Chapter Two: New Friends

Chapter 2: New Friends

 

Life is great, I thought as I walked to my locker with The Committee.

“And we won by eighteen.” Ali said, smiling proudly to herself, explaining the soccer game we won the day before.

“Sweet,” Said Ashley. When we reached out lockers—which were conveniently all next to each other—Kelly turned to me with a more serious expression on her face.

“Taylor, we’ve decided to let you into our group.” Ali said.

“But we need you to do one thing before you’re actually in.” Nicci continued.

“We need you to dump those other friends of yours.” Kelly finished. Jade walked up then, smiling at me. Obviously, she knew what was going on and wanted me in the group.

“Done and done.” I said, smiling. The tense atmosphere lifted and everyone smiled.

“Awesome!” Nicci squealed. I turned to my locker, thinking of how exactly I was going to dump my BFFL’s. I turned the dial and opened the door slowly, seeing the picture of me, Sara, Madeline, and Carsen two summers back. I tore it off the mini corkboard and crumpled it in my hand. I closed my locker and turned to the rest of The Committee. We headed toward the gym, everyone immediately starting conversation.

“So, Taylor, wanna go to the YMCA today?” Ali asked.

“Sure. How about after volleyball practice, though?” I asked. I also played volleyball, and Kelly was on my team. Funny how that works, huh?

“Duh! We can’t miss volley.” Kelly said, smirking at Ali, who rolled her eyes.

“That’s what I meant.” She said. I pushed open the double doors to the gym and walked down the stairs. I spotted Hannah and Sara sitting down in a corner, glaring at me. Whatever.

“So we’re doing baseball now, right?” Nicci asked.

“Yeah.” Brendan answered, walking over to a corner of the gym with the rest of the guys.

I sat down next to Ashley in the middle of  the gym. Everyone envy-stared at us, and it felt good. Meghan sat on the other side of me and smiled.

“Good morning everyone!” Coach Kiap yelled, grabbing her clipboard.

“Good morning Coach Kiap.” The class moaned. Meghan took out her cell phone and started texting as Coach took attendance.

“Braun?”

“Here.” Tony muttered.

“Cranston?”

“Here.”

“Edelweiss?”

“Here.” I heard Hannah say.

“Fulton?”

“Here!” Logan shouted.

“Gorje?”

“Here!” I called, then stopped listening. My phone vibrated in my gym bag, and I pulled it out just enough for me to see, but not Coach Kiap. It was from Meghan.

 

Meghan: y is hannah & sara staring @ u?

Taylor: idk i think ther mad @ me

Meghan: well its creeping me out tell them 2 stop

Taylor: they wont listen 2 me if ther mad @ me

Meghan: then make them not mad @ u and then make them listen

 

“Dress out!” Coach Kiap shouted, and everyone stood up. Meghan and I looked back at Hannah and Sara at the same time, and I glared at them as we entered the locker rooms.

The Committee had a section of lockers separate from everyone else’s, because no one dared change back there with them. They had the section in the very back, near the bathrooms, and I walked to the back without a second thought.

“Taylor, do you have an extra t-shirt?” Ashley asked.

“Yah, here.” I said, tossing her a pink Breast Cancer Survivor tee that I borrowed from my mom. After slipping out of my Aeropostal fitted tee, jean-shorts and black flip-flops, I pulled on my old blue and green soccer jersey and matching green shorts. I tightened the laces on my grey Nike sneakers and pulled my hair into a ponytail.

“Thanks for the shirt.” Ashley said as she walked over to the sinks. She ran her hands under the water, then ran her fingers through her hair before pulling it into a ponytail. I saw Sara change into plaid shorts, and keeping her Hollister shirt on.

“She’s not changing into a different shirt?” Ali asked, noticing my distraction.

“I don’t think she ever does.” Kelly said, coming up behind us.

“She doesn’t.” I said, rolling my eyes. I walked over to Sara with the rest of the girls.

“You know, if you get sweaty and don’t have a gym shirt, then you’ll smell all day.” Ali said.

“Honestly, instead of Sara Suitford, it should be Sara Sweatford. “ Kelly said, and the whole locker room burst into laughter. Even me. Sara’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.

“Hurry up girls!” Coach Kiap called. Everyone walked out except for Sara, whose eyelids were rimmed with tears. I almost stayed back with her, like I normally would have, but Kelly grabbed my wrist and we jogged out together.

“Twenty laps!” said Coach Kiap, tooting her whistle two short beeps. Everyone starting walking the perimeter of the gym. Brendan, Tony, Jack, Brandon, Logan, and Josh came jogging up and started to walk with us.

“So, YMCA at 4?” I asked.

“Uh-huh.” The Committee said. I smiled; I could get used to this whole group thing. I looked back at the locker room door, and I saw Hannah and Sara coming out together, Sara’s face wet and red. The Committee looked over and Ali smiled.

“Hey everyone! Look at Sweatford! Looks like the waterworks have started already!” she yelled. Her statement echoed off the gym walls, and everyone stopped to look at Sara. Once again, everyone started laughing. It wasn’t a good thing to cry in tenth grade, because everyone thinks you’re a baby.

“Awe, wook at da poor cwybaby!” Kelly mocked as we walked by Sara. I smirked while Nicci and Ashley snickered into their palms.

“Would you stop?!” Hannah shrieked. “What has she ever done to you?”

“Blinded me with her ugliness.” Kelly snapped and stopped walking, and so did the rest of The Committee.

“See! There you go again! She didn’t do anything to deserve this!” Hannah just kept on yelling. Ali and Kelly exchanged a quick glance, then they both turned back to Hannah, glaring.

“But you deserve this!” Ali shouted just as Kelly shoved Hannah into a cart of basketballs. Hannah, being a really tall person, toppled over backward, knocking the basketballs all over her and the gym. Then, all hell broke out when her shirt got caught on a rough edge on the wire basket and completely ripped her shirt off her back. Everyone gasped, then The Committee were leaning on each other, trying not to fall over laughing.

I hunched over, holding my stomach, tears coming out of my eyes from laughing so hard. It wouldn’t have normally been funny, but being with The Committee just made this funny. Coach Kiap rushed over to the scene, pushing the laughing class out of the way. Sara was standing in front of Hannah, her arms spread out, trying to keep people from seeing any part of Hannah they wouldn’t normally see.

“Who started this mess?” Coach demanded. The entire class pointed to Hannah, knowing if they pointed at Kelly, they would be the real ones in trouble.

“What?!” Sara shrieked. “Kelly’s the one who pushed her!”

“Yeah, but Hannah was yelling at me.” Kelly said, her bottom lip trembling.

“We’ll deal with this later.” Coach said, glaring at Kelly, Ali, Ashley, Nicci, Meghan, and… me. She hurried Hannah into the locker room, where she had extra shirts.

 

“Now, what really happened?” Mrs. Chapman, the tenth  grade principle asked. We were all—Ali, Kelly, Ashley, Nicci, Meghan, Sara, Hannah—sent to the tenth grade office for the rest of class to decide who would get detention and who wouldn’t.

“Hannah was yelling at me, and then she tripped and fell into the cart.” Kelly explain-lied.

“No she didn’t!” Sara yelled.

“Ms. Suitford, please do not interrupt.” Mrs. Chapman said in a calm tone, shutting her up.

“I didn’t even do anything.” Kelly finished, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands in her lap. Mrs. Chapman sighed in frustration and sat up straight, for she had her arms folded and was leaning forward in anticipation. She pushed a button on the intercom system and spoke.

“Please send in the witnesses, Mr. Lujan.” She said to her assistant. A small group of other people in our gym class crept slowly through the door and sat down in the extra chairs. There were five people: Rayne Erickson, Lindsay Cullen, Stacie Ferguson, Penny Lu, and Amanda Sardinas.

“Thank you for being here, girls.” Mrs. Chapman said, smiling at them.

“Will we be late for third period?” Penny asked, looking hopeful.

“That depends.” Mrs. Chapman said. “Are you going to tell the truth about what happened in gym class today?”

The girls nodded. I swallowed the lump in my throat. This could be bad.

“Now—“ Mrs. Chapman stopped to look at a piece of paper. “Rayne, please tell me what happened.”

“Well, um..” Rayne looked at her hands, then back up at the principle. “Hannah was screaming at Kelly and saying that Sara doesn’t deserve to be picked on, and Kelly pushed her into the basket.”

“Thank you, Rayne.” Mrs. Chapman said thoughtfully, writing on a yellow notepad. “Now Stacie, please tell me what you remember happening.”

Stacie smiled confidently. “Hannah was yelling at Kelly, then I guess was about to storm off when she tripped and crashed into the cart.”

Kelly relaxed a bit in her seat, thankful that someone was telling a better story then what Rayne had said,

“Hmm.” Mrs. Chapman said, again writing down what Stacie had said. “Rayne, Stacie, you girls can go to your second periods now. Please get a pass from Mr. Lujan.” The two girls rose from there seats, Rayne seemed to be shaking, Stacie gracefully swept from the room.

“Excuse me—“ Kelly began, but was interrupted.

“It’s not your turn to speak, Ms. Smith.” Mrs. Chapman snapped. “Now, Amanda, would you please tell me what happened?” she asked, rubbing her temples. Obviously she didn’t like this part of her job.

“It’s exactly like Rayne’s story, but I have a little more detail.” Amanda stated, smirking at Kelly, who glared at her. Amanda was a kiss-up, and loved getting Kelly in trouble whenever she could.

“Can I please—“ Kelly began again, but Mrs. Chapman shot her a look that honestly scared me.

“Well, Kelly was making fun of Sara in the locker rooms about how she should be Sweatford instead of Suitford because she doesn’t change into a different gym shirt. Then when she started crying, Kelly and Ali called her a crybaby. But when Hannah tried to defend her by saying that she didn’t do anything to deserve this, Ali said that Hannah deserved this, and Kelly pushed her into the cart.” Amanda said, seeming proud of herself. Sara and Hannah smiled to themselves and Kelly flipped Amanda off under the chair, but Amanda didn’t see.

“Thank you Ms. Sardinas, you may go to your second period now. Please get a pass from Mr. Lujan.” Amanda rose from her seat and stuck her tongue out at Kelly when Mrs. Chapman wrote down what she said.

“F**k you.” Kelly mouthed, giving her a death glare. Amanda glared back as she closed the office door behind her.

“Lindsay Cullen? Would you please tell me what happened?” Mrs. Chapmen asked. I sighed as Lindsay started telling what actually happened. This was going to be a long day.