"Are you a virgin?"
Ophelia looked at Hannah like she was crazy.
"What did you just ask me?"
Hannah didn't seem to pick up on Ophelia's tone. "Have you ever had sex?"
"Of course," Ophelia told her. "I told you, my boyfriend's an athlete. Those boys are horny as hell."
Hannah chuckled. "I know, I know. But I've met a few that aren't. And you seem...modest. I didn't know if you were waiting or something."
Ophelia laughed with her. "You can be modest and sexually active. At least, I am."
The two girls were sitting in the school library. It was study hall, and they were sharing a table. Hannah had scooted closer to Ophelia to make sure no one heard them.
"Was it scary?" Hannah whispered. "Loosing your virginity?"
Ophelia thought about it. "No. It wasn't scary the first time. But it was scary after that."
Hannah frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ophelia tried to explain. "I mean, I never felt pressured to do anything. But after having sex for the first time, I feel like it was something that became expected, ya know? Like I couldn't just make out with my boyfriend anymore. It would always have to lead to sex."
Hannah frowned. "Even if you didn't want it to?"
"No!" Ophelia said quickly. "I've never had to do anything I didn't want to. The point is once you do it...you'll want to keep doing it. So make sure you're ready, because after your first time everything is different."
"Hmm.." Hannah bit her thumb.
Ophelia leaned is, and raised her eyebrows up and down humorously. "Got anyone in mind?"
Hannah laughed. "Maybe. Maybe not."
"Oh please share," Ophelia said.
"I will if it goes anywhere," Hannah told her.
Ophelia shrugged. "Alright. You better remember."
The bell rang above them. Ophelia collected her stuff.
"I'll see you tonight, right?"
"Of course," Hannah said. "I let my mom know you were coming."
Ophelia was excited for their sleepover. It was Friday night, and Montgomery had an away game so he would be gone all night anyway, so she had no problem hanging out with her.
Ophelia exited the library. She saw her boyfriend down the hall, laughing and joking with friends. She bit her lip, remembering the conversation she had with Hannah. The need for sex after your first time.
Ophelia found herself picking up the pace. Montgomery nodded to her as she walked over. He excused himself from his friends and made his way towards her.
"What's up, bebe?" he greeted. He moved to put a arm over her shoulder, but she grabbed his hand instead.
He was confused as she pulled him hand.
"Woah, what are we doing?"
She stopped in front of the boys bathroom. She smiled, "What do you think?"
Montgomery froze, looking between the door and her. "Wait-Really?"
She bit her lip, nodding. A spark of spontaneity and lust overwhelming her.
"No fucking around, really? Now?"
Ophelia twirled a hair between her fingers. She stood straighter, hoping it would make her chest pop out more and seduce him. She didn't realize he was already turned on.
"Unless you need to get to class?"
He grabbed her by both shoulders and shoved her through the door. She laughed, stumbling completely inside. There was a boy that was washing his hands. He looked bewildered that they came in.
Montgomery grabbed him by the back pack and threw him towards the door. "Get the fuck out of here." The boy scrambled out.
Montgomery checked the stalls, and then grabbed a nearby mop to put between the door handle and the wall to make sure the door stayed shut. It was a trick he did often.
He turned back to her. She expected a kiss, but first he decided to pick her up, setting her down on the sink. Ophelia had gained weight recently, and was worried it may break. But it made no sound.
Montgomery began unbuckling his belt, fully hard without being kissed even once. Ophelia liked kissing, and wished he would kiss her first. But it was too exciting for her to complain.
They had done stuff in the school bathroom before, but mostly just oral or hand stuff. They had fucked once, but that was after school when the place was empty.
She gripped Montgomery's shoulders tightly as he unbutton her pants. His strength allowed him to pull them off of her without having to lift her completely.
Ophelia thought back to Hannah for a moment, and hoped that she would find someone as good as Montgomery was.
Ophelia had no clue Hannah set her sights on Zach Dempsey. And she would never be told either. Because Zach told Hannah not to tell her. And that was his mistake.
'WHO WOULD BELIEVE A DRUNK SLUT?'
Ophelia starred at her phone. Jessica sent her the photos late last night, but Ophelia had gone to bed early so she didn't see them until that next morning. Her mouth fell open, and she honestly couldn't believe her eyes.
Jessica has sent the photos with the text: 'Someone put these up in my first period classroom'.
Ophelia called her immediately. The phone went to voicemail. She tried again. Voicemail. A few seconds later she got a text.
'Talking to Mr. Porter about the threats with my parents. Meet me at school please.'
"Fuck..." Ophelia muttered, scared and worried at the same time. She got ready in a hurry.
Her father came into her room while she was putting on her foundation.
"Ophelia, make sure you are home right after school today. Your mother and Honor will be coming home early."
Ophelia asked, "Why?"
Ophelia's mother and younger sister, Honor, had been away for almost two weeks. Her private middle school had flown to Washington DC and to New York for an interactive learning field trip. She wished they had sent her to a school that was that fun. The middle school she went to wasn't much use. She didn't make a lot of friends there anyway...
Her father explained, "There was an attempted shooting at one of the areas they were planning on going to. No one is allowed back in for now."
Ophelia let out a breath. "Well, at least the person was stopped. I hope Honor isn't too sad her trip got cut short."
Her father said, "She seemed fine on the phone. I told your mother that the day after tomorrow we are having Mr. Padilla and Tony over for dinner."
Ophelia frowned, turning to face her father quickly. "W-What? Why? They-They need to rest from their trip." She tried to make up excuses.
"Aye, calm down," he told her sternly. "You will be respectful to them, understood?"
Ophelia sighed. "Of course, dad."
When he left her room, Ophelia quickly finished getting ready. Zach drove her to school, and when he departed for morning practice, she went to find Jessica. She was leaning against a wall just outside of the main office.
She sighed in relief when she spotted Ophelia.
"Are you okay?" Ophelia asked her. She embraced her for a quick hug.
Jessica pulled away, and said, "I'm okay. My parents just left. I think they're more worried than I am."
Ophelia frowned. "You should be really worried. Who the hells would do something like that? I mean, who even had those pictures?"
Jessica scoffed. "The pictures weren't even the worst part. The note I sent you? Someone taped that to a fucking sex doll and hung it outside my door."
Ophelia gasped. "What-Who-Did you see anything?" She could hardly make out a question.
"Nothing." Jessica ran a hand through her hair. "It's fucking crazy. First public humiliation in fucking Mr. Rems class and now personal threats? Who the fuck would do this?"
"Mr. Rems?" Ophelia asked.
Jessica nodded. "My fucking first period teacher. Fuck that guy, actually. He barely even cared."
Ophelia recalled Montgomery leaving Mr. Rems's classroom the day before.
"Hey, I'll have Zach drive you home today, okay?"
Jessica shook her head. "My dad'll get me. Trust me, he doesn't let me out of his sight. Not even for school."
Jessica paused as the two saw Chloe walk through the front doors. They looked away, hoping she would pass by. However, Chloe matched right over after setting her eyes on Ophelia.
"Hey, girl," Chloe greeted. Her bubbly personality not matching their depressing conversation. "How are things with Zach? Any updates?"
Ophelia struggled out, "Um...no. We haven't tried anything else."
Chloe frowned. "I'm sorry," she said, genuinely sad for her. "Hey, I was thinking we could go one a double date or something. You know, me and Bryce, you and Zach."
Ophelia glanced at Jessica. She wondered why Chloe would bring him up in front of her. Even if his lies were true, it would obviously still bother her.
"Um, maybe," she said. "I think Monty gets a little too jealous if Bryce hangs out with people without him though."
Jessica chuckled, because even she knew it was true.
Chloe smiled like she had an idea. "Jess! You should come with us! You could go with Monty!"
Ophelia's mouth fell open, and Jessica looked at her, with wide eyes. Even though Chloe didn't believe Bryce did anything wrong to Jessica, she knew Montgomery and Ophelia had a messy breakup. Everyone did.
Did this bitch have common sense?
Chloe noticed their reactions and said quickly, "If that's okay with you. Since you've moved on and stuff."
Ophelia took a breath. "I don't know...I mean, it'd be really weird to go on a date with Monty. Especially a double date."
Chloe realized her mistake. She stood there for a moment, awkwardly and regretful.
"Right," she said. She pointed down the hall. "I should go wait for Bryce."
"Okay," Jessica said, simply.
Chloe walked away, yelling at herself for even going up to them in the first place.
"That was fucking weird," Jessica said. "Who the fuck does she think she is? Does she honestly think we're all friends?"
"She doesn't know how bad Bryce is," Ophelia said, trying to defend her. "I mean, if you love someone, it's kind of hard to see how bad they are to other people..."
Jessica thought of Justin.
Jessica suddenly asked, "Why didn't you guys eat with us the other day?"
"Me and Zach? I don't know, actually. He says he wants to wait for things to calm down or something. I think he's worried about his baseball team acting weird if he stops hanging out with them."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "They're already weird. They're fucking rapists and abusers."
Ophelia stepped closer and placed a hand on her arm. "Hey, if you want me with you at lunch I'll be with you."
Jessica wasn't sure. "I don't want to tear you away from your boyfriend or anything."
Ophelia brushed it off. "I see him all the time. I want to be there for you."
Jessica smiled. "Thank you. And yeah, I think it would help a lot."
"Of course. I'll walk you to your first."
"Thanks," she said.
Jessica looked back at Mr. Porter's classroom one last time before they both left.
"I want to eat lunch with Alex and Jessica today," Ophelia told Zach. "You can eat with your friends if you want but I'm eating with them."
Zach was getting a book out of his locker. He turned to her, confused. "No, I'll eat with you. And whoever you want to eat with."
Ophelia looked him up and down. "I thought you wanted to stay away from them until after the trial?"
Zach closed his locker and told her, "Well, I'd rather hang out with them then not hang out with you. Besides, the boys are kind of getting annoying."
Ophelia chuckled. "When are they not annoying?"
Zach laughed too. She was right. He then asked, "Hey, do you want to get dinner tonight? My treat. I feel like we haven't had a real date in a while."
He felt the need to make her happy. Because he knew before his trial they would have to have a difficult conversation.
Ophelia thought back. "Yeah, I don't think we have."
They used to go on little dates everyday when they first started dating. After people started being called to testify, and they learned the trial was back on, they stopped for some reason.
Ophelia told him, "But my dad wants me home kind of early. My mom and sister are coming home early. He said right after school, but I don't know if he knows what time that is."
Zach asked, "Did anything happen to them? Why are they early?"
"It just got cut short," she explained, "But if you wanted, maybe we could go out instead of going to practice?"
Zach looked unsure.
Ophelia looked down, embarrassed for suggesting it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."
"No, it's fine," he told her, "I've just been trying to focus on baseball a little more, you know?"
How could she not have noticed.
"Yeah, of course! You should. Of course." She was mumbling now.
He had an idea. "How about we go out for dinner a different time, but today we go out for lunch? We can take Alex and Jessica too."
Ophelia smiled widely. "Really? That sounds like so much fun."
"We can get coffee in the city," he suggested.
Ophelia assumed he meant at Monet's, but Zach had a different place in mind.
Ophelia puckered her lips, and Zach knew that meant she wanted him to reach down and kiss her, which he did.
"I will text Jess and Alex," she said, now excited for the day. "This will be fun."
Zach smiled as she walked off. He loved seeing her that happy. He hoped his plan for the day didn't ruin it.
"Psst, hey, Scott."
Scott turned around to Montgomery's desk behind him. "Yeah?"
Montgomery whispered, "Did you finish last night homework? I fucking forgot about it."
Scott knew he didn't forget about it. He just didn't care enough to do it.
Scott asked, "Dude why the fuck are you whispering? The teacher ain't even here yet."
Montgomery looked to the desk in the front of the room and noticed that the teacher was, in fact, absent.
"Well, do you fucking have it?"
Scott laughed. "Yeah, man. Here."
He dug the math sheet out of his backpack and handed it to him. Montgomery took a few pictures, and handed it back. He then started copying it down from the photos on his phone.
Scott turned forwards, but then started thinking, and turned back.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
Montgomery glanced up at him while still copying down answers. "Fucking go for it."
"Um..." he hesitated, "Why did you and Ophelia break up?"
Montgomery paused his writing. His full attention now on Scott. "What?"
Scott tried to come up with a good explanation. "It's just, I know you said you didn't want to talk about it, but I always thought Ophelia was really nice. Why did she dump you to be with one of your best friends?"
Montgomery looked away for a moment, and Scott could see he was becoming upset.
He quickly said, "I'm sorry for asking, man, you don't have to-"
"No, its okay," Montgomery told him, "You're my buddy, it's not like I'm hiding it from you. The reason is she was really close friends with that Hannah Baker. And I didn't like her. I fucking hated her in fact. And the reason Ophelia left for so long after she died is because she thought the fact I didn't let them be friends is why she killed herself."
Scott cringed. "Jesus, really? She blamed you for that?" He also couldn't believe he heard Montgomery say he hated a dead girl.
Montgomery just nodded. "She broke up with me then, but of course she came to her senses, and we got back together. But then fucking Dempsey swoops in and fucking convinces her that I was the bad guy all along, and that she shouldn't waste her fucking time with someone like me."
Scott frowned, upset at Zach suddenly. "That's fucked up."
"I fucking know," Montgomery complained, "And I always fucking thought that Ophelia would fucking snap out of it, and realize Dempsey is just a manipulative piece of shit, but she hasn't. And I guess now she never fucking will."
Scott let out a deep breath. "I'm really sorry."
He was shocked to hear of Zach's betrayal to Montgomery. But it made sense to him. He had seen Zach trying to meet with her while her and Montgomery were broken up, and he knew they got in arguments about her when her and Montgomery got back together.
"Thanks man. It's fucked but I'm alright."
Scott asked, "Have you tried telling Ophelia your side of things? Maybe she'd understand."
Scott realized just the other day he had told Montgomery to get over her, but hearing his story made him think maybe their breakup was forced.
Montgomery hesitated. "It's fucking complicated."
Scott nodded, and decided to give him space. He turned back towards the front of the classroom as the teacher walked in.
He thought about Ophelia, and what could have compelled her to completely leave Montgomery for Zach.
He also wondered why he wanted to know in the first place.
"Alright, what are you craving?"
Ophelia was in the back seat of Zach's car. In the passenger seat was Alex, and next to her in the backseat was Jessica.
Ophelia had leaned forwards and had her arms draped over Zach, who was driving.
"Definitely something chocolate," Zach told her.
She grinned, laughing. "Always chocolate for you. What about you, Alex?"
"Anything," he said, uncaring. "As long as it'll make me feel energetic."
"Monet's sells ice cream," Jessica reminded them. "That sounds really good right now."
Jessica turned to Ophelia. "Hey, thanks again for inviting us. I haven't been able to go out in a while."
Zach cleared his throat, nervously gripping the steering wheel. "Actually, I was thinking we'd try a different place."
Jessica looked to Ophelia, who was just as confused.
"Where?" Ophelia asked him.
He just said, "Somewhere else."
Ophelia was nervous as she watched Zach take a few familiar turns.
"Um..."
Jessica's eyes widened, watching as Zach pulled up to the coffee shop. She grabbed Ophelia's hand, trying to calm her down as she saw her started to become panicked.
"What are you doing?" Jessica asked Zach, accusing.
"We're just getting coffee," he said casually, parking and turning the car off.
Ophelia looked up at the sign. "Hamlin's?"
Zach took his seat belt off and got out of the car.
"I-"
Ophelia didn't know what to do.
"It's okay," Jessica told him, "Just tell him, it won't be that bad."
Zach opened Alex's door and helped him out. He then ran back around and pulled his seat forward, offering a hand to help Ophelia out.
"No," she said. "Zach, what are you doing?"
"We're just getting coffee," he insisted, knowing damn well he brought her there in hopes of finding out what happened. "Come on."
"No," Ophelia said again. She crossed her arms this time, showing Zach that she meant it. "I'm not going in there."
"Why?" he demanded, "Because this is yours and Monty's spot?"
Ophelia gasped at his accusation. "What? You think me and Montgomery come here?"
"I know you came here," he told her, "And you won't fucking tell me what you did."
Alex stood awkwardly on the other side of the car. "Zach, why the fuck did you drag me and Jess into this?"
"Come on," Zach insisted. "I know your hungry. Just come in and I'll fucking buy you something to eat." He was trying to tempt her to go in.
"I can't, Zach."
"Why the fuck not?"
"I'm banned from here!" Ophelia suddenly blurted out.
Zach fell silent. Then his confusion took over. "What? Why?"
"Because, Zach, this is the place I told Montgomery we were dating, and he freaked the fuck out and he started throwing shit." Ophelia spoke in an upset tone. Not just upset at Zach for bringing her here, but upset at Montgomery as she relived the memory.
Zach felt terrible. "He threw stuff at you?"
"Yes!" she told him, "He threw stuff everywhere at everyone! Because he's a fucking psychopath! Can we please go?"
Ophelia slumped back in her seat, upset and exhausted now.
"I'm sorry," Zach apologized. "You...Why didn't you want to tell me that?"
"Because I care about you," she told him, "And I know you've been trying your hardest to stay on good terms, and that wouldn't have helped."
Zach felt guilty, and ashamed. "You could have told me."
"I just want to go," she pleaded.
Zach nodded. He helped Alex back in the car, who complained how they had waisted part of their lunch time just for an argument, and he took them to Monet's.
As they drove away, Ophelia glanced out the back window and and saw the building 'DR. BRIDGES COUNSELING'. She hoped Zach didn't see it.
They reached Monet's with plenty of time to spare.
"Get whatever you want," Zach told them. "It's on me. Get food too."
"Thanks, Zach," Jessica told him.
Alex patted his arm. "You sure know the way to a man's heart."
Zach pulled Ophelia aside while the other two were in line.
"I'm really sorry, O."
"It's okay," she insisted. "You were right. I should have told you he got a bit violent. I just don't want you having to worry about me whenever I go out."
"More like whenever Montgomery's around," he said, "Can you promise to tell me if he touched you again, or yells at you or anything?"
Ophelia nodded. "I promise."
Zach hesitated. "Did anything else happen at Hamlin's? Besides him throwing shit, and you telling him about us?"
Ophelia glanced at Jessica, who heard the question, and was waiting to see if Ophelia would answer honestly.
Ophelia decided to say, "We just talked. That was it."
Zach nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
Ophelia loved to get in line, but Zach stopped her.
"Hey, I love you."
Ophelia smiled, she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. Twice. "I love you, Zach."
When they got back to school, Alex and Jessica parted ways with them. Ophelia grabbed Zach's hand, and insisted they walked the halls hand and hand to class. She knew Zach loved it, and she wanted him to know she didn't have any hard feeling about him taking her to Hamlin's at lunch. After all, he only did it because she hadn't told him everything that happened.
They ran into Bryce and Chloe, who were also holding hands.
"Hey guys," Bryce greeted happily. "Where have you been?"
"We just went for coffee," Zach told him.
Ophelia noticed how Chloe looked nervous now, almost embarrassed. Maybe it was because of that morning.
Ophelia decided to say, "Maybe next lunch the four of us could go somewhere. A double date, right Chloe?"
Chloe smiled, looking happy now instead of embarrassed. "Yeah, that'd be cool."
Zach gave her a 'what the fuck?' look. Ophelia would explain later.
Bryce joked, "Finally, an excuse to ditch these two losers." He pointed behind them, to see Scott and Montgomery walking up.
"Where were you two?" Montgomery asked with a smile.
Ophelia knew just from his smile that he was going to say some stupid shit.
Montgomery asked Zach, "Your dick finally start working or something?"
Zach opened his mouth to reply, but Ophelia did instead. "Yeah, actually. It did."
Zach grinned. That seemed to shut Montgomery up.
They all began walking down the hall together.
Bryce said, "Hey, since you missed our get together last night, how about you two meet us at my pool house tonight? It'll be chill, just the six of us."
Ophelia glanced at Montgomery and Scott walking close together. She joked to Chloe, "Is this the triple date you were thinking of?"
Chloe looked back at the two boys and chuckled.
Montgomery wrapped an arm around Scott's shoulder. "He fucking wishes."
Scott laughed and pushed his friend off.
"I can't," Zach said. "I have to study for my history test."
"Study?" Montgomery asked, "God, Zach. You really are no fun anymore."
Zach didn't find it funny. "I'm worried about it, alright? I'm serious dude. This test is fucking freaking me out."
Montgomery just said, "Why don't you ask your boyfriend for help with history?" He was referencing Alex. Montgomery hit himself on the forehead, and acted like he just remembered something. "Oh wait, he's brain damaged."
Ophelia shook her head at his disrespectful words.
Bryce said, "You're just jealous he had a brain to damage, Monty."
Bryce's disrespectful words, however, made her laugh.
Zach shook his head. "Guys, if I don't ace this test, I might drop below a C, okay?"
Ophelia shamed her boyfriend. "Why is this the first I've heard of it? I can help you study."
Zach appreciated it, but shook his head. "Ophelia, you're amazing and smart, but you are not good at studying with other people."
She faked offense. "Zach, how dare you?"
He chuckled. "I'm sorry, but you always assume people know as much as you do."
Ophelia knew what he was talking about. She tried helping him study for an algebra test before, and they both became frustrated with each other because he didn't remember things the same way she did.
"I can still help," she insisted.
Bryce told him, "Just play the dad card again. Metcalf will let you slide."
Zach's smile dropped. He looked down. Ophelia frowned too, knowing Zach's father was still a sensitive subject, even after the time that passed. She squeezed his hand again.
Zach snapped, "It's not a card, dude."
Bryce regretted his words immediately. "No, I know. Fuck, sorry, brother. You know what I mean."
Zach just sighed. "If Chloe hadn't stopped doing study group..."
Ophelia fell behind him a bit. She was surprised by his statement. Chloe and Zach had a study group? She had never gone.
Chloe was apologetic. "I'm sorry, Zach. I've just been so busy with everything."
Did they used to hang out together a lot?
Montgomery laughed loudly, "'Everything' meaning doing Bryce." He made joking thrusting motions, which made Ophelia pick up her pace so she wasn't close in front of him.
"How come I haven't heard of the study group?" Ophelia wondered aloud.
Montgomery reaches forward and grabbed her shoulders from behind. "Because you were too busy doing me."
He made more thrusting motions.
"Ew!" Ophelia said, peeling his hands off her, and Zach pulled her up further out of his grasp.
Scott held out an arm to keep Montgomery back.
Chloe laughed as Bryce placed a kiss on her forehead. "Yeah, well it's Zach's fault. He set us up."
Ophelia was surprised by this as well.
"Yeah," Bryce agreed.
Ophelia watched as Zach looked more irritated than before. He snapped, "I gave him your number. The rest of it isn't my fault."
He let go of Ophelia's hand suddenly, and made his way to go to his class upstairs. Chloe gave a confused chuckle, but her smile was no longer there.
Bryce frowned. "Meaning what exactly?"
Zach just said, "Meaning I have to get to class."
He threw a goodbye nod to Ophelia trudging upstairs, obviously upset. She wondered if it was at her, or at Bryce.
"Where'd that fucking attitude come from?" Montgomery asked.
"Yeah, is he alright?" Chloe asked her.
Ophelia defended him by saying, "He's just really stressed." But she too was wondering what had gotten into him.
Bryce muttered, "Over a fucking test? I can probably just get him the answers to that shit."
Ophelia stepped closer to Chloe. "When did Zach get your number?"
Montgomery heard and laughed. "Perfect man not so perfect after all?"
Ophelia rolled her eyes at him.
Chloe said, "A long time ago. Before you were dating."
Ophelia wondered if that meant he asked for it for a specific purpose. Ophelia found her self looking Chloe up and down. Chloe was really pretty.
Ophelia wondered if she was more Zach's type. Maybe Zach would have an easier time having sex with Chloe than with her...
"It was just for a study group chat," Chloe assured her, "Thats all."
"Yeah, of course," Ophelia muttered.
She was confused now. Zach had made it seem like he had liked Ophelia for a long time. Why would he ask for another girls number?
Montgomery spoke up, "Just so you know, O. You are actually still the only girl in my favorite contacts." Montgomery came up and put an arm around her, showing him the seven people in his favorites, her name being one of them.
Ophelia pushed him off of her. "That's weird, Monty."
"He doesn't have anyone else to fill the spot," Bryce joked.
Scott asked, "Do you guys still text?"
"Absolutely not," Ophelia told them all.
Montgomery shrugged. "She still sends nudes every now and then."
He tried to put an arm over again, but Ophelia shoved him away.
Montgomery went from heartbroken to annoying so fast. She wished he would stay as the rude ex boyfriend rather than the guy constantly trying to embarrass her.
"As if."
Chloe and Bryce laughed, seeming to find humor in their bickering.
"It's cute that you guys are still cool. You can still joke around and make each other laugh," Chloe mentioned.
Cool? They weren't cool. Montgomery just didn't know how to pick up the fact Ophelia didn't want to talk to him.
But Montgomery couldn't help it. His annoying tendencies were part of him trying to stay a part of her world.
"Monty, you can walk with us to class," Bryce said. Chloe, Bryce, and Montgomery all had their next period upstairs. Zach usually went with them, but his sudden attitude made him leave too soon to walk with the rest.
Montgomery agreed. He reached out and patted Ophelia and the shoulder. "Glad we're still cool, O. We really make each other laugh."
Ophelia scoffed.
She started walking to where her fifth period class was. It was outside, in another building. She stopped, noticing Scott was behind her still.
She looked at him confused.
"What?" he asked, seeing her staring.
"Are you...coming with me?" She was surprised.
"Oh," he said. "Yeah, I was gonna walk with you. We're going to the same building."
"Oh...okay."
"Is that alright?" he asked her.
"Yeah, that's fine," she said quickly. "Um..." she didn't know what else to say, so she just started walking.
He caught up and walked besides her. "Hey...we're friends, right?"
"What?"
"You and me?"
"Oh," the question caught Ophelia off guard, "Yeah, I guess."
He smiled. "You guess?"
"Yes," she corrected herself, "We're friends. I mean, we hang out everyday." She supposed they were to be considered friends.
They reached the doors. Scott pushed it open for her.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked. "You know, as a friend."
Ophelia was completely unsure of what he would ask next. "Sure."
They stepped into the sun. Ophelia squinted to see.
"I don't mean to be offensive."
Oh no.
Ophelia imagines him asking about Montgomery, or about Zach, or even about sex.
It was going to be about sex, she knew it. She could feel it. That's all these boys wanted to talk about nowadays.
"Can you speak Spanish and Chinese?"
This caught Ophelia completely off guard.
"Because you're half of both right?"
Ophelia took a moment to process the question. She said, "Um, I can speak Mandarin a little. Enough to make conversation, if someone's talking slow. I can understand Spanish, but I can't really speak it."
She wondered why she cared.
Scott nodded, like he understood. "Do you feel more connected to your Chinese roots, since you have more Chinese features?"
Ophelia stopped walking. Scott noticed, and feared he actually did offend her.
"I...I'm not sure. I don't think so." Ophelia frowned in confusion. "Why are you asking me this?"
"Just normal conversation," he said.
She laughed. "Normal? No ones ever asked me that before. Especially not a white boy."
Scott chuckled. "I apologize then."
They began walking again. "I guess I do feel closer to my Chinese relatives," she told him, "but just because I see them more. Most of dad's family is still in Mexico, but my moms side all came here."
They kept walking, and they stopped for a moment outside of Ophelia's classroom door.
Scott said, "It's interesting that you used to have a Latino boyfriend, and you left him for an Asian one."
Ophelia shook her head. "I didn't leave Monty for Zach. I left Monty because...shit happens, you know. We weren't good together. He wasn't..." She didn't know what word to use. "...nice." She settled on the less damaging one.
Scott knew Montgomery had told a different story. He wondered if he should tell her. Honestly, Scott wasn't sure who to believe. He didn't think his friend would lie to him, but he didn't think Ophelia would be a liar either. He'd be sad if she was.
"Don't let him tell you different," she told him. She could only imagine what Montgomery would say to keep people on his side.
"I really didn't mean it like that," he said quickly, "I just thought it was funny. Like your more of a momma's girl than a daddy's girl."
Ophelia smiled. She hadn't heard a high school boy say the word 'daddy' in an innocent way in so long.
"I guess it is interesting," she told him. She pointed at the door. "I'm gonna head in now."
"Yeah, of course," he told her. "I'll see you at Bryce's later?"
She chuckled. "No."
She left it at that.
Zach was the last one to leave practice. He felt awful, knowing Ophelia wanted to go home early. He was prepping his apology for her.
He hurried to his locker. He didn't even bother changing, just putting his glove in his locker. He saw his bag. He spotted the paper on the top.
It was the answer key to his history test. Bryce had given it to him in an act of kindness. Or in an attempt to keep him quiet when he testified. Zach grabbed it, picking it up to look at it. He noticed a red substance had stained the paper. It looked almost like blood.
Confused, he dug further into his bag.
He gasped, stumbling back as it came into view. A dead rodent. Zach gagged, the smell of it beginning to reach him. The blood seeping through the items in his bag.
There was something else in his bag that he didn't recognize. Zach carefully reached in and snatched it out, carefully not to touch the decaying rodent.
Blood dripped off the cover. A book.
Hamlet.