High School Survival Theory

Chapter 31

I stare at the paper that Cora gave me. She didn't need to. There were hundreds of them stamping on the lockers. It's undoubtedly Promy's handwriting. And the poster itself isn't a lie either.

I know this because Promy told us about it herself. Her crush on Jason.

Dear Jason,
I'm not good with confession, not a fine writer either. I might be confused about so many other things. But there's one thing I'm sure about. And it's my feelings for you.

I don't read the rest of the letter because I know what it is. Promy came to us for help. She wanted to tell Jason how she felt about him. But she stepped back at the last minute and thus it never went out to Jason. I wonder how they got their hands on it. I thought she trashed it or kept it to herself.

But the flyer doesn't end with the letter. They framed Promy and Jason from different events. I'm not sure if it's about the angle, but in all of them, Promy is staring at Jason who had no clue about it.

They wrote a bunch of shits about 'forbidden love because she's a Muslim' and how Jason might be regretting helping Promy that day.

Anger boils in my blood. They are not to judge who can love who. And being a Muslim doesn't make her different than us. I thought they all had learned that by now.

Yet no one showed sympathy. Everyone around us is reading the flyers and laughing their asses off. What's surprising me most is that Cora isn't making fun of Promy like everyone else around us.

I felt like ripping all the flyers off but that'll only confirm it's truth.

Grace and Miles curse as they read it.

"Is it real?" Cora asks.

"Of course not!" Miles snaps. When neither me nor Grace reply, he asks, "It isn't, right?"

"Kiara?" Cora asks.

"It is real," I tell them. "But I didn't know anyone other than me, Grace, and Payton knew about it. Not even Miles."

"I'm sorry we kept it from you Miles," Grace says.

He shrugs. "I'm cool. I'm guessing it was a girl thing."

I nod. I have the most understanding best friends in the world.

"Oh no," Grace mumbles. I follow her finger and find Jason picking up one of the flyers from the floor.

We hold our breath and he continues reading it. His expression hardens in every passing moment. Then he looks in our direction.

Miles instantly jumps out from behind me and goes to his side.

Just as I was about to do the same, Cora grips my arms and points me to look at my right.

Ashley, with her newly formed army, has managed to corner someone and now making fun of her. A small crowd has formed around them.

I hear a low whimper as sniggers follow by. It doesn't take me long to reckon who it can be.

Three of us make our way to the center of the crowd.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hiss at Ashley and pull Promy behind me. Ashley smiles, not bothered by my presence at all.

"Why? Do you need glasses too now?"

"Stay away from them!" Cora yells at her and pushes us behind her. Promy continues sobbing behind me.

Ashley watches us as the corner of her mouth turns up.

She moves her eyes from Cora to me. "Just as she started acting nice you forget about all the things she did to you."

"I didn't forget any of it," I say in a cold voice. "Not what she did, neither the things you did."