Chapter 7: The Cleaners Label

“Been looking everywhere for you.” Lily’s soft voice broke Stacey from her thoughts as she dragged the mop across the school hallway. Her arms ached, her face still puffy from crying. After sobbing her eyes out in the toilet, she had forced herself to step out and report to the disciplinary office. Her first community service was cleaning the hallway.

“Yeah, perks of being a new student,” Stacey muttered, her voice flat, and shoulders slumped.

“What really happened?” Lily asked, concern knitting her brows.

“Facing the consequences of running out of school after a humiliating fall.”

Lily’s mouth formed an “O,” surprise flickering across her round face. She walked a little further, bent down to pick up a broom, then returned and began sweeping. The scraping sound made Stacey turn and when she saw Lily with the broom, panic rushed through her chest. She hurried forward and snatched it out of her hands.

“What are you doing?” Stacey asked, eyes wide.

“Sweeping. To help out,” Lily said with a small shrug.

“No, Lily. Don’t.”

“Why? Stacey, let me help you. You can’t do all this by yourself.”

“No, Lily, please go home. Look, I don’t want to get into more trouble in this school.”

Lily chuckled softly. “You won’t. I promise.”

“No, Lily. Don’t.” Stacey’s grip on the broom tightened, her knuckles pale.

Just then, the sound of water splashing hit the floor. Both girls spun around only to see that Monica’s minion had dumped a bucket of watercolor across the freshly cleaned tiles, while Monica stood at the center of the mess with a smirk so wide it felt like claws dragging across Stacey’s skin.

“What the freaking hell…” Stacey groaned, her voice shaking with anger. Her hands trembled on the broom.

Lily quickly grabbed her wrists. “Stacey, don’t let her get to you. She’s just looking for your attention.” Her voice was firm but hushed, like she was trying to keep Stacey from snapping.

“You’re really doing a good job,” Monica mocked, clapping her hands. “I just wanted to add more for you. But the sad part is you won’t be getting paid. Such a pity.”

Her girls giggled behind her, like programmed shadows.

Monica tilted her head, pretending to think. Then she gasped dramatically. “Don’t add more for the cleaner,” she said, laughter dripping from her tongue. “Cleaner. It really suits you well. Don’t you think you should have applied for that instead of being a student?”

Her laughter ripped through the hallway, sparking a wave of chuckles from the students who had stopped to watch. Stacey’s whole body burned hot, her cheeks, ears, and chest. She could feel the humiliation digging deep under her skin like nails.

Lily’s hands tightened more around hers, grounding her. “Stacey, calm down. Okay?”

Monica grabbed Stacey’s mop, swirled it through the paint mixture, spread it across the tiles, then dropped it back into the bucket. She smirked one last time before strutting off with her minions.

Stacey yanked her hands free from Lily, anger flashing in her eyes. “She gets to walk away and I face the burn.”

“Stacey, I’m sorry. Some things are just the way they are.”

“Well, no, Lily, it shouldn’t.”

“She’s just trying to get under your skin.”

“Well, next time she might really do that, because I won’t be calm.”

“Stacey, you’re new. You just have to, or—”

“I’ll be suspended? Expelled? Lily, I don’t care. I’m used to changing schools.” Stacey’s chest rose and fell fast, her breathing sharp and ragged.

Lily fell quiet, her lips pressed tight. They stared at each other for a long, tense moment before Stacey dropped the broom with a clatter and went back to mopping. She stared at the streaks of red paint mixing with water, anger boiling over. With a harsh kick, she sent the bucket trembling, water nearly spilling. Hissing, she bent and picked the bucket.

Lily shook her head, bent down, and picked up the broom again. She started sweeping silently.

When Stacey turned and saw Lily sweeping, her rage snapped. She spun, bucket still in hand, eyes blazing. “I said don’t help me!” she screamed, her voice echoing off the walls.

Lily jumped at the outburst, her eyes wide. “Stacey, it’s fine. Nothing will happen.”

“No! I don’t understand your school dynamics, so no, Lily. Thank you.” Stacey’s voice cracked with exhaustion.

Seeing the wall she couldn’t break, Lily sighed and set the broom down gently. She stepped closer until she was standing in front of Stacey.

“If I don’t help you today, I’ll help you tomorrow. So be ready.”

Stacey scoffed, turning her face away, but her lips twitched despite herself.

“And Stace… I’m not letting you go. Because for the first time, I might actually be having a best friend. So you’re not going anywhere.”

A smile trembled on Stacey’s lips. Her throat tightened at the warmth of Lily’s words. “Is Stace like a nickname now?” She asked.

“Yes.” Lily grinned.

“I like it.”

Stacey dropped the bucket and pulled Lily into a hug. Her arms tightened around her like she was clinging to the first lifeline she’d had in Blue Ville. “Thank you, Lily. But I’m fine, okay?”

Lily hugged her back, nodding into her shoulder. “See you tomorrow,” she whispered.

When they broke apart, Stacey picked up the bucket and headed for the toilet while Lily turned for the exit. The moment Stacey reached the sink, she scrubbed the mop clean, emptied the dirty water, and refilled the bucket. Her chest ached as the echo of laughter replayed in her head.

By the time she stepped back into the hall, her anger had dulled into a heavy ache. Then she looked up and saw him.

Derrick.

Sweat clung to his forehead, his basketball jersey sticking to his skin. A ball spun lazily in his palm as a group of boys also in jerseys trailed behind him. His grin widened the second he spotted her, and he quickened his pace.

“Hey, Staceyyy…” he drawled, her name stretching like a joke between them.

“Hi,” Stacey replied dryly, eyes flicking away. She walked past him.

Derrick stopped, confusion flickering across his face. Then he turned, jogging a few steps to catch her. “Stacey, what—”

“Look, Derrick. Can you leave me alone? I don’t want your dragon lady chasing me.” Stacey’s voice cut him off, sharp and cold.

“Stacey, what are you talking about? No one’s in school except us.” His eyes widened.

“The more reason you should leave. She might be hiding somewhere.”

“Stace—” Derrick started, his hand lifting toward her.

“Go. Leave me. Don’t you get it?” Stacey spat, anger trembling in her voice. It was too loud, too raw.

The boys behind Derrick froze, their eyes widened. Then one snorted. “Bro, she doesn’t want to talk. Don’t know what you see in a skinny pole, actually.”

The others laughed.

Stacey’s face burned red. The sting hit harder than she expected, shame clawing at her chest. She turned her face away, whispering in a broken voice, “Go away.”

Derrick stared at her for a long second, his jaw tight. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away. She watched his back retreat with his friends until he was gone.

Only then did a single tear slide down her cheek.