Sora held out her hand to the Korean with a grin.
“If you want lunch, I’ve got a place I already picked out this morning.
Want to join me?” “Haaa…” Jin took it and leaned to the side to glare at Eyia’s radiant expression.
“Okay, fine—she isn’t your typical fox.
Thanks, Sora.” Eyia giggled as she shifted to shake her hand, too.
The girl fumbled a bit with the action, following Jin’s mumbled prompts.
“I—told Jin—good be you, and helpful!” Sora couldn’t help but stare at her shabby appearance, turning to give Jin a raised eyebrow.
“Did you dress her like a homeless woman to try and make me feel bad?
There’s no way I’m going to go to a nice restaurant with her wearing that.” “Tch, no,” Jin huffed, crossing her arms, and Sora caught a few students chuckling at the comment, returning to their conversations or phones as tension settled down.
“We ran into some pushy women that gave them to her; the girl can’t flippin’ turn a gift down!
It’s annoying.” Sora giggled at the duality the strong, tall girl seemed to show.
“But that’s good!” Feeling much better, she turned to Eyia and gave her a thumbs-up, speaking a bit slower so she could hopefully follow her words.
“We will do some quick shopping before lunch.” “Sho… shopping?” she carefully mimicked, lips parting in a questioning glance at the Korean.
“Think it through,” Jin grumbled, leaning against her desk and resting her head against the back of her hand.
“What did we do yesterday with food?” “Oh!
Food—barter f-for drinks?” Jin’s eyes closed, breathing in deeply before easing the air out and clarifying in the musical language.
“Wow,” Eyia whispered, sounding utterly impressed as she studied Sora.
“Sora barter—c-clothing… attire… panties—” “The first one works, bud,” Jin said, rolling her eyes.
“No need to embarrass yourself further.” Sora couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s innocent, genuine shine.
“Spectubiliar!” “Quit trying to use words I haven’t taught you,” Jin groaned, her black locks draped over the desk as she hung her head.
She was obviously fed up with the large, Norwegian girl as she continued, “And then brag about how fast you learn.
Sora, when is this lunch?” Laughter bubbled up Sora’s chest at the two; they clearly had their own little dynamic.
“Umm… We’ll probably go out at 12 p.m.
or so.” “Huh.
Sooner than I thought.” They fell silent as Mr.
Handburg returned with a flat-screen TV and a short documentary on World War II, and the following lesson and discussion more than piqued Eyia’s fervent interest as she attempted to listen.
Jin had to tell her to keep her voice down as they whispered back and forth.
The bell rang for the second block, prompting everyone to rise and stretch after sitting for so long.
Jin began to speak as Sora pulled her purse over her shoulder, catching her attention.
“Eh… I’m not feeling this school stuff.
Where do you want to meet for lunch—that good?” she added at Eyia’s small frown and huff.
Turning to the windows, Sora hummed.
“Eh… how about the south parking lot sidewalk—I have someone I need to talk to before I go, so… whoever gets there first will wait at the end?” Nodding, Jin gestured to Eyia.
“Cool.
See you there around twelve.” Eyia towered over her, making Sora scoot into her desk a little; she’d forgotten just how tall the Norwegian girl was, and in the first coherent sentence she’d heard from her, she said, “You smell nice today.” A bit taken aback by the random comment, Sora mumbled her thanks as they left, Jin streaming out a long breath of air.
I smell nice today?
Okay, not strange that my nose has been on the fritz since I woke up.
She shook her head.
Wait, she said that pretty clearly… Did she practice that phrase?
Maybe Jin taught it to her… too weird—life is weird.
Getting up, she made her way through the halls to her next class, pausing as a conversation caught her unusually sharp ears.
“Did you hear?” “About Jenny not showing up today?
Yeah.
It’s not like her—wasn’t she supposed to stay with Hannah?” Leaning against some lockers, Sora listened to a few of Kari’s gang members whisper among themselves.
She could smell the same putrid scent from them that Kris had, and now that she thought about it, Lori’s was a bit similar as well.
“Kari’s looking for her—something about Devin and Lori.” “Do you think Lori’s with Devin?” “Wait, isn’t that, like, a leader in that one pack Kari—” “Shhh!
What are you three talking about—shut it!
If Kari’s nearby, she’ll get pissed if she hears you say anything like that.” “My bad—it’s just… Did you hear what she did to the wall?” “Like I said—keep his name out of your mouth.
Shit.
It’s not hard.” The girl seemed to hesitate and let the conversation die as Jessica interrupted them, briskly breaking up the group.
“Stay in your lane, and don’t be stupid.” Sora frowned while staring at the ground, keeping herself obscured behind other students.
Devin is a leader in some kind of gang… A pack?
No… A lump dropped down Sora’s throat while piecing the links together.
Smell like dirty dogs, and they call each other a pack—why didn’t I think about it with all the things they’ve said in the past… Are Kari and her girls werewolves?
It would explain the hole in the wall and mutilated desk, but… Am I in some kind of fantasy novel or something?!
This is nuts!
Okay, but what if it’s not?
She internally reasoned, looking back at all the signs of Kari’s gang being top-of-the-top sports athletes in the state.
Is Kari in some kind of internal feud with her brother’s pack?
An alpha thing?
“Wow… I really am crazy,” she snickered.
“Sora!” “Yo!
Ya brought your purse today, huh?” Her internal debate came to a screeching halt with a groan as her thoughts were interrupted by two unsettling high-pitched voices.
Perfect.
Mouth bunching to the side as she looked back, Sora discovered Sarah and Brianna approaching—the hairstyle crew—more than likely wanting her to get them a premium session at the salon for picture day this week.
Sarah’s bleach-blonde hair tilted to the side as she initiated.
“Sora, hehe, ya missed a bullet today, girl.
I heard from Hannah that Lori was gonna have something special planned for you—wait… Yo, what’s up with your hair?” “A wig?” Brianna muttered, closing in on her left as Sarah did her right, boxing her against the lockers.
“Damn.
It must have cost a fortune to look that good.
Nice!” Sora’s left eyebrow narrowed while sampling the air; she couldn’t smell anything special about them like Jessica or the others—well, other than strong perfume—and the lack of intrigue made her slightly irritated.
“Sarah,” she sighed, sweeping her long, copper locks back while glaring at the Hispanic girl, “still shaking down middle schoolers for pocket change?” A bit shocked that she’d led with the pointed jab, Sarah looked at her friend to back her up—it was pathetic, really.
Brianna snorted, moving in closer to intimidate her.
“Humph, why would she need to do that when we have a little rich girl like you?” “Okay.
I’m gonna stop you there!” Both girls blinked as Sora firmly moved the African American girl back by the shoulder.
“This little thing we do—yeah, we’re not gonna do that anymore.” Sarah crossed her arms, shooting a forced smile at her friend before returning to Sora.
“Eh… what?
When… did you get this bold?
Do you really want to…” Sora’s hesitation evaporated as a heavy cloud of annoyance filled her mind, all fear and doubt vanishing as she turned to Brianna to interrupt the girl.
“Haaa.
You know what’s funny?” “Huh?” “What’s funny, Brianna, Sarah, is that maybe if you saved your money instead of buying Cartier perfume to try and compete with Lori, you could afford lunch or go to the salon every once in a while.” “Excuse me!” Sarah demanded.
“Does the little rich girl have something to say to us?” Sora’s demeanor didn’t waver as she tilted her head and vision to the Latino girl, making her step back and swallow a lump in her throat.
“You’re excused since, heh, I realized you’re all nothing but tramps.
Oh, I know!
Look at it this way: without me, you’re nothing, Sarah—you have nothing, and heh, why is that, hmm?
“It’s because your daddy,” she said to Sarah, “and your mommy,” she said to Brianna, “decided they didn’t want you.
Sad, pathetic, single-household pitiful bullies.
So, now your poor ‘parent’ must work extra hard to provide for your harrier tails… Oh, I’m sorry, you probably don’t know what that means,” she laughed, feeling more free than she had for ages.
The sound of the bustling hallway came into focus, with Brianna and Sarah unable to process her biting words as a small audience drew around them, but they couldn’t remain silent for long, and Sarah stammered.
“W-What did you say you—eh…” Sora pushed between them, making Brianna stumble back a little to come mere centimeters from Sarah’s face, cutting her off and making her skin pale.
“You heard me, tramps.
Now,” shifting to Brianna, Sora asked, “do you want to start something, or are you heading to class?” She raised her watch, and the time flashed as the display brightened.
“Because second block is going to start soon… Oh, that’s right, you failed math last year, Sarah, so maybe I’m being rude to the special needs—maybe you don’t know how to decipher numbers.” Sora brushed past them, met by the impressed looks of several students.
“See.
What would you two do without me?
Talk about pathetic losers.” Reaching the next hallway, Sora felt her legs almost give out, a thrill of endorphins flooding her pounding chest.
I didn’t just—I totally did!
Yes!
I can get used to this.
Pride at being that verbal hero in the face of her oppressive bullies filled her chest and quelled any sense of fear.
It was perfect!
I was perfect!
Smile beaming, she strolled toward her next class, wondering what other surprises she’d find with these stupid meds leaving her system.
I totally need to talk to Mary about all this, but like… Yes!
It’s like, finally!
Get out of my face and leave me alone, people!
Heh.
What else am I supposed to do… Should I talk it out and sip tea while saying bullying is terrible?
No!
Screw that!
I don’t need Mary to tell me what I did was right.
I need my bullies to leave me alone, and if I can give them a little taste of hell while I’m at it, all the better!