Chapter 11

"She's horrible, the stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! I was worried about her feelings—she was playing me along the entire time! I wanna go home, but I can't... She has the entire school under her control. No, no, no, she does. Stop her...please..."

Kendall had somehow made my humiliation go school-wide. I'd locked myself up in my room and cried for the past hour, and had broken nothing, had thrown nothing, and yelled at no one. I was just about ready to die.

And then my door opened and Robyn came in, singing.

"You're having a hard time and lately you don't feel so good."

"Lately?" I said. "More like the entire time I've been back at the school."

"You're getting a bad reputation in your neighborhood," she sang.

"I don't give a shit," I said.

"It's alright, it's alright. Sometimes that's what it takes. You're only human, you're allowed to make your share of mistakes," Robyn continued singing.

"But to screw up everything?" I said. "Robyn, no singing is going to help. I messed up everything, and now everyone hates me. Maybe I should just go jump out the window."

I opened the window, put my foot out, and then Robyn's hands were dragging me back. She slapped me, her face serious.

"Stop. Stop it right now. Are you gonna let some bitch just ruin your life? Are you gonna commit suicide just because she wants to go out with Rudy? Or because she's trying to force you to go out with Funcheesie so he's not after her? Let me tell you something, Rebecca Park; she's not worth committing suicide. Not her, not Kayla, not Rudy, not even me. No one is worth your life, Rusty. Come on," Robyn said, her voice now softer. "She's a spoiled bitch, chicken-shit; that's all she is. She's not used to not getting her way, and she's as stubborn as a jackass.

"But you are going to that dance, and you are going to dance, and if I have to tie, gag and lock Kendall and everyone else up in the janitor's smelly closet—it'll be my pleasure."

"I don't have a dress, and I'm not going to be able to get in," I said.

"I said it once, I'll say it again, I'll say until everyone in the entire world knows it—if I have to tie, gag and lock Kendall and anyone else up in the janitor's disgusting closet—it'll be my pleasure," Robyn said.

"It was smelly last time," I mumbled.

"And you don't need to worry about the dress, Rusty," Robyn said. She put her hand over my shoulders and led me to Aurora's room. "I think she's got this."

Aurora looked up from the sewing machine. "Why didn't you tell me, Rusty? Didn't I tell you that I took sewing and knitting lessons from my grandma?"

"N-n-n-no," I said quietly.

"Well, now you know. And you'll know something else, too; you're going to be the best-looking girl at the ball, I guarantee. And if anyone other than Rudy so much as looks at your dress funny," Aurora said, holding her needle like a dagger, "then, dear, forget about Robyn—I'll be there and get them into their own stylish mummy."

I felt tears coming down my cheeks again. But these were different—I was ready to do anything.

Even face Kendall.

"Aurora, how's the dress coming—ah!"

I froze with my hand on the doorknob, staring at who was in the room. Angela was sitting on Aurora's bed, sewing the hem of my dress by hand. I turned to make a run for it.

"Wait!" Angela said. She grabbed my arm, and I had no choice but to turn around. "I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you. I really am. I know you probably won't trust anyone now, but I understand. Kendall went too far. And since I was there when Kendall ruined your dress, I wanted to help make a better one."

I looked at Angela. "If Kendall does anything else, you're not going to be involved?"

"No," Angela said.

"She didn't send you here to distract me from something?"

"Rusty, I swear. I'm never listening to her again," Angela said.

"What about Alex Funchess?" I said.

"What about him?"

"Weren't you with Kendall about trying to get me to go out with him?" I said.

Angela started to shake her head, and then sighed. "Yes. I was. But you two would have made such a cute couple—"

"Except for the fact that I don't like him and all this was just Kendall's plan so she could go out with Rudy," I said coldly.

Angela was silent for a moment. "All right. Rusty, I'll try my best to stop being matchmaker."

"You'd better do more than try," Robyn said. She came up behind me. "If Kendall does anything else, I'm not holding back. Whoever is at the scene, they're gonna pay."