Was She Crazy?

      “Now that we have the basics covered, I suggest from tomorrow prepare yourselves to work more closely with your team mate. Later on in the day, the school will organize a more appropriate setting for each group, meaning you will now spend the remaining of the duration time leading up to the internship selection, seated alongside your partner.” Miss Archer continued to inform the class.

       Although many grumbled in dissatisfaction, in the end they simply had no other choice if they were to cease the opportunity. Jake sulked bitterly at the thought of being stuck with some ugly nobody and a rubber stamp… thinking that Jeremy was just a waste, he had everything… fame and riches but was too boring and cold, a party pooper.

    He just didn’t get what these girls saw in him. Sure, he was Quarterback of the football team, but what about him? He was the left tackle player in charge of protecting his ass, so what give him the right to act so tough and demanding? Besides his parents were just as successful as any of the others, so why was it that he could not just as easily infatuate a crowd with twice the effort?

    Here was yet another jealous observer…

    Soon the class ended with most of the first period being focused on preparing for the following day’s arrangements. Before leaving they were once again reminded of joining an after-school activity to add to their curriculum for those who were not yet apart of such a group.

      Erika felt an instant headache, ‘out of the pot and into the frying pan’ from one troubling situation to another miserable state… no matter which peer group she chose to be involved in, it would require her to be active…. Socialize and be seen, years of avoidance was finally crumbling in a single day.

      From one homeroom after another, news of the fake Stevens had rapidly spread. So, from Math class all the way to literacy and History, she was faced with an array of creative insults. Of course, Britney couldn’t let this pass by, hence she anonymously printed a few fliers and got her little minions from the cheer squad to sneak out ahead of time and scatter them across the open halls making it rise into the air as hurried footsteps rushed through the doors precisely when the dismissal bell rang.

      As fate had it, Erika was the last person to slowly make her way out of class, right on time to be greeted by loud shouts of mockery and laughter. Dozens of comical memes floated along the crowded path. With unbridled tongue, sarcastic remarks much similar to those from earlier on filled the air with great excitement.

      “what is going on here? Someone better explain!” A thunderous yell suddenly broke the lively atmosphere, as principal McAbee walked step by step through the once noisy halls covered in a thin layer of noticeable graphic memes portraying an ugly nerd of some sort dressed rather differently, which was to say… unlike a usual geek and more of an attention grabbing computerized eye-feast, obviously trying to capture the heart of the school’s entire football team. To top it off with further emphasis, bold letters made it clear… “FAKE NOBODY WANTS POPULARITY!”

       She was being degraded on such a scanty level…

      However, much to everyone’s surprise the supposed victim broke the now silent air with a worry-free cheerful chuckle as if she had no clue who was being targeted.

     “Stevens! In my office.” Since she happens to be the only one responsive to the ordeal, Erika was quickly called forth.

       The scheming culprits smiled brightly from ear to ear, their plans not only succeeded in bring shame upon the freak, but they thought it had also landed her in trouble. If she hadn’t made herself  known by giggling like an idiot, perhaps no one would have been held responsible, since the fliers didn’t state a name in particular as to who it was meant to discredit and because of the entire senior class involvement in making fun of her, it couldn’t be proven who was directly at fault.

    Frowning lightly, Jeremy shook his head helplessly… ‘what a little fool.’ He really didn’t understand this girl, after being picked on for most of the day she still had the courage to act silly and laugh in the face of bullies. All of this could quickly be resolved if she just proved her name, let her father come down to the school or something. Instead of encouraging their ridiculous attempt to criticize her.

     “Dude isn’t that the nerd that stole you from Barbie this morning?” Marcus whispered in his friend’s ears as they both looked on at the departing figure following sheepishly behind the principal.

      “Don’t blow your lousy breath in my face and her name is not Barbie!” Jeremy replied in annoyance.

      “You say Britney, I say Barbie, what’s the difference? Anyways that’s not the point… “

       “Shut up Marcus!” He really didn’t want to listen to crazy logics, right now his main concern was finding out more about that silly girl that somehow made his heart race with a mere touch.

        Behind of the closed office doors, Erika sat with lowered head fidgeting with her slender fingers, lost in thoughts. 

         Sighing loudly at her awkward appearance, principal McAbee really didn’t know what to say to such a stubborn child. After a prolong moment of silence Erika finally pleaded, “please don’t call my dad.”

       “Several of your class teachers informed me earlier that you were mocked and slandered for being a fake daughter of Richard Stevens, are these two matters connected?” Though is was quite obvious, he still chose to ask.

       “Since you can see clearly, what more is there is know?”

      “Why don’t you let your father come and settle the issue once and for all?”

       Every time there was the need for an adult to intervene this girl would always try her best come up with a shortcut to escape, was she nuts? It wasn’t like her parents were criminals or scums, they were the complete opposite. When she won an award as a junior a few years ago for her flawless attendance, she begged the confused principal to cancel her win and give it to someone else, from then on, she made sure to skip a day every term so as not to be selected. This crazy teen had the potential to thrive beyond her current score, but in order to remain unnoticed she would often do such an insane thing.

       “Sir, no matter what I do, my life isn’t going to be easy… so it’s best for me to do things in a way that will keep my dignity and what can make me feel at ease with myself, besides why should I try to prove my worth to those who won’t know the value?”

      Stunned, even the highly educated old man really didn’t know how to argue with her views. In the end he could only continue to stare at her with complexed emotions, sighing over and over before he finally gave up and promised to ignore the matter until she was ready to let the truth be told. But with conditions attached to his compromise.

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