Skating on Lies

~~TIANA~~ "Three, two, one... say cheese!" Saying cheese was meant to make us smile especially since tonight was our last chance to be together before I transferred, but that did nothing to ease my nerves. I felt his gaze constantly on me. Every single time. Around us, music boomed from the speakers while people laughed and shouted over each other. Someone had dragged fairy lights into the courtyard and hung them around the railings. Supposedly one of the best nights of our lives. My chest felt tense. "I'll be right back," I muttered to the girl beside me and walked away before she could ask where I was going. The noise faded a little as I stepped out and made my way across the courtyard. When I heard footsteps behind me, I didn't think much of it. There were plenty of people moving around tonight. “You think just because you have a boyfriend, you can keep flashing that body around and still come for mine?” The words stopped me dead in my tracks. I turned just in time to see Sophia closing the distance between us. Before I could react, her fingers wrapped around my wrist and yanked me towards her. Her grip hurt. Chloe and Madison stood a few steps behind Sophia, arms crossed and smirking like they were enjoying it. Jake stood in the corner looking everywhere except at me. Sophia stepped closer. “Aren’t all the stares you get every day enough? The way guys look at your ass in that skirt, the way they whisper about your t**s when you walk by — you love it, don’t you? But that’s not enough for you. You still had to bat your eyes at my boyfriend in there like a desperate shitty slut.” “I didn’t… ” My voice cracked. “I wasn’t looking at anyone. I swear. I was just walking.” “Liar.” She shoved me hard. My back hit the side of a packed car, the impact sending pain through my spine. “Jake, tell her. Tell her how she was practically begging for your attention with that pathetic sway in her hips.” Jake shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “Soph, I… I don’t know. She just walked pass. It wasn’t like that.” I frowned at him, despite the fear pressing down on me. Sophia laughed. “See? Even he noticed. You walk around like you own the place, letting every guy eye-f**k you, and then you wonder why we have to put you in your spot. You’re nothing but a tease. Always have been.” They moved closer. Chloe held my arms from behind so I couldn’t move, while Madison laughed and pulled at my blouse, popping a button. Slaps landed on my face and arms. I bit my lip hard, refusing to cry out, refusing to give them the tears or the begging they wanted. “Why aren’t you screaming?” Sophia hissed, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at her. “Why don’t you ever fight back properly? You’re so pathetic, Tiana. Always acting like you’re above it when all you are is—” My phone clattered to the floor from my pocket, the cracked screen lighting up in the dark. Incoming call: Ice :) Sophia’s eyes lit with cruel delight. “Oh, I love this. Calling your little boyfriend while you flirt with mine? How f*****g perfect.” She snatched it up and answered on speaker before I could stop her. “Hello?" I thrashed, but Madison clamped a hand over my mouth. I bit down, tasting salt and skin, but they held tighter. On the line, I heard his voice — his deep, angry tone through the speaker. “Who the hell is this? Why are you answering my… ?” Sophia laughed sweetly. “Your girlfriend? That’s cute. “That’s not funny. Put her on the phone.” "She’s a little busy right now. Been getting a lot of attention today… especially from my boyfriend. Maybe you should ask her why he can’t keep his eyes off her.” His voice turned ice-cold. “f*****g stop playing games with me." Sophia smirked. “Relax. She’s a little busy right now. I don’t think she has time for you.” There was a long pause, then he hung up. They finally let me go, dropping the phone on my chest like trash. Sophia crouched down and brushed a strand of hair from my face. “You’re transferring to Harwick, right?” She smiled. “See you there, Tiana.” They walked away, leaving me alone beside the parked car with nothing but the fading echoes of their laughter. I hated them. And I hated myself more. How I look, how I am. God I wanna die but I can't. I grabbed my phone with shaking hands and hit redial. Pick up… please. It rang once… twice… then voicemail. I tried again. Nothing. I let out a frustrated sound and slammed my hand against the side of the parked car beside me. Pain shot through my palm, but I didn't care. Why me? Then I heard the click of a car door opening. “Tiana? Are you okay?” I looked up, a bit of hope rising. Mr. Morrison stepped out of the parked car I’d been shoved against, his face pale under the dim parking lot lights. The same teacher who had always been kind. “Mr. Morrison… you saw?” He didn’t answer right away. He glanced toward where Sophia and the others had disappeared, then back at me. He looked uncomfortable, almost guilty. “You saw what they did,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “You were right there. You didn’t… you didn’t do anything.” He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Sophia’s father practically owns half this district, Tiana. Those families fund a lot of things around here. Including this school. If I get involved…” I stared at him, numbness spreading through my chest. “I have a wife,” he continued.. “Two young children, I can’t risk my job. You understand that, don’t you?” I couldn’t speak. At some point, during the conversation Mr Morrison had disappeared. A stranger wearing his face had stood in front of me instead. He shifted his weight. "You're a beautiful girl, Tiana. Boys notice those things. Sometimes… girls accidentally send the wrong signals without realizing it. You should probably be more careful about how you dress.” I pushed myself up, ignoring the pain in my ribs, and walked past him without another word. By the time I dragged myself home, my lip was split, my ribs ached, and my uniform was torn. The moment I stepped through the door, Mom and my little brother Jamal rushed over. “Tiana! Oh my God, what happened?” Mom’s eyes widened in horror as she took in my face. Jamal’s small hand tugged at my sleeve. “Sissy, you’re bleeding…” “What happened at the party?” Mom’s voice cracked. “Who did this to you?” “I just… I want to go to my room.” I pulled away from their arms and ran upstairs, slamming the door shut behind me. ❄️🏒❄️ For four days I stayed inside, barely eating the food Mom left at the door. ~ “Baby, please eat something. Talk to me.” ~ But I stayed silent, curled under the covers, replaying Ice's words in my head. My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. He called again and again. When I didn’t pick up, the texts started: Tiana, answer me. What the hell happened? We need to talk. You’re not gonna leave me like everyone else, are you? What the hell is happening? Just tell me. He called once more. Then another text: Don’t ghost me. Please. But I couldn’t reply. I didn’t feel right for him. Not like this, hurt and always getting into trouble like I only brought problems with me. He deserved someone calm, someone who didn’t have chaos following them everywhere… especially knowing what he was dealing with too. Crying, I blocked him. On the sixth night, Mom used the spare key to come in anyway. She sat on my bed and pulled me into a hug as I finally broke down and cried. “I hate being weak,” I whispered. “I hate it so much. If I wasn’t… maybe they’d stop seeing me like that.” She stroked my hair. “You’re not weak, Tiana. You’re just a girl. My strong, beautiful girl.” Her voice softened. “Remember Harwick? That school you’ve dreamed about for years? You can still transfer there. It could be a fresh start, hmm? A real one this time.” Sophia’s mocking smile flashed in my mind. See you there, Tiana. I pulled back, my whole body shaking with fear. “No, Mom. It won’t be a fresh start!” She looked startled. “Why, baby? What’s wrong?” “It won’t!” I shouted, while tears streamed down my face. “They’ll go there too! Sophia and Chloe and Madison —they'll l go to Harwick! How is that a fresh start, Mom? How?! Tell me! They’re going to destroy me there just like they did here. I’ll never be safe. Never!” Mom reached for me again. “Dear, calm down. You could always go to another school. There are other options.” “I can’t, Mom! I can’t keep running and hiding and pretending I’m okay when I’m not! Why don’t you understand?!” She looked heartbroken, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Because I’m scared for you, Tiana. I’m terrified every single day. But we’ll figure this out together. Please, baby…” I couldn’t listen anymore. I turned away and stumbled to the mirror in my room, grabbing the scissors from my desk drawer. “Tiana, what are you doing?!” Mom’s voice rose in panic as she followed me. “Put those down!” Snip.