Phoenix: The Risen ✔️

B i t e

"Since when has she been in this class?" Penelope whispered to Olivia.

Her friend shrugged and continued chewing on the end of her pen, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

Penelope took another quick glance over her shoulder to peer at Bri, trying her best to be discreet but this was maybe her tenth time looking over her shoulder.

Her cheeks flushed as she made eye contact with the blonde this time around. She was haughtily chewing gum with a slight smirk to her glossy lips.

Swiftly bringing her head back to the front of the class, she trained her eyes on the desk in front of her.

Truth be told, Penelope was dreading facing Bri again after she remembered pouring alcohol on the girl at the party. She knew that the blonde was up to no good when it came to Phoenix but did it really warrant harassment and public humiliation? It just wasn't like her. Now she wasn't going to apologize- she wasn't that naive- but actively avoiding the girl seemed to do just fine in her books.

Penelope found herself joining Olivia in gnawing on the back of her pen as the clock counted down the minutes until the end of class. She basically sealed her fate in being confronted since she couldn't help herself in being nosey.

Before the bell even rang, she started to pack her books into her bag, just to get a head start. But of course, her actions proved futile.

"Penelope." Bri called, after what seemed like mere seconds after the bell had rung.

The smaller girl looked to Olivia to see if she was still there but just her luck, it seemed like she had already bolted off. With now zero support her anxiety rose and she bit her lip apprehensively, trying her best not to look intimidated.

The blonde made her way to the front of the class and trailed her hand over the desk Penelope had been sitting at. Her blue eyes scrutinized every detail of Penelope's appearance, right down to the honey-brown hairs on her head.

"Alcohol works wonders, huh." Bri smiled knowingly.

Penelope couldn't help but flush at the truth to her words. Under the influence, she was bold enough to challenge another person and humiliate them in front of a crowd. But without that push, she was like a helpless kitten, shaking in her boots.

"I don't know why everyone likes you so much. I mean the guys I understand." She chuckled, placing a manicured hand on her hip. "Dressing like a slut really does have its perks but I'm sure you know that already."

A few of the students that had lingered gasped and shocked laughter filled the room.

Penelope flushed in embarrassment at her words and their audience but willed herself to say something instead of standing there like a gaping fish.

"I can dress however I want. If you want to label it that way, that's your problem. And if guys like the way I dress, well... that one doesn't really sound like my problem either."

Penelope's heart was pounding in her chest and her nails dug deep in her palms. She didn't know where that came from. She did hope that Bri would get this over with though because the feeling of discomfort only grew heavier in her chest the longer she stood there in front of her.

Bri pursed her lips at her response.

"Well...it seems as if the kitten has some claws." She mused mockingly. "But listen." She continued, her eyes hardening. "If you ever pull a stunt like that again, we won't just be having a nice chat. I've dealt with little bitches like you before and the whole innocent act won't cut you any slack."

Bri placed her hands on the desk and leaned forward.

"Touch me again and I'll make sure that it's your problem."

She leaned back with a smile and adjusted the purse on her shoulder.

"The same goes for that little boyfriend of yours too. I don't know how you like it in bed but clearly he's not afraid to get rough when he wants to. I guess we all can't be vanilla."

Penelope didn't know how to take those words and only nodded slowly to her statement.

The blonde rose her eyebrows at the smaller girl's obvious confusion at her innuendo. With an arrogant laugh she shook her head and left the room.

"Pathetic." She muttered under her breath.

Penelope relaxed her tense form after the taller girl left and pressed her hand to her cheek to feel the heat radiating from it.

God, that was embarrassing.

She felt more like laughing if anything and with that thought a small giggle passed her lips.

She expected more than a small passing threat if she was being honest but this seemed to be more of Bri's style. It seemed that she was no longer interested in Phoenix and she assumed it had to do with him not being "vanilla", as she had put it.

If she was insinuating that Phoenix was abusive that made her want to laugh even more.

With a shake of her head she thew her bag over her shoulder, glancing at the time. Her eyes widened before she let out a breath, realizing that her next period was only lunch.

...

...

...

...

"Hey where'd you go?" Penelope asked as Olivia sat at their table.

She had just finished telling her friends about the confrontation from Bri. As she expected, Owen was hysterical, Mark was slightly concerned but also amused and Phoenix was simply unfazed.

"I had to talk to one of my teachers about taking one of my tests early. Sorry, I kind fled the scene." She said as she sat down. "Did I miss anything?"

Owen laughed even harder and started to swipe at imaginary tears. Although a hard hit to his back had him coughing.

"What's so funny?" Hunter asked, joining the group.

Phoenix groaned as he sat beside him, the table now full.

"Your blonde friend, whatever the fuck her name is, is a psychotic bitch." Phoenix summarized elegantly.

Olivia spat out her water at his finesse.

Hunter shook his head with an amused smile, not looking surprised in the slightest.

"Brianne is a piece of work. She's much easier to tolerate when she's got her mouth full though. Trust me." He chuckled.

Phoenix and the rest of the boys laughed at his comment, while Olivia looked disgusted. Penelope simply seemed confused.

"Sometimes I wish for your pure mind Elly." Olivia murmured with her face drawn up in distaste. "At least you get to finish you lunch."

Penelope chewed on her sandwich slowly, still trying to process Hunter's words.

She felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her into a hard body.

"Don't think too hard baby. You're more familiar with it than you think." Phoenix whispered with his mouth hovering over her ear.

Penelope froze mid-bite, her entire body heating up at his words.

She had just lost her appetite.