RYOT GRL

Chapter 8

Georgina and Stella waited for me outside of the school gates the next day. I was surprised when I walked in and they were immediately at my side, talking about what happened yesterday with Hames like we had known each other forever. “You should have seen his face, Stella. He was so angry”, Georgina says worriedly, and I can tell she feels guilty about giving him his own treatment. I notice the looks I get as we walk in. I’m wearing my black skirt, with my black top that’s had been shrunk so much in the wash it was a struggle to get on. I have a feeling I’ll have a run in with Castle today after what happened with Hames yesterday. “You look like you’ve just walked in from a funeral”, I recognise the catty voice instantly before brown hair and fake eyelashes come into my view. “Lillian”, I smile, and she scowls. “My name is Lili”, she retorts harshly. “Is there something you want?”, I say tapping my foot impatiently. “I see you’ve found the two biggest losers in the year to hang out with”, she says eyeing up Georgina and Stella, who are both blushing red, looking down at the ground like they want it to swallow them up. I look at them both expectantly, but both say nothing which infuriates me. “Leave us alone. Lillian. Or I promise you will regret it”, I say harshly, and I can tell by the step back she’s taken that she’s afraid of me. “You started it”, she says and walks off flipping her hair. My eyes threaten to fall out of my skull at her pomposity.

I look at Georgina and Stella who are sporting the same sad look on their faces. I dig my nails into my palm. This is why I don’t do friends, especially girls. “Why do you let her talk to you like that?”, I say, and I receive blank expressions back. I ditch them before they can make sorry excuses for themselves that I’m not in the mood to enlighten. My first period is English, so I walk in, and immediately my back is up when I see a stack of books on my desk. I sit down, staring at the pile in utter fury. Mrs Janie comes over. “These are the books for the semester”, she smiles widely, and I scowl harshly, causing her to step back hurrying back to the board quickly. 20 minutes into the lesson the door flings open revealing Castle Maddox, strolling in. “You’re late Castle”, she angrily yells, and he looks at the clock. “Just sit down”, and just my luck the only available seat is next to me. He sits down and I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks at the feel of him staring at me. I see Mrs Janie’s lips moving but I can’t hear the words coming out of her mouth, because all I can focus on is Castle and his incessant staring. I look at him, our eyes locking, before the teacher interrupts us by tapping her hand on my desk. “What is your name?”, she asks, and I keep my lips prised shut. I shouldn’t have to tell her if I don’t want to. “Dodo. Her name is Dodo Lucas”, Castle says, and a flurry of laughter erupts. “Castle. I will not have you make fun of another student”, she shouts angrily, and he holds his hands up in defence. “Ask her”, he smugly smiles causing my blood to boil. “My name is Dodo”, and the laughter continues, I even see the teacher trying to suppress a smirk.

I look around, glowering harshly at all the simpering faces and soon enough the laughter stops. “Well, you can read for today Dodo”, she says, and I open the book unsure of which one I’m even reading. Halfway through the class, I hear Castle shuffling his desk slightly closer to mine and I look up angrily. “What do you think you’re doing?”, I hiss. “I thought me moving closer would make you blush”, he says haughtily, and I open my mouth speechless at the audacity he has to say that to me. “Sorry. You’re not that hot”, I spit, and he feigns a look of hurt. “I think we both know that’s a lie”, he says smugly and if we weren’t in a classroom right now, I would have given him an earful about just what I think about him. “Leave me alone. I’m trying to read”, I whisper harshly, propping the book in my hands. “No, you’re not. I’ve been watching you. Your eyes aren’t moving”, he says, and I feel myself be hit with anxiety. If he can see it who else can. “I am reading”, I retort. This time moving my eyes and pretending to read the scribbles sprawled across the page. “Whatever you say princess”, I ignore the stupid nickname he’s given me and keep my head down the rest of the lesson. But I can feel the fear rising in me. How long before she asks me to write an essay and I can’t do it. I’m either going to have to get myself kicked out of school or hope that my mum finds someone to propose to her so we can move. The longer we stay somewhere, the harder it is to keep up the pretences that I can read and write like the rest of my peers is.

As the class ends, I stuff the books in my bag and walk out, bashing into Castle as I do so; letting my bag slam into his legs and I take the sound of him groaning in pain as a victory. At lunch, I spot Stella crying and sit down. “What’s happened?”, I say and Stella cries harder. “Lillian and the others were making fun of her in chemistry”, Georgina mutters lowly, I look at their table to see Lillian flirting shamelessly with castle, batting her eyelids and twirling her hair. She looks pathetic and I can see so clearly why she’s mean. She wants him and he couldn’t care less about her. More interesting in bedding someone new every night. I would feel sorry for her if she wasn’t such a b***h. “Maybe she needs me to pour that slushie over her again so she can cool it”, I say and both Georgina and Stella stifle a laugh. “She’s not worth your tears”, I tell Stella who gives me a small smile in response. They both remind me of me when I was younger. Constantly being the newbie and therefore the new target. I’ve lost count of the many times someone’s made fun of my mum or the fact I’m not smart or I don’t have any friends. I let it mould me into the cold person I am today. I can’t be their friends; I won’t be here long enough but for now I’ll stick by their side. I notice how Hames constantly looks at Georgina and not the girl flirting with him on his lap. “Don’t look. Hames is looking at you”, I mutter to Georgina and I notice how she straightens up, turning slightly. “Don’t look at him Georgina. Trust me”, I advise, and she nods, chewing at her lip. I see him stand up and come our way. But his eyes aren’t on hers instead they're on mine. He leans over, his stance strong and confident and comes close to me so he’s towering over my head. “Time to pay up”, he says haughtily, and I don’t have time to consider his words before I feel ice cold liquid being poured on my head. Through the dripping brown liquid that’s coating my eyes I make out that he’s holding a bottle of chocolate milk. I look at Georgina and Stella who are looking at me in horror. But they're mouths remain shut, not like I needed them to defend me. I stand up, scraping my hair back and holding it at the side. “If that’s the best you’ve got then I’m disappointed”, I spit and pivot walking out with a swagger out of the lunchroom, giving hard glares to anyone who dares look in my direction. I go straight into the girl’s bathroom and wash my hair in the sink. This isn’t the first time I’ve had something poured over my head. I sit by the drier trying to air dry my hair whilst forming a plan in my head. They need to pay, not just for me but for everyone else they’ve intimidated. By the time I’ve finished they’ll all be the laughingstock of the school. Georgina and Stella burst in, both with chocolate milk seeping from their heads. “What happened to you guys?”, I ask. “Hames”, Georgina pipes. “Jordan”, Stella mutters and I feel my nails pressing into the skin of my palms. “Here, wash it out in the sink”. Until we’re all sitting on the floor of the bathroom on our jumpers, letting our hair dry. “How long have you known them for?”, I ask. “Too long”, Stella pipes. I feel sorry for them, but then unlike me, they didn’t use they're bullying to learn you have to be harsher than the ones that bully you. They cowered away. “Well, it stops now”, I demand and both girls look at each other with worried expressions on their faces. “Why? What are you going to do?”, they say. “Play them at their own game”, I boast and walk out leaving them looking between each other bewildered. I go to my locker putting my books in, when I see Castle pass and I lock eyes with him. I hate how he makes me feel, like in one second, he can pull me away from my icy exterior I’ve tried so hard to keep. With one look I can feel it all washing away and it’s not fair. I’ve worked so hard to show I’m not affected, to show I don’t care. I see as he passes everyone looks down, everyone except me who brazenly dares to look him in the eye. He locks eyes with me and doesn’t back down, stopping by my locker. “Managed to get the milk out of your hair”, a shadow of a smile plays on his lips. I told my arms. “You and your friends are going to pay for that”, I seethe, and he laughs, a full belly laughs like I’ve just said something hilarious. “I can’t wait to see what you’ve got princess”, he winks and walks off.

I follow his retreating figure, my veins pulsing with the amount of hatred I have for him. I see how Jordan and Hames follow him, strong and a force to reckoned with. I walk and almost knock into the principal, side stepping him before he knocks into me. “Ah Dodo. Just who I was looking for”, he says; his eyes wondering over my face, I see the whites of his eyes as he takes notice of my eyelids. “I did inform you on our uniform policy”, he remarks and produces a pack of wipes from his suit pocket, handing me one. “I was looking to here from your mother”, he says, and I laugh covering it up with a cough. He raises his eyes suspiciously. “Her phone broke”, I say quickly, and he nods in understanding. “I thought something like that might have happened”, he says, his voice full of confidence. I take the time to look at him property. He looks like he could be in his 70’s, with fat bulging from his neckline and waist. He’s got no hair to speak off, just a few light strands on top of his head that looks like he placed them there himself. “Please give this to her”, he hands me a card with numbers scribbled on it. “What is it sir?”, I ask. And he frowns, the lines crinkling his forehead. “Just make sure she gets it”, he snaps. “Of course, sir”, I say repressing my urge to burst out laughing, “And take that makeup off”, he gives me another wipe and walks off in the same direction he came. I can’t help but laugh at his reproach. I’m about to flick the card in the bin when I think against it. Being careful to place it back in my pocket. Having the principal’s number could come in handy one day.

By the time I’ve turned around Georgina and Stella are by my side. “What was that about?”, she asks in confusion. “He’s got a thing for my Mum”, I deadpan, and both laugh. I hear the bell ring and we all traipse out of school, our steps halted when I see a crowd has formed around both their cars. Their smiles drop as we all run to their cars in horror. Castle, Hames, and Jordan are spray painting their cars, snickering to each other as they do. I stand in horror, feeling slightly guilty for starting with them in the first place. I watch as crowds of students stand taking photos whilst tears drip down Georgina and Stella’s faces. Everyone’s laughing at them, whilst they cry helplessly. Seeing them like that makes the memories flood back of how much everyone used to laugh at me and all the horrible things they used say about me and do to me. I lock eyes with Castle, seeing his arrogant face and I see red. I drop my satchel, getting out the hardback book from my bag. I watch how he frowns, wondering if I am about to threaten him with my book of pride and prejudice. And walks forwards until I’m right out front of his car, smiling before I toss the book right into his front window, causing it to smash to pieces.