It happened last year. No one saw it coming, it hit our town like a meteor, something foreign, something both frightening and enticing. This scandal made everyone shake their heads, but they loved it, they love drama simply because they hardly get a taste of it. Sadly, their entertainment came with a cost, and I got shoved the bill. Really, the entire scandal was put into motion by me, but it wasn't my fault. They say I lied. That I made it up. They pinned me with a dire need of attention. Attention was the last thing I wanted, especially from someone like him.
Don't cause problems, my mother said to me, in this town, nothing stays a secret for long.
It's not a secret, I told her, I want people to know what he did to me. And I'm not causing problems, it's the truth!
I told my mother everything after the incident happened. She listened, and I thought she supported me—her nods were terribly convincing—but when I finished she told me to stop creating such stories. Attention, attention, attention, that's all she wants, they said, after it spread around the school. I told my best friend at the time, Daphne, and Daphne decided to take on the role of head-gossiper. She started the spread, like an STD during spring break, like in the movies. Everyone at school knew. Everyone at school thought I made it up, for guess what, attention.
She made it up because her Daddy ran away with that slut, some girls said in the locker room, just a week after school started.
The incident happened at a beginning of the school year party, thrown by the bastard himself. I attended with Daphne and our mutual friend Jana. Daphne was on the dance team and needed to soar this school year, as Junior year meant rising and senior year meant thriving. She needed to set herself up for greatness. Daphne, Jana, and I were nowhere near popular, but we weren't considered losers either, we were just there. I was okay with it, just being there. She needed more.
Once she made the dance team over the summer, Daphne knew she had a shot at actual popularity.
Jana, on the other hand, was like me, she was satisfied with her notch on the scale of social status. She was focused more on school than friends, then again, now, who knows what she's like.
To make this all clear, after the start of the year party and after the first semester of my Junior year, I left.
After my fake incident spread, everyone turned against me. How could they turn against their leader, Harrison Keller?
Harrison Keller was the host of the party a year ago, and my leading man in the production that is the scandal. Like I said before, I did not want attention from him, unlike everyone else. Everyone else happened to love him, he was the star of our small town football team, a golden boy, wealthy, and charismatic to all hell. Girls swooned, boys were jealous, blah, blah, blah.
I know what you all are wondering, what was this incident?
A sudden bell causes me to jump, my heart skipping an extra beat. I nearly hit my car horn. I scan the cluttered parking lot around me, filled with student cars, and the last few freshman rush past the main doors.
I wish I was a child, I wish I could fall to the floor and cry, I don't wanna!
Groaning, I grab my backpack and climb out of my car, shutting the door dramatically behind me. I swing the bag onto my back and grasp my phone tightly in my hand, ready with 911 already dialed, as if I'll need it, and I start my death march up to the doors.
As I said, I left after the first semester of my Junior year, here at Coldgrove High School. I spent winter break packing up my things, leaving my mother, and moving to Florida with my Dad. How could I stay at a school where everyone hated me? Hell, the entire town hated me. So, I left. I started my second semester at a High School in Florida and lived with my Father and his girlfriend, yes, the one he ran away with. My parents are divorced now, but they were together at the time.
My mother was devastated.
I didn't want to move in with him, but if I wanted to leave Coldgrove, he was my only option.
The main hallway of the building is empty, students are already shuffled into their classes, eager to discover who they'll be sat beside. It is nice to have the hallway to myself, as no one has noticed me, meaning I will not be pummeled with paper snowballs...yet.
Part of me wants to believe that they won't recognize me. I dyed my hair for it, and hopefully, I actually look rather different. How much can a person change in half a year?
I printed my schedule out last night, at home. I scramble for it in my backpack, unfold it, and look at the first slot, reminding myself. It reads, Economics, 1242, Freeman. Room 1242, I can barely remember where that'd be.
A year ago last week, at the party where it all happened, I had my first drink. It was a vodka sprite, and I didn't like the taste, it reminded me of the dentist.
Don't tell me you're a lightweight, Daphne laughed at me.
I shot back, I'm not.
We had just arrived and we were already drinking. As soon as we walked through the door Jana went off with some guy from her Spanish class, leaving me with Daphne. Daphne wanted to impress her new teammates, so drinking professionally was a task. All of the dance team was there, including the captain at the time, Clara. Daphne was obsessed with impressing Clara.
Daphne rolled her eyes at my baby-sips and left me all alone in the kitchen, abandoning me for Clara.
I stood in Harrison Keller's kitchen, alone, at a party full of upperclassmen, and I was scared shitless. My two best friends left me, and in the moment I hated them for it. It was then that he came in with a few football players, glanced at me, and asked me my name.
I wander the halls and count each room I pass until I reach 1242. There is a small, black plaque beside the door. The number 1242—numerals and in brail—with 'Freeman' underneath it. Mr. Freeman, I've heard about him. Eight months ago, the first semester of Junior year, the senior students would talk on and on about him, how hot he is for a teacher. It's funny how I remember only that. I would remember that.
I take a deep breath and hesitantly reach for the handle. I hear them talking inside, probably going around the room, sharing, playing ice-breakers. I want to turn around, run, head straight for the hills, but I know I can't.
I don't wanna!
I roll my eyes and hype myself up as if I am about to lift three hundred pounds.
Then I do it, I grip the handle a little too hard, push the door open and step in. Everyone stops talking, the room falls silent.
I know what they're all thinking: holy crap, Hailey Fonte is back.
I feel suffocated like all their harsh eyes are focusing in on my throat, mentally choking me. I swallow, step further in, let the door shut behind me. "Hello, I'm Hailey. I'm new," I say and turn to the teacher, they were right, he is good looking, but a little too short for my taste.Mr. Freeman's face is blank, surprised maybe, then he comes back to life. "Oh, o-of course. Take a seat, it's an open seating chart."I smile, painfully, and turn back to the crowd. They are staring or whispering to each other, it's one or the other. There is a seat right in front and I make my way over until a girl suddenly places her bag on the chair. I look at her and she glares.With a sigh, I find another seat in the middle of the classroom. I step over bags and move to sit down. Once I am sat, I pl
I remember it all so clearly. Harrison asked me my name.Hailey, I mumbled softly, not sure why he was talking to me. I knew who he was.Harrison, but I'm sure you already knew that since youareat my house, he said with a charming smile. All of the girls in my grade dreamt of that smile. He was a Junior like I was, but he was friends with many seniors because of football. He played on the varsity team, every game.I didn't know what to say back to him, I hardly ever talked to guys. The only time I was around popular ones like him was when Daphne wanted to go to Knocks.I felt his eyes watching me. You want something to drink? He asked, and nervously I said sure.
I lead Jana up to my room, though I'm sure she remembers where it is. It is the same as it was last year, white walls and carpeting, white furniture, and white bedding with delicate purple flowers on it."You haven't changed a thing," she murmurs and wanders inside, looking up my bookcase."No, I didn't feel like it," I tell her while sitting down on my bed."Sorry about what happened at Knocks, Harrison usually doesn't go there so I thought it would be okay."I shake my head. "Don't be sorry. How would you have known? Stuff just happens."The house is quiet, as my mother is at work. She has a job at the local police station, obviously enough she is a police officer. It is silly, act
"Do I have to wear a swimsuit?" I ask Jana as I sit on her bed, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom."Itisa pool party," she calls, "I mean kickback, a pool kickback."I grab one of her pillows and set it on my lap. Jana's room is colorful and cozy, and being in here makes me feel happy. She has plenty of pictures, school merchandise, decorations, things that truly make this room that of high school girls. The last time I saw it, she had a mirror hanging on her door where we used to write in lipstick, only because we thought it made us edgy. Now thinking about it, I laugh a little.Jana comes out in a white bikini, showing plenty. She looks amazing in it, incredibly confident. "Perfect," I call and she waves me off.
The night carries on and thekickbackmoves inside. Those who swam now have towels wrapped around them, and Trent Watts, the host, is now visible. I didn't recognize his name, but I remember him from just one glance. He was not popular, nor unpopular, sort of like me. I suppose he now has these pool parties going for him, it must have put him on the map.Music plays softly in the background as I curl up next to Taylor and Jana. Trent has the fireplace going, and I wonder where his parents are. We are in the living room, and soon enough Jordan comes in with Trent himself and Daniel. My posture lifts up a bid at the sight of him."What you up to?" Jordan asks Taylor and she shrugs, almost falling asleep against my arm."She's worn out," Jana murmurs and throws her head
I walk into the cafeteria with my backpack hanging from one shoulder, ready to fall off. I catch a glimpse of Jana, Taylor, Jordan, surprisingly Trent, and even Daniel sitting at the lunch table today. In my head, I thank God for it. I like to look at him, which seems stalkerish, but I can't help it. They are schoolgirl thoughts, it's a schoolgirl crush, and it will never happen."Hailey Fonte, you just won't give up, will you?"My eyes freeze at a spot on the floor, it is tiled, white with black speckles. I know that high voice all too well, and I know better than to flee. The cafeteria is silenced by her.Glancing up, slowly, I see her long platinum hair. Her hand is on her hip and her white t-shirt glows with the words: Coldgrove Dance Team.
As I lay on my bed, my phone rings. It's Jana. I answer and hold the device to my ear. "Hello?""Finally," she groans, "you should really answer my texts. Talking on the phone freaks me out.""It freaks you out?"She ignores me. "Something happened between Harrison and Daniel—""What," I interrupt her and swiftly sit up."Should have answered the texts, you would have known about this much sooner," she scolds me, but I could care less at the moment."Just tell me what happened."I hear her take a deep breath. "Jordan heard from Bradley that Daniel confronted Harrison in the l
The sixth-period bell rings, releasing us from the classroom. Everyone shuffles out, eager to move onto the last class of the day. Mrs. Hilliard, my English teacher, says her short goodbyes to the students passing her desk. They chime in my ear as I pack up my things."See you tomorrow.""Goodbye.""Don't forget to revise chapter twelve.""Quiz on chapter twelve is Friday."I sling my backpack over my shoulder and walk past her, but she stops me. "Hailey, you got a great score on your quiz last week, best out of all my classes." She places the perfect score in front of my eyes, sliding the graded quiz across her desk. "Do you have a strong interest in Lord of the Flies?"