Bristle huffed as she balanced her bookbag on her back. Another day of school. But unlike the others, she would be meeting with Michelle and Shelby. The information they discussed yesterday was only a scratch on the surface. There was nothing new they discovered, besides the fact of knowing their friend was innocent.
Which they knew the whole time.
Down the wooden, creaky steps, Bristle shut off the light that lit the cramped staircase. Almost out of the door, her mother called her name. Most mornings, Bristle just went about her business. Pow Wows with her mom were rare, and when they did happen, they weren't good.
Turning from the front door, she asked, "What is it?"
Tucking a chunk of hair behind her ear, Bristle's mother rose from the couch in a peach blouse and black skirt. Her mom liked to pretend like her job was as great as it wasn't. She went to school all those years, preparing to be a lawyer, only to turn out to be a manager of a clothing store.
Striding towards Bristle, her mom's face held anything but comfort. Just as Bristle expected, something was wrong. A gut feeling told her it had nothing to do with her dad, but seeing her mom's unpleased expression wasn't the solace she needed.
A sick feeling began to build up in Bristle. What if something went wrong with her dad? She couldn't have that. She couldn't take it. Bristle's hands drummed at her side. Please be something else, Bristle thought.
"So you're friends with Shelby and Michelle, again?" Her mother questioned. Immediate relief took over. That choky feeling that had began to build up instantly went away.
Bristle's eyes watered as an image of her dad smiling flashed by. He was going to be okay, she just knew it.
Shrugging, Bristle easily questioned. "What are you talking about?"
Of course her mother found out. She knew everything. Much to Bristle's surprise, there were some secrets she was oblivious about. Bristle had to sadly give thanks to Alx for that. If all went as planned, Bristle never intended on sharing those with her mom.
"You heard me, Bris." Dropping the strained look, her mother's expression switched to a collected on. "It's alright to have fiends. Have all the friends you want. But remember, those girls are damaged more than you and people talk." As if that was an underlining message. All that meant was that people in her town couldn't keep out of other's business.
Just then Alx hopped off the last step, and patted Bristle on the head. "Talk about what?" She went to her mother's side, drawing her into a hug, then staring at Bristle.
Her mom sent Bristle a smile. It was more of a smug one than genuine. "Reuniting with the fab four, would be five, but we all know why it's not. One of the nosey teachers, her name doesn't need to be known, spotted it and shot me a text this morning."
Silence wrapped around the room for a while. Bristle had to keep telling herself it wasn't worth the battle. Her mother always did nitpicking things, it was as if she yearned for a reaction. And she knew talking about Lei, she would receive it.
Clearing her throat, Bristle spoke, "Mom I-"
Alx interrupted. "I'm curious, Bris, what brought this on? Weren't you like a major introvert?"
Choosing her words carefully Bristle responded, "I just..." she trailed off staring at the two. They looked so happy and content. What bothered Bristle the most was, they looked like she was a burden on their relationship. It was as if Bristle wasn't supposed to be born in their eyes. She just wished her mother would tell her just once how much she appreciated Bristle. But that would never happen.
Bristle's lips thinned. Fine they wanted a routy Bristle, then that was what they were going to get. "...the same reason why Uncle Charlie started staying here while dad lays in a bed unconscious," Bristle flail her arms at her side, "but all the either of you two care about is who my friends are."
Alx's lip ticked. Her mom folded her arms into one another and looked away. Good, she should feel ashamed for how she was doing her dad. Alx licked her lips. "We're only concerned, Bris." The more and more they said Bris, it was as if they were itching for a bad reaction. As if Bris would make Bristle go off. They said it with such taunt.
For the first time, in a while, since they were airing out, Bristle scolded, "For your reputation, right? Worry more about why you're single and miserable, Alx. I have to go, Garrett is waiting." She gave both her mom and Alx a once over before turning on her heels and exiting the house.
The sun shone brightly on her. Exactly what she needed, some light in her life. It would have been amazing if the weather matched the sun's glow. Instead of feeling nice and warm, it was breezy. There always had to be a defect with everything.
Down her driveway, Bristle spotted Garrett drumming his hands on the steering wheel, listening to music. His light blue jacket going well with his hair at his face. Just looking at him, took away the pain and anger she received from that previous conversation with her mom and sister. Just one look at him made everything better.
She decided to lift her chin high, and smell the opportunity in the air. Today was going to be a good day. Because though, she hated Shelby, at the same time she yearned for a friendship with Michelle, Shelby, and even Cammi again. They were once so tight.
A few more steps, and Bristle was opening the car door, "Morning. Thanks for waiting."
Garrett moved his hand from the steering wheel, to the stereo where he lowered the pop music. He then pulled something out of his jacket's pocket, and tossed the small item to Bristle. In her hands laid a granola chocolate bar.
Whenever either one of them ate in the morning, they'd share it with one another. Smiling, Garrett drove off, "So Miss Sunshine, what's the stressed expression from?"
Bristle informed him, while eating, about her fraught encounter with Alx and her mom. After telling him, he applauded her for standing up for herself.
"Can't I just get adopted by your family and enjoy Cali every summer, too," Bristle laughed.
Garrett scuffed, "To pick up my family problem. We all have them. Hey it could be worse."
Curious, Bristle asked, "How?"
He shrugged, "You could have no family." He was right.
Garrett was always right. Especially with his perspective of every situation. That's why she admired him, he was able to be rational, no matter what. Leaning back in her seat, she knew he was right, but at the moment that was not what she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear how trash her family was.
Shelby would have been the perfect person to hear that from.
Garrett pulled into the parking lot. Before they split ways, he asked, yet again, "Karaoke night, do I have a partner?"
Did he? She didn't know. But she wasn't going to lie to him, either. Their friendship was built of pure honesty. "Maybe next time. I just rather mope is my excessive sorrow."
Garrett's anticipating expression transitioned to a cute laugh. "I like that answer." They walked into school together before splitting ways.
Bristle walked past her classroom, straight to the bathroom. For the second time that week, she was not going to be the first kid in class. It made her feel like having Shelby and Michelle in her life, gave her purpose.
She pushed open the door to find Michelle making faces in the mirror, and Shelby leaned against the backwall busying herself with her phone. While other girls either walked into a stall, or were at the sink washing their hands. No one looked out of order except Michelle and Shelby.
"Uh, hey," Bristle nodded to Michelle.
Michelle looked from the mirror, with excitement. "Glad you came," she looked around as the bathroom emptied, "I think it's best if we find another place to discuss this."
Shelby looked from her phone. "Anywhere but the janitor's closet. Shit smells like rotten piss."
"Fine, how about Mrs. Jefferson's class? I notice how she's never in there in the mornings, and she always leaves the door unlocked." Michelle suggested.
Shelby and Bristle shared a look, as if deciding an answer. Both nodded their heads in agreement. And just like that, they were about to be on their way to Mrs. Jefferson's class. Well, before Cammi burst into their with a vendetta.
Cammi's hair was in the smallest ponytail, Bristle had ever seen. Her face was paler than usual. And as most times, she wore nothing but black. Her face was clear of makeup besides eyeliner, which was strange, because Cammi loved makeup.
"Alright, which one of you devious bitches sent me this?" Cammi pulled out a folded piece of paper before throwing it to the floor. She stood back as if it were poison, and sent each girl a glare of their own.
Shelby rushed to pick it up, and once she did, her face showed obvious fear, "You got one, too?"
Cammi's frown lowered, "Not that we're friends or anything, but yeah, yeah I did. It was in my locker...you?"
Shelby reached into her back pockets of her jeans, and also pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper. She stared at everyone, especially Cammi, "It was on my car's window while I was going to visit my boyfriend at Grocer's Pride." She extended her arm in Cammi's direction, as if trying to give her the note.
Cammi shook her head and took another step back. She sucked her lips in and out, like that was her zen.
Michelle grabbed both letters. Before even opening either, she walked to the door and locked it. Bristle gasped at how badass Michelle was being, the Michelle she remembered was hesitant of everything and scared of her own shadow.
"So when someone has to use it..." Shelby trailed off.
Bristle instantly thought of something. She pulled out a piece of print paper and permanent marker. "Tape anyone?"
Shelby snorted, "Oh sure we all walk around with tape."
Michelle scrunched her eyes. "I do, is that like not normal or something?" She placed both notes gently on the skin beside her, before digging into her bookbag. She rummaged around for a few moments before handing Bristle clear Scotch tape.
Bristle wrote:
OUT OF ORDER
In big bold, black letters, neatly. She then applied tape to each edge of the paper. She tossed Michelle her tape back before facing Cammi's direction. Cammi quickly moved out of the way, while Bristle unlocked the door and plastered it on the door. Afterwards, she looked the door back.
To say the rush she felt made her feel more alive than she ever had, was an understatement. That bold move gave her the biggest adrenaline rush than her confrontation with her mother and sister, earlier that day. Bristle could hear the badass tunes playing in the background, making it even more worthy. She felt the energy bounce off of each girl and triple inside of her. It was no doubt, she was meant to be there with them.
Opening both, Michelle scanned them, while everyone stared at her. What was she trying to decipher? Bristle tried to get a sneak peek of what the notes contained. She also wondered why she didn't receive one. But most of all, who sent those? Were they connected?
Michelle cleared her throat, "So far I have that they are both typed in Times New Roman, twelve font. Nothing special. But from a psychological perspective, there's a lot revealing just from these few little sentences. Whoever wrote these-that is if they are related, which I'd bet my life on-is that they're scared. They're trying to shake us up."
Bristle questioned, "And how are you so sure?" It was crazy. Michelle saw another message within both messages. Sure she was smart, but that smart?
Cammi sucked her teeth, "Yeah, brainy. I get the crap scared out of me, and here's your explanation."
Michelle lifted up both hands as if surrendering, "Everything leading up to this tells us that. Look at Cammi's, how it's practically warning her against something. She got this yesterday, we talked yesterday morning. That has to be about us." Michelle looks to Shelby, "And Shelby gets this while going shopping...after our talk. That was a flat out threat. They saw us together. They know we know Lei's innocent. Even more, they're scared that we can prove it," Michelle stared at each girl, "which they should be, because we can."
Shelby shook her head. "Woah, woah, woah. They? They who?"
Bristle answered before Michelle could, "Whoever killed Lei's family."
A chilly silence followed in pursuit. Bristle didn't know how to feel, but she did know unease was at the top of her brain. Her palms began to sweat at the thought of a killer being after her. Soon her whole body was releasing the same fear. Her body shook at the thought of being killed.
"There is no us. I hate all of you." Cammi pointed her finger at each girl, with her next statements: "Shelby you're a bitch. Michelle you're a life liar. And Bristle you're...you're a nobody." Cammi snatches her note, "One of you wrote this, and when I find out who, you're dead. Got it?"
When no one answered, Cammi groaned loudly and gave them her back. She heaved a few seconds before unlocking the door. On her way out, Michelle rushed to her side, "We're having lunch after school. If you believe Lei is innocent, you'll show."
Behind Michelle, Shelby pointed her hand in their direction. "Screw her. She's probably the one writing these."
Cammi scoffed, "As if I had the time. Screw you, Shelby. And screw this."
Cammi began to leave again, but Michelle grabbed her arm that time. Cammi faced her with annoyance written all over. "Harvets, is where we will be." Cammi yanked her arm away and rushed out.
Michelle twist her body around, "Shelby whether you like her or not, we need her. We all have to stick together, for Lei."
Shelby dropped her arm at her side, rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Fine, waste your time. I won't." She gathered her things and was out as well.
Bristle expected the meeting to go better than that, but at least all four girls talked. It was useless though. Nothing was discussed besides how much Shelby and Cammi disliked one another.
Bristle knew how tired Michelle was just by looking at her posture. Not knowing what to say, she patted Michelle on the shoulder before heading for the door, too.
"Thank you," Michelle said.
Not turning around, Bristle asked, "For what?"
Michelle shrugged, "For coming back. I missed you. I know how hard this is on you."
It was just like Michelle to understand, even though they were in the same boat. Why did Bristle end contact with Michelle of all people? Maybe she wouldn't be as screwed up as she was, if she still had Michelle in her life.
Stumbling for the correct words, Bristle replied, "I missed you, too," she turned and faced Michelle, "I...contact-I would have called if it weren't for my mo..."
Michelle shook her head, causing Bristle to stop. "My dad, too. But you're here now, that's all that matters." Michelle rubs her face. "So I'll see you after school, then?"
Bristle briefly nods. They both exited the bathroom together. That was how it was supposed to be all the time. There was never supposed to be a catching up with a friend. They were supposed to be friends no matter what.
Before splitting ways, Michelle said, "And one more thing: You're not a nobody. Lei didn't-doesn't think so, and neither do I." Without waiting for a reply, Michelle walked down the lonely hallway.
Whether she knew it or not, Bristle needed that. That haunting memory kept flashing back all last night, and here Michelle was comforting her. It was just what she needed. As if Michelle could hear it, Bristle mumbled, "Thank you."
When Michelle turned a corner, Bristle shook out of her thoughts, and remembered she was late for class. Pacing to the front office, Bristle overstepped and slipped. Her belongings in her bag flew out.
"Crap," Bristle hissed. Bending over, she gathered all of her papers. How did she forget to zip it up?
Bristle was at her last piece of paper, when she stopped after seeing her name typed on the cover of it. She didn't recall it, and after that conversation her nerves were rattling.
Looking around, then back to her bag, Bristle stands while opening the note. It read:
One jailed. One gone. One scarred. One numb. One dead. Which will you be?
Bristle's mind began to spin, as her heart raced. How did she miss anyone giving her that? Who slipped that into her bag? Whirling around, no one stood in the quiet hallway with her. Feeling her throat clog, Bristle rushed back to the bathroom, into a stall and threw up.
Her blond hair almost caught the action, if she didn't keep tucking it. Looking at the white wall in front of her, Bristle shut her eyes, and exhaled sharply. A sleeved hand wiped from one corner of her mouth to the next.
All of it was happening to fast. She looked back to the paper in her hand, with one question in mind: What did she just sign up for?