I shot back, all too aware that Gina's hand was still fastened around Claire's throat. "With your fake hair, fake nose, fake lips and fake boobs you're well on the way to becoming the Jackie Stallone of Texas Prairie".
Monica stepped towards me but I didn't back away. I had been taught never to show fear to your enemy, it only made them stronger. "I'm not exactly sure what that's supposed to mean but I'm pretty sure it was something bitchy".
"Wow Monica. For once you're right, it was something bitchy. Colour me impressed that you can tell when someone's talking down to you".
"Nobody talks down to me" she snarled.
I pretended to think for a minute, raking a hand through my long curls. "Whoops. Looks like I just did".
Jennifer was back on her feet by this point and standing behind Monica. I couldn't quite tell whether she was flanking her or planned on using her as a human shield should I reach for her again. These bitches were all the same; throw even their closest friends under the bus to save their own bottled tan skin.
"Screw this bitch" Gina hissed and before I could realise what she was doing she spun Claire around and threw her down the stairs.
I stood frozen, watching my friend roll and bounce down the hard concrete steps until she came to a stop with a sickening thud and crunch at the bottom. She didn't move, didn't make a sound. Just lay there in a motionless heap.
"CLAIRE!" I screamed, running down the stairs and falling to my knees next to her. I pressed my fingers to her neck and almost cried out in relief when I found a pulse.
Monica, Gina and Jennifer walked calmly to where we were and looked down at us. Well Gina and Monica did, Jennifer seemed to want to look anywhere but at Claire and her skin had gone a sort of grey.
"You'll pay for this" I told them as I pulled my cell phone from the pocket of my jean shorts and dialled 911.
"I really doubt that. See you around loser" Gina grinned and the three of them wandered away as though they hadn't just tried to kill somebody. The only one who looked back was Jennifer and if I hadn't been so angry and upset and sick to stomach with worry I just might have noticed that she looked remorseful.
