Page 6 of Girl Like Me

The entire class, including the teacher, snap their heads in my direction and look at me as if I’ve grown a second head. When I look for a seat, I see a few people avert eye contact with me. I see a girl in the front row that reminds me of Maximus, brown curls, big black rimmed glasses and huge eyes. She looks away when she notices me looking at her. Not one to be deterred, I walk towards her and take the spare seat to her left.

“J...Bristol.” I say offering her a small smile.

“Yo Bris, I think you’re lost.” I look back over my shoulder and a guy waves at me. I didn’t meet him this morning, so I have no clue who he is.

“I’m good here next to...” I look at the girl for clarification.

“Chloe.” She whispers, barely audible to the rest of the class.

“Chloe.” I shout back to the guy.

“Seriously? You’re sitting with the mute?” I stand abruptly, my anger coming to the forefront.

“Shut your mouth, I will sit with whoever I damn well want to. Call her a mute again and I will stitch your lips to your boyfriend's dick.”

Half the class laughs, but I feel embarrassed by my outburst. The teacher shouts loud enough that the entire room falls to complete silence. I apologise again and retake my seat. As the teacher restarts his lesson, I find that math seems to come easily to me and I’m able to follow along with the class.

When class is dismissed, I pack away my iPad in the small side pocket of my bag.

“Was I really a bitch?” I ask Chloe while she packs away her stuff. Her eyes go wide, unbelieving that I would ask such a blunt question. “Be honest because I don’t remember shit.” She looks at me nervously weighing up her options. I can tell she doesn't trust me and I don’t blame her, especially with what I’ve learned about my reputation.

“Yes, you once tipped your iced coffee over my head because you walked in front of me and I was in your selfie.”

“Wow.” I shake my head in disbelief. “ I’m so sorry for that. I guess being beaten to a pulp has seemed to do me a world of good.” She smiles and takes off, not waiting around wanting to answer any other questions I might have. I can’t seem to fathom that I was the mean girl. The more I know about myself as Bristol the more I can’t wait until I get to be JD again.

My phone pings as I leave class, and so does pretty much everyone else's that’s in the same hallway as me. I open my phone and see a video of myself with a hashtagthe bitch is back. Five hundred likes in just a few short minutes and rising. Comments start pouring in, some are defending me, while others not. One in particular catches my eye.

MacDaddy01:JD, nice to see that mouth still at work

PrincessBristol:Mac, is that really you?

MacDaddy01:It sure is, my BFF ditched me without a word

KingSebastian:Since when do you have a male friend?

MacDaddy01:Since I’m irresistible : P

PrincessBristol:Still full of yourself.

My phone rings, some girly song that sounds like she’s strangling a cat, as my ringtone. A picture of Sebastian and I kissing fills the screen.

“Hello.”

“Bristol, who the hell is that guy?” Sebastian demands. The venom lacing his tone sends shivers down my spine.

“Hello to you too Sebastian.” I hold my phone between my face and my shoulder as I look at where Carter has marked my next class, English in the next hallway. I start walking as Sebastian rambles on about Mac, clearly he has opened his profile and seen his pictures.

“We met after I was in hospital. He is only a friend and doesn’t look stupid in spandex, he is training to be in the Olympics actually.” He keeps getting angrier at my defense of Mac, and I wish I could let Mercer at him or any of them.

“I have to go Sebastian, I’m at my next class, we can talk about this later.” I quickly end the call. My phone pings again as I start to put it away, this time I have a snap, I open it and it’s Mac.

JD, we need to talk through here. It’s not traceable in any way. The guys filled me in and I tracked you down.

I take a selfie, add a filter and type out a short message.

I didn’t think about that. How are my guys?

As I walk into my English class, everyone stops and stares at me. I ignore them and take an open seat. Clarissa sits down, in the desk next to me and I open a new snap from Mac with a close up of his face with just one word,hurting. My heart physically aches, I promised I wouldn’t do this to them but it’s the only way to keep them safe. I get one last picture of him with the captionthey won’t stay away for much longer. I put my phone away, a tear wells in my eye, but I wipe it away before Clarissa has the chance to ask any questions. I don’t know how much longer I can stay away from them either, every day, no, every second I’m away from them kills me. I have a month to remember who I am so I can testify that Rory didn’t kidnap me. I seem to only have flashbacks in my nightmares or in situations I’m uncomfortable with. It’s time foroperation reckless behaviour. I need to get myself into something that gives me anxiety. Clarissa may just be the key to that.

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