Chapter 13: Friend or Foe?

A Chapter by Tina Bee

The rest of my weekend was spent in my room. I hadn't realized what an all nighter could do on the body of a pregnant woman. By Monday morning I was contemplating staying home, but I knew that's what everyone there wanted me to do. I was supposed to disappear at the first sign of trouble. If that's what they all thought then they had another thing coming.

Mom said nothing to me during the car ride. Apparently Arthur and Celia left as soon as Celia came out of my bedroom.

Once inside I went directly to class. I had the strong urge to avoid both Amber and Violetta today. I took my seat next to Destiney just as the bell rang. This morning she had her hair in two big puff balls. Somehow she'd managed to pull off the look, but I didn't bother complimenting her even though for some odd reason it felt like she wanted to talk to me.

My suspicions were confirmed twenty minutes into Mrs.Lamponian's lecture when Destiney slipped me a note. I discreetly opened it and was shocked at the contents.

I quickly scribbled back an answer and she replied back just as quick. We went on like that all throughout class until the bell rang and even then Destiney was quickly on my heels asking questions.

"So do you think I have a chance?" she asked and I knew this was something she truly wanted.

"Yea, of course," I answered because that's what I sincerely thought.

"It's just, I saw him hanging out with you at lunch a few times so I figured you knew each other. He lives in Pinewood Acres doesn't he?" Destiney asked me and I responded quickly so I wouldn't be late to my math class.

"He does and he doesn't have a girlfriend," I told her, "so I say just go for it."

"I don't really know him so it would be awkward. Is there anyway you could introduce us?" Destiney asked and I looked at her.

In all the notes that we passed back and forth Destiney had made it known that she was head over heels in like with Jimmy. She wanted to know every detail about him and I tried to provide it to her to the best of my knowledge. I don't know what it was about him that made her fancy him, but I knew better than to question the laws of attraction.

"Ok, after school I'll catch him before practice. I have Art in the way back," I began, but Destiney finished my sentence for me.

"I know where that is and I'll be there," Destiney said with a hint of excitement in her voice, "I know we've had our differences, but if you could just do this for me I wouldn't be able to thank you enough!"

"Don't mention it," I told her right before the first bell.

"Gotta go. See you after school," Destiney called to me before she skipped away.

During math class I decided to approach this Destiney situation directly. I wouldn't just bring her up to Jimmy unannounced because that could potentially lead to an embarrassing scene. So I sent Jimmy a text message that he responded to right away. He wanted to know what Destiney looked like and if she was a virgin. I let him know that I had no idea about that, but he could find all that out and more after school. I set up a meeting place all before the bell rang for lunch.

I dreaded going to eat at my usual spot, but when I got there both Amber and Violetta were preoccupied with something.

"What's up?" I asked distracting them from their writing.

"It's almost Eliza's birthday. She would've been fifteen and Mrs. Clovers wants us all there for dinner," Violetta answered me.

"I'm writing up a list of party supplies and favors. We're not going to harp on her death," Amber looked up at me, "we're going to celebrate her life."

"What a noble idea," I said to them as I sat my tray down.

"You'll come, won't you Myra?" Amber asked me.

"Of course. That's not something I would miss," I said to them and I opened up my casserole tray.

"So I hear you two partied hard Friday night," Violetta said changing the mood from gloomy to playful in sixty seconds.

"Ugh, don't remind me. At home I puked my guts up all morning. Myra was fine though. She didn't drink an ounce," Amber said and I could've sworn she narrowed her eyes at me.

"I'll save the drinking for the holidays," I retorted, taking in a spoonful off noodle.

"Oh yes, The Christmas Mess," Violetta said letting out a chuckle.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Every year our parents go out of their way to spoil us with lavish gifts to make up for their s****y parenting. Well we made up a tradition last year where we take all of our presents and donate them to charity. We call it The Christmas Mess because of all the greedy and inconsiderate shoppers out there who stalk around the aisles in the stores during the holidays trying to buy the place out," Violetta explained to me and even I had to laugh.

"It is a mess. My mom usually gives us cash, but I'd be more than willing to buy presents for less fortunate children," I said causing Amber to look up at me again.

"Why does she give you cash?" Amber asked me.

"My mom's not really the shopping type unless it's for herself," I explained to her and she nodded with sympathy.

"Mothers can be the worse. I can't wait until I start having kids. I'm going to to be the best damn mom around," Amber said happily.

"I think I want my tubes tied," Violetta spat out of nowhere.

Amber and I just looked at each other and said nothing. Out of nowhere I felt tugging on my back. I whirled around and came face to face with Linda Ashburn, one of my many nemeses from last summer.

"What in the hell do you want?" I asked her.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Linda asked me with the sound of tremendous fear underneath her voice.

I looked at Linda and thought back to the moment last summer when she and her sister could have saved my life from the jerk I'd come to know as Rick Santos.

"Sure," I answered her and got up.

"Myra, if you need anything we're right here," Amber said and I looked back to see she and Violetta watching Linda closely.

I nodded my head ok and walked toward the quad area on our left with Linda. Her words were so panicked I could hardly make them out.

"So he made a video of Laura and now it's going around the school," were the only words I could discern from her.

"Who?" I asked puzzled.

"Rick," Linda answered, "it's all over Facebook and MySpace. You've seen it right?"

"No, I stay off those sites," I told her as we reached the steps that led to a platform where music often played during lunch.

"Laura is devastated. I know we had our differences earlier this year, but I figured since you had experience with-" Linda said, but I stopped her mid sentence.

"She needs to contact a lawyer," was all I had to say to Linda about her sister, Laura's new dilemma.

Rick Santos was a guy I'd gone on a wonderful date with. The next morning a video of he and I making out in the back of his car was distributed all throughout the internet. Apparently Langston Miles, the boy who had raped me, and Rick thought it would be funny to record that part of our date.

"Laura refuses to. She doesn't want mom and dad to find out," Linda said in a voice just below a whisper.

"Then what kind of help do you think I can provide?" I asked her and she bit her lower lip.

Linda had grown an inch and had lost at least ten pounds. Her doughy face from last year was no more and she stood with confidence beside me with our back turned away from the cafeteria where our classmates ate and enjoyed their humble lives.

"We were thinking," Linda started and then stopped for a moment before picking up again, "complete and total revenge."

"I don't think I should be apart of this," I said turning to go back to the table.

"No!" Linda shouted and it seemed that her nerves had made her extra brave, "Daisy and Kimmi are apart of this too."

"In what way?" I asked her suddenly intrigued.

"The details are so disgusting," Linda, who moved her body to now face the cafeteria behind us, said.

I could only imagine what the arraignment between those three could be. Kimmi was a girl who'd come from a broken home. Her mother was out with countless men every night and left Kimmi at the mercy of her drunken step-father. On more than one occasion Kimmi had been sexually assaulted by him. Her pleas to child protective services had gone unnoticed since no one believed her. Kimmi was the epitome of trouble. How Daisy played a role in all this was yet to be determined.

"I have to know," I said in a delicate voice.

After a deep breath Linda began.

"At first Rick would go a few hours with his phone off whenever Laura would call. Then it turned into a day and eventually it was a week. Mom allowed Laura to borrow the car one night and she went looking for Rick herself. She found his car parked outside the Rosemary Garden Homes off the highway," Linda began and I got a sinking feeling right away.

Rosemary Garden Homes was a cozy name for run down trailer park and that's where Kimmi lived.

"Did she go in?" I asked now at the edge of my heels.

"Yes, but not before coming home to get me. Once inside I showed her where I suspected he'd be. We peeked through the windows and saw the most awful sight," Linda said as she closed her eyes and shuddered.

"What?" I asked again needing to know so that the suspense could be snipped.

"Inside the trailer were both Kimmi and Daisy, twisting into each other on the floor, naked," Linda said and I almost gasped.

"Sweet Lord!" I said almost yelling.

"And Rick, Rick was in there too, but he had all his clothes on," Linda said hyperventilating as she spoke, "he was just watching. Laura wasn't shocked like I was. She went to the door and banged on it. I stayed at the window while Kimmi and Daisy dressed quickly. Rick was so far gone in what he was doing that he never noticed me watching. Kimmi went to the door and tried to send Laura away, but it didn't work. Once inside Rick and Laura got into it. Daisy stood there laughing at everything and Kimmi threatened to call the police. At this point I ran to the car and waited for Laura who came out flustered. Rick followed her and he was laughing too. We drove out and Rick followed us. Laura dropped me off at home and went off with Rick."

I stood there speechless. I'd never known Kimmi or Daisy to have those type of tendencies. What had come over them this passed summer I'd never know because legally I wasn't allowed within a certain feet of them. The depravity sounded bold and desperate. These two girls were attention starved and definitely not innocent.

"That's strange," I spoke out finally with my face turning red.

"It's shocking!" Linda said and I knew why she was so disturbed.

Our school was full of teenagers who, for the most part, lived sheltered lives. The type of behavior Daisy and Kimmi displayed was completely anti-social. Of course older girls would copulate in clubs or parties for male attention, but to go all way with sexual activities in front of a male that was obscene.

Kimmi wasn't apart of the this shrouded circle and I could see her doing something like that, but to suck Daisy into it was a different matter.

"When was the video of Laura recorded?" I asked as the first bell rang.

Linda and I stood there like we were lifeless statues.

"About a week ago and it hit the web the following day. I'm actually glad someone hasn't seen it. Everyones been gossiping and Laura has taken to staying at home all missing school. Like I said she won't tell my parents, but something has to be done to Rick and those two evil...witches so that my sister can return to school. Honestly I knew no one else to go to for such a matter. I thought of you because of all the struggles you went through at the hands of Kimmi, Daisy, and Rick," Linda explained to me and I nodded my head in understanding.

"I'm not sure what I can do about Kimmi and Daisy, but I have a few ideas about Rick," I answered her still trying to wrap my mind around Kimmi and Daisy's antics.

"So you'll help me? Laura won't want you anywhere near her. Sorry, but with all the things that have happened in the past she won't go for it," Linda said and I understood.

"Yes, I'll help you, but if someone finds out about any of this I'll deny it," I told her.

"Agreed. Look I have to get to class, but there's a football game on Friday. Are you going?" Linda asked me as we walked with the other students to our after lunch classes.

"Yes I am," I answered her.

"Good. There's an after party going on that Rick will be at and I have something in mind," Linda said and I could already guess what it was.

"Ok, just let me know what you want to do before Friday," I said to her as she turned to walk to her class.

"I will and Myra, please keep this as discreet as possible," Linda said to me as we parted.

I nodded yes and turned to walk to my English class with vivid images of both Kimmi and Daisy entangled together on Kimmi's bedroom floor doing some ungodly things.

prev chapter