Chapt. 14

Alicia met up with Tori as soon as the bell rang for recess. News got around fast about how the new girl, being Tori, smashed a ball into the face of one of the school's best soccer players.

"Apparently you broke his nose." Alicia said, speaking of the warped rumours.

"Who told you that?" Tori questioned, she spoke again before Alicia could speak. "I saw him this morning. His nose was only a little red."

"I know. I was just telling you what people have been saying." Alicia attempted to keep Tori composed. "So everything's all right between you two then?"

"Yeah," Tori didn't say anything else. She chose not to mention the kiss as that sort of thing always got Alicia overexcited. "Melanie got quite touchy about it though."

"Bitch," Alicia spat.

Tori let out a short chuckle as she kept her mouth open and couldn't think.

"What did she say?" Alicia inquired.

"Not much." Tori didn't want to get involved in whatever was going on between Alicia and Melanie. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Melanie?"

"I had a boyfriend about a year ago and as soon as we started dating Melanie became a different person." Alicia shook her head as she recalled past occurrences. "She would flirt with my boyfriend and touch his leg or his shoulder."

"Did you do anything about it or…" Tori asked.

"Not really." From the look on Alicia's face, Tori could tell she felt idiotic about not doing anything. "I thought she was just being friendly."

'A little too friendly,' Tori wanted to say.

"One day, when Melanie was getting changed in our room I thought she was taking too long and went to check if everything was all right. When I walked in I saw her and my boyfriend…" Alicia waved her hands as she tried to explain what happened without words. Tori knew what she was meaning to articulate.

Tori mouthed the word 'wow' as she didn't know what to say.

"If I were you," Alicia spoke again after a lengthy silence, "I'd keep an eye on Jeremy."

Tori nodded once when the bell rang for the next class.

*

When the afternoon came a big grey cloud started to float slowly over the school ground indicating rain was near.

'That's just great,' Tori thought. She still wasn't able to do monkey bars and had a feeling she was going to be made to do them again today.

A light spray of rain started to wash over the ground as the clock stroke six.

Tori and Alex stood in the rain as the rest of the walked back to the barracks.

"I want you to practise on the deck again today." Alex said as soon as everyone left.

"In the rain?" Tori asked. "Can't I do the monkey bars again?" She thought at least the monkey bars would be safer in the wet weather than the rope to log obstacle.

"If you get onto the log without slipping then you can do the monkey bars." Alex said.

"I slip on the log in dry weather, how do you not expect me to slip in wet weather?"

"Exactly." Alex smirked. Ignoring Tori's death stare he continued. "Do three laps around the field before you start on the deck though."

Tori ran slower than usual around the course to kill time before she had to go back on the deck.

When she'd finally finished the final lap, Tori walked back to Alex to have a drink before climbing on the deck.

When she grabbed the rope Tori swang from the deck straightaway. She didn't let go of the rope until her feet were steady on the log.

Placing her right foot in front of the left, Tori gradually let go of the rope, letting out a victorious sigh when she realised she'd finally done it.

Feeling confident Tori stepped forward. When she hastily moved, her left foot slid on the slippery log and she crashed to the ground beside the log.

Falling on her back, Tori felt a cold rush go up her spine as she lay there on the damp ground.

"Sorry." Alex yelled over the ground.

As Tori pulled herself off of the ground she turned to him confused. "What?" She yelled back.

"You were right about the slipping part." Alex joked.

Making a sort of growling noise, Tori climbed back up onto the deck and started again.

*

Again next morning, Tori could hardly move. Though fortunately for her, she had a free period that morning which meant she could sleep in.

She slept in until nine o'clock and, after brushing her teeth and changing into her uniform, went outside of the barracks for a walk.

Tori was pleasantly surprised to find that the morning sky was a beautiful, cloudless blue. She hoped the weather would stay like that for the rest of the day.

The grounds of the school were peaceful and silent and, as she strolled up to the school, Tori finally seclusion as she had time to herself for the first time in a couple of weeks.

The hallways in the school were also empty and only noise Tori heard was the tapping of her shoes on the floor as she ambled through the building. That was until she came near a corner by the trophy case.

Tori halted before the corner as she heard girlish laughter.

"I could tell her for you." Spoke a recognizable female voice sounding very excited and devilish.

"No, I'll tell her." Said a male voice. "She'll believe anything I say."

Tori realized whom the male voice belonged to and became vaguely short of breath. Turning her head around the corner Tori spotted Jeremy next to his locker with none other then Melanie. They were standing very close. Abruptly, Jeremy practically plunged his head under Melanie's jaw.

Hiding back behind the wall Tori closed her eyes as she slammed the back of her head against the wall.

Taking in a deep breath, Tori turned the corner.

As soon as he heard her footsteps, Jeremy jumped about a metre away from Melanie. Melanie, on the other hand, didn't bother to act innocent.

Tori walked closer to the locker with her hands behind her back. She cocked her eyebrows as she waited for Jeremy to speak first.

"Hello green boy," Melanie sneered, holding her head high.

Tori glared at Melanie for a moment before turning her attention back on Jeremy. "Well…" Tori shrugged, waiting for him to say something.

"I can't be seen with you." Jeremy said, being quite frank.

Tori was taken by surprise. "What do you…?" Tori could hardly speak.

"The whole school's been talking about how I had my nose broken by a girl." Jeremy tried to clarify.

Tori let out a short laugh. "So you're breaking up with me because of that?"

"Dating you is like dating one of my team mates." Jeremy blurted out like word vomit. Melanie almost snorted with laughter.

"You're kidding me right?" Tori bit her lip.

"No." Jeremy shook his head. "I mean, you eat like a boy, play sports and I know that you strangled that guy."

Tori rolled her eyes. "I told you, I strangled him because he died my hair green."

"Don't you think you over reacted?"

"How would you have reacted?" Tori asked.

Jeremy opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, "that's not the point." He said.

"Why did you lead me on like that then?" Tori's voice shook as she spoke. "You could have stopped seeing me." She pursed her lips to keep the words 'dumb pig' from coming out.

"I dunno." Jeremy shrugged, looking every bit the dumb jock Tori now started to see him as. "I've never not had a girlfriend. You were just there."

Tori let out a hollow laugh as her eyes narrowed to slits. She turned and took a few small steps away from Jeremy before turning back around quickly. Then, impulsively, she swung her right arm, punching Jeremy hard in his left cheekbone.

'Ow,' Tori winced as she shook her stinging hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jeremy said angrily as he held his hand over his cheek.

"That hurt me too." Tori said quietly, flexing her fingers.

"You really do act like a boy." Melanie said.

"Shut up." Tori hissed when the bell rang for the next class.

On her way to English, Tori blinked continuously to get rid of the tears from her eyes.