Hot Mess

This can't be happening

Chapter 3 

The last day of school has finally come. Everyone is excited, well not me. I know what's coming. Torture, plain and simple. As everyone empties their lockers and says good bye to their teachers, I hideout in the bathroom waiting for them all to leave so I can get my stuff and go home. All seems quiet so I slowly open the bathroom door to check the halls. Not seeing anyone, I head toward my locker. 

As I round the corner, I see them. Sabrina and her friends are waiting by my locker, waiting for me. I start to turn around when one of the spots me. “Emma, where are you going? You know you have to empty your locker, right? “ 

“Yes, I know. But I'll do it later.” 

“There is no later. It's now or never. Schools out for the summer.” Sabrina laughs at me.  

I slowly walk toward my lock, wondering what she is going to do to me. I get to my locker and start to put my combination in. Just as I get to the last number and start to pull down Bobby yells “Stop!” from the other end of the hallway.  

I freeze and turn to him. As he comes running up looking right at Sabrina he says, “Why don't you open the locker Sabrina? Step aside Em.” 

“In not opening her locker.” 

“Why not, she undid the lock for you. All you have to do is open it. What are you afraid of?” 

I look at my locker wondering what’s going on. What did she do to my locker? And why is Bobby protecting me in front of everyone?  It makes no sense. 

“Why are you all still here? The school year is over and you should all be gone by now.” Mr. Scott says coming down the hall.  

Bobby turns to him and says “Sabrina was waiting for Emma at her locker. Just waiting to see what happens when she opens it up. I stopped Emma from opening it.” 

“Well Sabrina why don't you open the locker for her, since you are waiting to help her out.” 

“But, Mr. Scott it's not my locker. Plus, I need to get going or I'll be late getting home.” Turning her friends “Come on ladies let's go." Sabrina and all her friends race down the hall laughing and looking back at us.  

Now I know something is going to happen when I open this locker up. I reach for the lock but Bobby grabs my hand, stopping me again. “Please don't open it. “ 

“Why shouldn't Emma open her locker?” 

“I just have a bad feeling sir.” 

“If you know something now is the time to say it, because I will be the one opening this locker.” 

From down the hall I heard Sabrina and her friends gasp. There is something bad about to happen.  

Bobby looks at him and says, “Mr. Scott, please let me open the locker.” 

“By all means Bobby go ahead." 

Bobby takes a long breath and slowly opens the door to my locker. Oh no, I can't believe it. She didn't.  

Bobby gets a face full of white powder. It covers his entire face and chest. Mr. Scott gets covered to. The door to the locker covers me but I still get some in me.  

“Sabrina, come here now! I know you are hiding over there.” 

Slowly Sabrina and her friends walk down the hall back toward us. “Now!!!” Mr. Scott says. They pick up the pace. Sabrina looks horrified. Her friends are all looking at the ground. 

“Who put baby powder in Emma’s locker?” 

There is a chorus of: 

“I don’t know sir.” 

“It wasn’t me.” 

“I’m not sure.” 

“I have no clue.” 

They are all lying, they know exactly who did it. 

“You do know that there are cameras on this hallway and I will be watching it very soon. So, your best option is to tell the truth right now.” 

Sabrina elbows Julie in the side and gives her a look like please take the blame so I don’t get in trouble. 

Julie finally whispers, “It was me. I’m sorry. I thought it would be funny. The others didn’t know what I did, just that I had something to show them at Emma’s locker.” 

“Well the video will tell me the truth. In the meantime, go find the janitor and ask for supplies to clean this mess up. Sabrina why don’t you help Emma to clean out her locker. Bobby please go and get cleaned up. Then I would like to see you in my office. The rest of you go home now before I call your parents and let them know what has happened here today.” 

“Mr. Scott, Sabrina doesn’t need to help me with my locker. It will only take a few minutes for me to get my stuff out and then I will head home.” 

“No Sabrina will be helping you take everything out of your locker, just in case there are any more surprises.” Looking at Sabrina he adds, “Understood. Now I am going to get cleaned up and watch the video of this hallway. I certainly hope that Julie has told me the truth about who put the powder in Emma’s locker.” 

After Mr. Scott rounds the corner, Sabrina turns to me with hate in her eyes. “You better hope that I don’t get in trouble or your summer is going to suck. Oh well, guess I should say, it will suck even worse than normal.” With that she turns and walks off. 

What a mess. Everything in my locker is covered in white. Good thing I didn’t have much in here. I took most of my stuff home last week. Julie rounds the corner with a small vacuum and a rag in hand. I put the last of my things in my bookbag and start to turn away.  

“Where do you think you are going?” 

“Home.” 

“Oh no you’re not. I’m not cleaning up this mess, you are.” 

“Mr. Scott said for you to clean up the mess you made.” 

“Yeah, well he aint here so I’m not doing it.” She thrust the vacuum at me and threw the rag at my face.  I sigh as she walks away. I know that it needs to get cleaned up. This always happens. I know that I can walk away and leave it but that would mean the janitor has to clean it when he comes this way. I can’t do that to him.  

Putting my bookbag down, I gab the rag and start wiping out the top shelf of my locker. I lose myself in my thoughts, daydreaming. I’m not wiping a locker; I’m brushing back my gorgeous husbands' hair. Running my hand down his tan, muscular arm from behind. Slowly he turns and takes me in his arms, smiling down at me. God those eyes, I could fall into them. He slowly leans forward, coming in for a kiss. Bang, I hit my head on the top shelf of my locker. I'm such a dork. Looking around to make sure no one saw that I continue to clean up the mess around me. 

* 

“Bobby, how did you know that Sabrina had done something to Emma’s locker?” 

“I wasn’t sure sir. I had overheard Sabrina and Julie talking the other day about how they were going to end the year with a bang. I had a feeling it would have something to do with Emma, so after I finished with my locker, I went to find her. Emma always hides out till everyone else is gone so I knew I would have time. Anyway, when I rounded the corner, I saw Sabrina and her friends at Emma’s locker and knew they did something to it.” 

“So, you didn’t know what they had done?” 

“Not exactly no.” 

“Ok Bobby. Thank you. You can go start your summer. See you next year.” 

Bobby gets up and heads to the door. Before he opens it he turns to Mr. Scott and asks, “Can I ask you something?” 

“You can ask me anything. What is on your mind?” 

“If you know Sabrina is bullying Emma, why don’t you do anything to her? Why let her get away with it all the time?” 

“Well, Bobby, there are steps that I have to take in order to expel someone. If it is not done correctly, I can be sued and so can the school and school board.” 

“What step are you missing?” 

“Emma. She won’t express what is going on, and file a formal complaint against Sabrina. Without it my hands are tied. I can’t suspend or expel Sabrina. Until Emma stands up for herself there is nothing we can do. It is all hear say.” 

“Thank you Mr. Scott. Have a good summer.” 

Mr. Scott turns on his monitor and brings up the hallway where Emma’s locker is located. There she is cleaning up the mess that the others left for her. What a shame, she is such a nice kid. If only she would stand up for herself things would be so much easier for her here. Hitting the rewind button, he watches the whole event that he witnessed in reverse. Watching and waiting to see who tampered with Emma’s locker. A few minutes later, he sees what he has been waiting for. Sabrina holding a funnel up to the vent in the locker and pouring powder in it. Watching it again to be sure, he saves the clip and names the file. Adding it to the ever-growing files labeled under Sabrina’s name. Just more evidence for the day that Emma finally tells the truth about her. 

* 

Finally done cleaning up the mess and returning the vacumn cleaner to the janitor, I can head home. It is getting late so there shouldn’t be anyone left on campus except some teachers. As I push open the front doors to the school, I hear footsteps coming my way. I duck off to the side, hiding behind a big trashcan so whoever it is can’t see me. 

“Em, you can come out. I know you are there. I’ve been waiting for you forever.” 

“God Bobby you scared the crap out of me. Why are you waiting for me anyway? Why aren’t you hanging out with the boys?” I exclaim coming out of my hiding spot.  

As we head out the door together Bobby explains, “Well after what happened with your locker, I had to go take a shower in the locker room. Then I went to see Mr. Scott. He told me something that might change things for you. Did you know that he has videos and complaints about Sabrina bullying you?” 

“Yes, I know. But I can’t help him. If I complain about her, Brock would be so mad. And everyone would hate me.”  

“No Em, listen. If you file an official complaint about her. And tell everything that she has done to you, Mr. Scott will be able to expel her. You are the missing piece. He can't expel her without your complaint.” 

Stopping short I gasp, “Oh god, no. I could never do that. Everyone would really hate me then. Don’t you see it? She is the captain of almost every sport she plays. She is in the chorus, and all the plays. Most of the time she has the solos and the leads. God everyone would blame me if she got expelled.” 

Dragging me on, Bobby asks, “Do you know that other people have filed complaints for you? They hate the way she treats you.” 

“Who? Who has filed complaints? Probably teachers and staff that don’t like her snooty attitude. I mean come on Bobby; no students are going to complain about the queen of the school.” 

“I have filed complaints about her, and so has Thomas. I am pretty sure some of the kids in your grade have filed complaints to.” 

“What, why would you do that? Why would Thomas? He never says anything to her when we are at the house. He just lets her treat me like a servant in my own house. He never says anything to Brock either. He is the oldest but he lets Brock rule the house.” 

“Tom does handle Brock, just in his own way. Have you ever noticed that Tom beats Brock at almost everything they play? Half the time Tom would rather not compete with Brock, but he does it to let Brock know who is the boss. It might not be the way you want it to happen but he does stand up for you. He would never let Sabrina or Brock touch you in his presence. But he figures you need to learn to stand up for yourself. AND YOU DO!” 

As we continue to walk toward my house, I try to remember a time when Brock or Sabrina did anything to me while Thomas was around or even in the house, and I can’t think of one. Well maybe Bobby is right about that but he still lets them treat me like dirt.  

“So, what are you going to do this summer? Hide out in your closet? Or are you going to ride your bike to the stream and swim there?” Laughing he adds, “Cause I know you won’t go to the pool, like everyone else.” 

“Not funny Bobby, not funny at all” I say mock punching him in the arm. “You know I can’t go to the pool. Everyone would be staring at me and laughing. I mean come on I do not look good in a bathing suit.” 

“Em, you are beautiful, you just need to believe it. And stop letting people bring you down.” 

“Ok Bobby now I know you are smoking something or else you are blind.” 

Turning his head, he says, “Whatever, I gotta go.” We are almost to my house. He turns around and starts walking back toward the school.  

“Aren’t you coming in? Sounds like everyone is already here.” 

Bobby doesn’t respond, he just keeps walking away. “Bobby” I yell. He just keeps walking. Guess he doesn’t want anyone to know that he walked me home. Can’t blame him. I’m sure Sabrina told Brock that I go her in trouble at school this afternoon. She probably told him I put the powder in my own locker and blamed her for it. 

As I open the side door, I hear a big crash. What is the world? Thomas has Brock in a head lock, slinging him around. Sabrina is standing on the couch screaming for Thomas to let go. The chair is on its side and the coffee table is broken in half.  

“Stop it,” I scream. “Thomas let him go” 

“You b***h, this is all your fault.” 

“Wait, what? How is it my fault, I just walked through the door?” 

“Thomas please stop. Let him go. What is going on?” 

Thomas finally looks at me. “Did you know that this asshole is the one that planned the baby powder in your locker? He has been letting his little tramp over there do all this mean stuff to you so he can get laid? I heard her talking to her friends earlier today. She was bragging about how he lets her do anything she wants to you as long as he gets his d**k wet.” 

“Is that true Brock? DO YOU LET HER TORMENT ME FOR s*x?” I scream at him. 

“Yeah so what? You are a loser Emma. If you would take care of yourself maybe people wouldn’t treat you like crap,” he gasps still being held by Thomas. 

“You make me sick. I hate you.” I run up to my room and lock the door. Tears are running down my face. I can’t believe my own brother would do that to me.