COMING BACK TO SCHOOL

CHAPTER THREE

Kieran Castles is the king of Royal crest academy. He was equally powerful as I was. If not more.

He was really attractive in a dark and scruffy way that screamed danger. If I were asked to describe him in a few words, dark and mysterious was all that would come to mind. Oh and his eyes were the darkest shade I’ve ever seen. We stayed out of each other’s ways and co-existed in peace.

We actually grew up together but we could never see eye to eye. He was mean to me, so I hated him growing up, but could never stand up to him. He would pull my hair, push me down the swing and, one time, he even cut the heads off all my dolls, which was very creepy, and it still makes me think of him as a sick psychopath till this date. I could never get rid of him though, because he was my neighbor and our parents were always hanging out. We also had the same babysitter growing up. I never knew why he hated me so much. One day, he apologized to me in middle school and stopped being mean to me. We also stopped hanging out even if our parents did. When his family was at our house visiting, we’d go to my room and he’d read a book or text his friends whilst I did my homework or took a nap. I was an only child so I was lonely. If we went over to theirs, I’d also text my friends or take pictures for Instagram and make tiktok videos because his room had cool stuff. I never checked to see what he was doing but it was probably reading. That was when we were younger and I’d started getting popular on social media. But since we got to high school and were old enough to stay by ourselves whilst our parents hang out, we did exactly that.

We weren’t really on bad terms since I stopped holding a grudge, he had apologized after all.

So yes I was definitely shocked when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere yesterday and stood up for the new girl, humiliating me in the process. Was she someone he cared about or was he just going back to his picking on me phase ?

If someone had told me a few days ago that I would be sitting in the school parking lot the day after reopening, dreading to go inside, I’d have laughed at that weirdo’s face. But here I was, going to school very early to escape the hallway comments. I was a minute away from having an anxiety attack. My hands are all sweaty and my breath is coming out unevenly.

Yesterday, everyone had been talking and there was so much chaos. I’d been so shocked sitting down on my ass and watching Kieran walking away with a sobbing Tatum . Was she crying? After seeing me get what I totally deserved? She had to have a few wires loose. I should be the one crying whilst she celebrated. People had gathered around me, laughing and taking videos till Chloe grabbed my arm and yanked me up from my the messy floor, dragging me to the washroom to clean up. I’d changed to my cheer uniform but the whispers and mocking comments had gotten to me. I’d left school early and gone home planning to come back with enough strength to face everyone and reinstall myself as queen and untouchable.

But here I was. I take deep breaths and switch on my phone. I’d turned it off yesterday because my team members kept calling me and I wasn’t in the mood to talk to any of them. There are so many notifications. There are calls from my team mates and Chloe. She’d even come to my place after school but I didn’t open the door and pretended to be asleep. A couple of texts are from her.

“Pick up my calls girl.”

“Don’t be too sad. I know where that little bitch stays. Let’s go get her. She needs to face her own battles instead of playing damsel in distress.”

“Ps; I’ll kill Kieran for you. I swear it. Why would he interfere in our business? Arghh. ”

“I’m bringing vanilla ice cream from quakes. I had them add all your favorite toppings. Don’t be sad over it. She doesn’t deserve to make you feel that way.”

Quakes is a near by ice cream parlor. That should ring a bell but it doesn’t.

“I want to kill her but, word is Castles took her home already. Can you believe it? She must be fucking him. What a slut. Spreading it wide for her knight in shining armor. I just know people are going to hate her. They are both dead.”

My phone starts ringing and it’s Chloe. I smile and finally calmed down. I guess bad mouthing and trash talking helps to comfort me. God, I’m sick. I laugh and my breath becomes even. I picked up her call and began walking into the school building.

“OMG liya!! Are you okay? Where are you? ”

“I’m fine. I’m about to go inside our first classroom.”

“Just stay where you are. I’ll come and get you.”

“No- don’t worry, it's fine. I can do this. It’s nothing to put me down. I’m Aaliyah Waters, not some push over or coward.” I end the call and go inside with my head held high. The class is already full. Unexpectedly. That would not waver me though. I walk to my usual seat in front of the class. A sharpie has been used to draw on my desk. It says

“ Go fuck yourself, beans bitch”

“Die already”

“You’re not all that.”

I stand frozen and lift my head high, but that’s another mistake because there are more hate notes on the board.

“Your Instagram is so cringe and filtered”

“Everyone knows you bought your followers”

“Its either your page is satire or you’re really stupid and dumb.”

“Serves you right whore.”

“The queen has fallen.”

I applaud loudly and break into giggles as my classmates look at me like I’ve gone mad, and maybe I actually have.

“You’re just a bunch of cowards, you know. If you can’t say it to my face, then you’re talking about your mummy and daddy, not me.”

The girl seated next to me gets up abruptly, glaring up at me. I remember she had try out for the cheer team in freshman year with me. She wasn’t good enough to make the team, but she kept trying every year. She still hasn’t made the cut.

“Waters. You’re really going too far! Do you have to insult our parents and even all of us just because someone wrote that on your desk?” She says with her hands fisted.

“Why are you so bothered? Did you do it? Or maybe you don’t have the balls to admit it.” I walked up to her, daring her to admit it so I could drag her ass as an example to others. To remind them that I still owned the place and they are still beneath me. I was glad she stood up. I needed an escape goat. I couldn’t handle everyone.

Her courage doesn’t waver though as she walks up and stands right in front of me. She’s braver than I gave her credit for.

“I didn’t do it.”

“That’s too damn bad. I was beginning to think you did.”

I grabbed my desk and shoved it into her so she stumbled and people began laughing as she crashed into someone else and landed flat on her ass. It gave me déjà vu of when I was in that same position, but I shut down that feeling and continued my task, marching to her desk. With a sweep of my hand, her stuff rolled off her table falling onto the floor noisily. The others look and sit up in shock as her macbook crashes onto the floor along with her books and other study materials.

“You won’t mind me borrowing yours. Would you?” I asked sweetly before putting her table in my spot and sitting in my seat smugly.

I won this little battle.

Giggles and coughs start to spill out as others try to hide their laughter. I realized a second too late that it was at my expense. I felt something cold and wet slowly hardening beneath me. I’ve played this prank on others too much to not recognize what was happening.

I’ve been glued to my sit.