Chapter 3

I walk back over to the school and manage to slip in during a passing period.

Luckily, we're allowed backpacks at our school, so I go straight to my fifth class, English, and sit down in my spot like nothing happened. Hell, I don't want extra attention for being a hero.

Caitlyn turned to me. "Hey, I missed you first period. Where were you?"

I pause for a moment. "Uh… Dentist appointment," I lie.

"Oh okay," she says slightly suspiciously.

Just then, a girl walks into the room. She, of course, makes a huge commotion. "Oh my god, guys, you will never believe what I just over heard the principal talking about."

We were all intrigued.

"Apparently, someone found a baby in a trash can," she says, throwing her backpack down by her seat.

A bunch of "Whats?" and "No ways!" were echoed throughout the classroom. I sink a little bit lower in my seat.

"Are you serious?" Caitlyn asks.

The girl nods. "Yeah. That's so crazy. Why would someone do that?"

"Maybe it was someone at this school that got knocked up," someone adds.

"I bet it was that slut, Tess," some girl sneers.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't Tess…

"Yeah she's a real slut," some douche bag announces.

As much as I hate Tess… "Yeah? And how do you know?" I defend her, facing the guy.

The guy turns to me. With a smirk, he says, "Cause I fucked her last week. She's fucking like ten people already."

I sink even lower into my seat. I really don't want to hear this.

"I've heard that she's gotten like four abortions!" some chick contributes to the Tess-bashing conversation.

Stop it, stop it, stop it…

As if on cue, our teacher, Mr. Hansen, walks into the classroom, a huge smile on his face. "Hello, my students!"

"Four? Really?" a girl asks. "How do you know?"

"She told me last night," Sir Douche Bag says, standing up.

Our teacher lets out a huff of laughter. "I don't know what you guys are talking about, but please, stop."

Thank you.

"If you guys would please open up your books to page seven and we'll continue reading from where-" Mr. Hansen was cut off when some office aid comes in the room and hands him a blue slip of paper. He locks eyes with me and says, "Nate, they want to see you in the principal's office."

Everyone immediately turns to me. "Ooh," they all coo.

I take the walk of shame down the isle and head out of the classroom and into the principal's office. Right as I open the door, I see four familiar girls sitting in chairs. I pause and they all turn around to face me. Ella, Peggy, Tess, and Mitchie all look at me.

I feel like a lost sheep in a hailstorm.

"You wanted to see me?" I ask.

The principal points to a seat. "Please, Nate, take a seat."

I do as I am told.

He does this really creepy thing where he folds his hands on his desk and leans in close to use like we're about to get our asses kicked. "Let's cut straight to the chase, girls… and guy. We recently found out that a newborn child was found behind the school this morning. We looked on the security cameras and you five were the only ones that showed up in the past twelve hours." He turns to me and says, "Nate, I'm pretty sure you weren't the one who was pregnant, but because you were on the camera, we have to suspect you."

"Uh, I rescued the baby," I defend. "I was the one who found her."

"Um, excuse me," Tess says, having everyone draw their attention to her, "but this is a waste of my time. Do you see this perfectly fit body? Yes, so how could I have been the one that was knocked up?"

The principal glares at her. "Well I've heard from many, many sources that you have some very interesting… extracurricular activities."

This is where I burst out laughing. As much as I want to stop or I'll get my ass kicked, I keep giggling. You know when it's totally inappropriate to laugh, but you just can't stop? Well that's what I have right now.

Tess rolls her eyes and scoffs, crossing her arms across her chest.

Mr. Smith, the principal, clears his throat, and I bury my head into my arms, trying not to laugh. I end up getting a bout of silent stomach-hurting laughter.

"This is a very serious matter, Nate," he says.

I know, I know. Don't get your knickers in a knot.

"Anyway," he continues, despite my lack of focus and seriousness, "we are going to get to the bottom of this, girls."

Tess points to Mitchie. "I blame her. After all, she's a whale."

Mitchie's jaw drops and she slams her hands on Mr. Smith's desk, causing him to jump, and pushes out her chair. "I am not fat, you skanky little whore!"

"Whoa, whoa, settle down girls!" Mr. Smith exclaims, standing up.

Tess scoffs. "You're calling me a whore? You're the whore!" Then she pushes her.

I can almost hear the douche bag in me shout, "Cat fight! Cat fight!" But I restrain from calling it out loud.

"You little bitch!"

"Slut!"

This is when I go off again.

They keep pecking at each other, and then Tess makes her lethal move. She rips a part of Mitchie's hair out, and Mitchie screeches in pain.

"Ha!" Tess laughs, holding up the patch of hair she just ripped out of Mitchie's head.

Damn, I wish I had a camera. This would be such a great YouTube video.

"Settle down!" Mr. Smith yells.

Mitchie turns to him. "Do you see what this bitch just did?" she screeches and shows him the blood that smeared off of her head and onto her hand. "I'm fucking bleeding now!"

"That is it!" the principal almost screams. "If you two don't settle down right now, I will call the cops!"

Both girls leer at each other.

Ella and Peggy look scarred for life.

Me? I'm laughing my ass off.

"That's it," Mr. Smith says. "We're going to the hospital."

"Oh so I can get stitches for the gash this bitch just put in my head?" Mitchie asks, turning to Tess.

Tess rolls her eyes and folds her arms across her chest.

"Come on," he says, standing up.

Tess raises a hand. "Um, I'm not going anywhere until I have a lawyer or parent present."

"Ms. Tyler, you better come right now," Mr. Smith says in his best scary old man voice.

Tess slinks away a second, totally defeated, and then stands up and walks over to him. We all follow along and we end up all walking over to the hospital with the school police's escort.

I guess some of the doctors and police people had already set up a guilt-trip session, and they brought all five of us kids into a room with the baby. A female doctor looked at all of us.

"She's so beautiful," she says.

I look up at her. The doctor has fiery gingery hair. It's wavy and nice looking.

Guilt trip. I feel it coming on.

"It's such a shame that a beautiful baby girl was thrown into such misery," the doctor mutters, making sure to stare down the four girls.

I can't take my focus off the baby. I rescued her. I feel like I have some sort of connection with her.

"We will get the truth out of you guys," she continues. "We will break you."

All four of the girls keep staring at the baby.

I look up at the four people I thought I knew. They all looked so depressed.

One of them did it. I felt horrible just being in the same room as them.

Shit, son of a bitch. I'm gonna have to hate one of them by tonight.