"I've been hearing rumors about you. Seriously from now on if you're going to bash the shit out of Carly let me know so that I can be there to watch" Sade told me at lunch
"People at this school gossip too much" I tell her as I play with my pasta, "Oh yeah, I have afternoon detentions every day this week thanks to Carly, meanwhile she only has to go today at lunch time. Apparently her ankle is really 'sore'"
"Are they going to ring your dad?" she asks me
"Pfft! Like he would care. He's too worried about his next meeting or a big business deal that's coming up. He wouldn't even care if I was pregnant or in jail, as long as he still has his job and rolling in money"
"C'mon your dad isn't that bad"
"You want to make a bet?"
"Uh oh" Sade says and I follow her gaze to see Carly walk through the cafeteria doors.
"What does she want now? Can you please try and convince her that I didn't steal Jack?" I beg Sade.
Carly approaches us with a sweet smile, obviously faking it.
"Hi Sade, hi Melanie", she says in a nice loud voice
"Hi Carly, how's your ankle? Is it better now?"
"It's still I bit sore. They think I may have sprained it. Its ok though I've come here to forgive you" she says loudly.
I look around to see that everyone has gone silent and is now watching us.
"Excuse me but I haven't done anything wrong here so I can't see why you have to forgive me"
"Oh honey, it's ok I forgive you for stealing my boyfriend and then attacking me out on the hockey field in PE today. It's ok to admit that you're jealous of me"
Sade starts laughing hysterically at Carly and I do the same.
"Are you serious?" I ask between breaths.
"What's so funny?" Carly says innocently.
"Ok, I'll tell you again. I did not steal Jack from you. He broke up with you when he came back from England, as he realized what a shallow, conceited cow you are. The only reason I jumped on you in hockey was because you kept on hitting me with your stick. You started this whole thing Carly. Everyone knows that you're selfish snob so just back off"
"Well if Jack really is your boyfriend you'll be able to tell us where he is today then wouldn't you?" she asks
She's right. Why didn't Jack tell me he wouldn't be here today? He could have at least sent me a txt or called. No, don't listen to her, she just wants the satisfaction of humiliating me.
"No, he didn't tell me as I'm not a nosy girlfriend unlike you or shall I say EX-GIRLFRIEND for your case" I say smiling before standing up and leaving the cafeteria with Sade.
"I think you may have just put Carly back in her place, well for now anyway" Sade tells me, "do you want to see a movie this afternoon?"
"Detention"
"Right I forgot. How about afterwards?"
"Yep that sounds good. Hopefully that will make up for the shit day I've been having so far"
Detention. What a bore. I'll tell you this, staring at Mr. Brock eating a tuna sandwich is not very amusing, especially when there is a bit of bread stuck in his teeth. It's only Billy Sickle and me in detention this afternoon. Billy, gee what can you say about him. He amuses himself by scaring the freshman. He likes to act all tough but I think deep down he's a bit of a softie.
"So Little Miss Melanie, I've heard you've gone over to the wild side," Billy tells me grinning
"Really? And I've heard you've grown a brain? Surely not?"
"Ha-ha you're so funny. Seriously though I never though of you as a boyfriend stealer"
He must have seen the look on my face as he quickly told me he was just joking.
"I'm glad you stood up for yourself today at lunch. No one likes Carly anymore. The only reason they liked her is because she went out with Jack. This was back in the day when Jack was normal though – before he went all loner and weird. Did he ever mention to you why he quit the football team?"
"No it's none of my business"
"Hmm too bad. I think I should try out then. What do you think?"
"I think that you're joking, either that or you're high as a kite"
"ARE YOU HIGH BILLY?" Mr. Brock asks
"ARE YOU EAVESDROPPING SIR?" Billy asks him, "No sir, I am not high. See my eyes aren't bloodshot and I'm not all sweaty"
"I was not eavesdropping. You were talking extremely loud, that's all"
"Right then", Billy turns back to me, "So anyway is Sade still going out with that country bumpkin of hers?"
"Why do you think she'll dump him for you?"
"Just wondering. Long distance relationships never work out so I may aswell hook in"
"Did anyone ever tell you that you're a pig?"
"All the time" he says cheekily.
"Detention is over. You may leave now, unless you have no social life whatsoever and want to stay a little longer," Mr. Brock tells us as he packs his suitcase up.
"Bye sir" I say as I walk out the door.
"Bye sir" Billy mimics behind me.
"You are like a fart in a spacesuit," I tell him
"A what?"
"Haven't you ever heard that saying?" I asked shocked
"No what does it mean?" he asks looking interested
"That you're extremely annoying"
"Tell me something I don't know. So same time same place tomorrow cos I'm here all week baby" he tells me in a French accent.
"You are so not cool Billy. Bye"
I checked my watch. Oh shit I was already ten minutes late for the movie and I hadn't even left school yet. I sped across town to the cinemas only to find Sade waiting outside patiently.
"Sorry I'm late" I say breathlessly
"That's ok. How was Mr. Brock? What kind of sandwich did he have this time?"
"Tuna. It was just Billy and I on detention. He is one weird boy I'll tell you that"
We paid for our tickets and walked into the movie. The cinema was practically empty and I could see why. No one famous was in the movie and the special effects were a disaster and not even believable. Even if I had wanted to I couldn't focus on the movie. All I kept thinking about was Jack and where the hell he was. By the time the credits were up on the screen I thought my head was about to cave in.
"Wasn't the best movie I've seen or the best acting but the plot was wicked" Sade mentions, "what did you think of it?"
"Ah…"
"It's ok you don't have to lie, I know you were probably thinking about Jack the whole time"
"Yep you're right on that"
When I got home I noticed that Dad's car is in the driveway. What the hell was he doing home? He wasn't due back for another few weeks. I unlock the front door and walk past the dining room. A light switches on and I notice that is sitting in a chair.
"Oh hi Dad. You scared me there. How was your flight?"
"Is there something you want to tell me?" he asks sternly
"Like what?" I ask confused not knowing what he's talking about.
"Like why you attacked Carly at school today and then humiliated her infront of everyone afterwards"
"Is that what you heard? Who told you that? You know that isn't true!"
"I got a phone call from the school today while I was in an important meeting and then Carly's father says to me is everything alright with your daughter as she attacked Carly at school today. What do you expect me to do? I've come home to sort this issue out with you"
"Well you wasted your precious time as there is nothing wrong! Carly and I had a little argument that's all. No big deal. It's not like we're friends anymore and have to get along"
"Yes and I understand that, however when you two fighting like this it puts a strain on Jim's and I relationship."
"Why? What has Carly told her dad?"
"All what Jim told me was that you upset her today and hurt her ankle. What's going on Melanie? I feel like I don't even know you anymore"
"DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU DON'T KNOW ME ANYMORE? BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER HOME! I'LL SEE YOU A WHOLE FOUR TIMES A YEAR, IF I'M LUCKY!"
"That's not true. I love you very much"
"Really because you're not the best father figure. Then answer this. Who is my best friend?"
"Alice"
"Sorry wrong answer. That was back in kindergarten, before she moved to ALASKA!" I scream at him, feeling tears brim my eyes.
"Look sweetie, it's ok. How about I stay home for a few days or buy you a big present when I get back from my next trip? How does that sound?"
"It sounds fucking pathetic if you ask me," I say before going to my room, slamming the door behind me.