Page 26 of Life Lessons

“ABBIE!” I hear my name being shouted and see a hand wafting in front of my face.

My cheeks blush and I smile shyly as I realise I’m daydreaming and have completely missed the conversation.

“Sorry, I am in a world of my own. What did you say?”

“I was asking about the final event. Do you feel more confident cycling or running? I know I saw you running this morning, but I didn’t know if that was just a bit of fun?” Harley asks, and before I even get a chance to reply, Trixie stops her own conversation with Jackson and cuts in.

“I didn’t know you went running this morning?” She eyes me suspiciously. She knows all too well that I am not a morning person. The only time I run in the morning is if I can’t sleep, and that tends to be earlier in the morning. Now that I think about it, I haven’t been having as much trouble sleeping lately, particularly when I’m not in my own bed.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. It was early,” I say, hoping that is a good enough excuse, but her eyes still narrow at me. Luckily, Harley gets the attention back on the job at hand.

“So, you can do the running then, that sound okay?’’ Harley says, and I nod. That is much better than cycling. “I think the ones we will need the most practice at are the trampoline and the bench press. The bench press will be easy, but you have to trust me enough to lift you. The three legged race and wheelbarrow are just about coordination. A couple of practices will be fine for that, I think,” he explains, almost like he is musing aloud rather than actually having a conversation with me.

“What exactly does the trampoline entail?” I ask, cautiously.

“So we each get a minute on the trampoline to pull off as many stunts or moves as we can. The most amazing moves win the most points. Our points are then tallied together to make our joint score. Don’t worry, I am great at this event. I can teach you enough basic moves to get us a good score,” Harley explains, not even to bother asking me if I can already do any moves. That instantly gets my back up and I feel myself getting irritated by his judgemental attitude. He clearly doesn’t think I have any athletic ability at all. I’m getting ready to shout at him when Harriett storms over to our small group.

I can hear her heels clicking loudly on the laminated flooring from a mile away, but it is her screech that alerts everyone to her presence. Fuck me, that girl just loves to be centre of attention.

“What the fuck is going on here?” she asks, looming over us whilst holding the iced latte she just purchased. She is staring solely at me, giving me the filthiest looks. As the saying goes, if looks could kill I would be dead a thousand times over.

I know she is trying to intimidate me, but all she does is irritate the fuck out of me. She steps forward to loom over me, cocking her hip that exposes even more of her thigh in that ridiculously short skirt she is wearing. Not to mention the amount of skin she is showing in her stupidly tight crop top. Not that I am shaming her, because if that is what gives her confidence then more power to her, but she doesn’t need it. She doesn’t need to dress revealingly to get attention. Her shrill voice is doing that all on its own.

“Why don’t you slither the fuck away like the snake you are, Harriett. Harley and Jackson are paired with us. They made the decision, not us. Now fuck off, we are trying to talk,” spits Trixie. The little firecracker actually stands up to get into Harriett’s face. But Harriett is tall already at around five foot eight, and add in the four inch wedge saddle heels she has on, my little five foot Trixie in flat vans stands no chance against her. But that doesn’t mean she is scared to take her on. I know I need to de-escalate this, and quickly. Luckily, Jackson has a similar idea.

“Harriett, we talked about this. We can’t work with you, not after what you did. Besides, you are dating that college dude, so we are free to do whatever we want,” Jackson explains and I hear myself groan as I realise Harriett has misinterpreted his words.

“Please, tell me you aren’t fucking this whore? You have no idea where the fuck she has been or what she has caught,” Harriett sneers, looking straight at me with her piercing stare. I just roll my eyes, I’ve had worse things said to me and I can’t be assed engaging in her drama. Sadly, the rest of the group do not agree and Trixie, Jackson, and Harley all start shouting in my defence, which just further winds up Harriett.

“Enough. Harley, I demand you dump this piece of trash and partner with me again. I’m not saying we should get back together, or anything like that. We can talk about that another time. But we always partner in the medley. We have a title to defend,” Harriett whines, her voice almost becoming a plea. At first I thought it was probably because of her need to win, but given the way she is looking at Harley, I can’t help but think there is more to it. Maybe the ice queen really does have feelings for him?

“I’m sorry, Harriett, I’m not changing my mind. There will be a new champion partnership this year. I really do wish you luck with whoever you choose,” Harley says, in a much gentler tone than I thought he was capable of.

Watching the way Harriett interacts with Harley and Jackson, but also the way they interact with each other, is very intriguing. It’s very well known around the school that Harriett has a habit of jumping between the two boys, and some others in between. Yet the way they all look at each other, I can’t help but wonder if they would all be a lot happier if they were in a relationship together. If ménage relationships are becoming more popular in the books Trixie keeps getting me to read, then why can’t they live it in real life. Instead, all three of them look unhappy.

As soon as the words register with Harriett, her expression of longing and sadness aimed at the boys, soon turns a lot more sinister. Now she is looking at me with the same evil gaze from earlier.

“You fucking bitch. You can partner with Harley for now, but let me tell you something. You even think about touching him, or Jackson, and I will kill you,” she spits, leaning over me in her best attempt at intimidation. That is the final straw, there is only so much leeway I can give her before I snap, and I’m losing patience. Plus, I’m not going to deny I’m a little hangry.

Standing up quickly, I waste no time getting in Harriett’s face the way Trix had done earlier. Only it’s clear on my face that I’m not someone to mess with. What Harriett doesn’t know about me is that I was the Queen Bee at my old school. I have this intimidation technique down to a fine art, and despite feeling the revulsion in my stomach at the return of my old self, I quickly push that away. Standing up to her, finally.

“Get the fuck out of my face. I am sick of your mouthy, pathetic behaviour. Don’t threaten me if you don’t have the balls to go through with it. If I say to you that I will make your life a living hell, you better know I fully plan to go through with it. This is your only warning. My patience with you is wearing thin. So, leave me the fuck alone, or else…” I snarl, low and sinister. I can see her physically shiver and take an involuntary step back. She needs to fear me, that way, hopefully, she will leave me alone. It’s irrelevant that I don’t actually plan on acting on my threat. She doesn’t know that.

The groan I hear from her lips echoes around the cafeteria, drawing more eyes to our stand off. Despite her fear being very obvious, Harriett refuses to back down, and there’s a very minute part of me that is impressed by her balls. That is soon erased by her childish response.

It happens almost like it is in slow motion, yet there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I see the anger flash across her face, and the lightbulb moment when she realises she might have a good idea. Her eyes flick down to her hand that holds the iced coffee, the same hand that is now pulling back and getting ready to throw the contents all over me. I recognise it’s going to happen just as the cold liquid hits me in the centre of my chest, spreading over my tight white t-shirt, splashing up over my face. My entire top half is covered in the freezing cold drink and Harriett looks ecstatic. Everyone else appears to have taken a big step back, out of the splash zone. Her scream as she throws the liquid gains plenty of attention from everyone in the cafe side of the cafeteria, and no doubt a few that have arrived for their evening meal.

“Don’t you dare threaten me. You forget, I work in the school office. I know your secret, and I’m going to find out all the others, too. Every little skeleton you have hiding, I’m going to dig them up and show them to the entire school. You have messed with the wrong girl,” she shouts aloud for everyone to hear. This is all about putting on a show. I know what she’s doing. Hell, I wrote the damn book on it. But at the mere mention that she could know my secret, I freeze. I just can’t think straight. I can hear my heart beating in my ears, and my whole body turns colder, than it already was, covered in the icy beverage.

She can’t know. Can she? She works in the office, and has access to files she shouldn’t look at. But I am registered under a different name. I have hidden my past as much as I can. My dad actually used his money for good, just this once. Oh fuck, my mum was here. What if she saw my mum, heard her name. I have no idea if she really does know, but the idea that she could, it’s drowning me. Just when I’m starting to get my shit together. I feel that familiar darkness pulling me in. I want to reply, but I stand there frozen. Luckily, Trix still has my back.

“Fuck off, before I report you to Mr Thornton for abusing your position. Abbie doesn’t have any secrets, and even if she did, there’s no way that big mouth of yours would be able to keep it to yourself for this long,” Trixie yells, equally putting on a show. One that tells me I really have found a genuine friend in Trix. Probably more real than any other friendship I’ve had before. Only one person has ever stood up for me like that, and the fact Trixie is so quick to do the same, melts my heart.

I’m still in a daze, and everyone around is starting to mumble and stare. I don’t know what to do. My black bra is shining through the white t-shirt that is now plastered against my skin. I feel every set of eyes on me, and I want to curl up into a ball and escape. But I just can’t make my body respond.

“Yeah, because this is the behaviour of someone who doesn’t have anything to hide. What’s the matter, slut, worried I’m going to expose you? You should be worried. I am going to bide my time, wait for the right opportunity, and when the time is right I am going to tell everyone your secret. Everyone will hate you, and you can go back to whatever fucking existence you lived before you came here. You are not welcome at Willowmead. Leave, or I will make you,” she shouts, but I’m too far gone to even care what she says. Just the idea that she might know is crippling. Of course she will tell everyone. My life will be over.

I feel Trixie lock her arm through mine at the elbow and she starts leading me away from all the drama. She has a few choice words to say about Harriett, and for a small girl the shoulder charge she hit Harriett with would have been fucking impressive to me, had I been in the room. But I’m not. I’m in my own head, allowing the darkness to overtake me. I know Trixie is talking to me as we leave the cafe, but I don’t really hear her. It’s only when I hear his voice that I am pulled out of my own brain.

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