Camila's POV
After the incident with Lauren, I ran to my English class and opened the door quietly. I tried to find myself a seat tucked away in the lonely back row. My math teacher, Mr. Daniels, walked over almost instantly.
He wore a worried wrinkle on his forehead,"Is everything alright there, Camila? I don't recall you running late last year. Not once." Mr. Daniels hinted with a suspicious mine.
"No, everything is fine." I lowered my voice and looked down at the desk. I hated when adults pierced their eyes deep into you and all you could do was try not to cry. Worse, Mr. Daniels knew what we had to endure of bullying the last couple of years. Once, he had even caught Veronica Iglesias tripping Ally over in the hallway. The vicious girl was surely spurred on by her laughing little minions, Lauren Jauregui and Lucy Vives.
Lucky for them, Ally had denied that anything bad had occurred. Otherwise, I'm sure they would have been in a lot more trouble. Presumably, we would have suffered their revenge later, but what I wouldn't have sacrificed for them to be held responsible. Just for once.
The rest of the hour passed uneventful. I tried to hold my head hanging low, my eyes on the chalkboard and my voice silent. At the end of class, I was more than restless. I tapped my desk with my pencil until the clock rang, and I could pack my things up hurriedly.
Walking into the cafeteria had never been so nerve-wracking. I sat down at our usual lunch table, almost immediately starting to tampering with the pink bow on my head nervously. I was on constant outlook after one certain brunette. In this very moment, she was probably plotting a hundred ways to make me suffer for the rest of my High School life.
A tap to my shoulder was enough to pull me out of my daze, and my entire body stiffened in consistent to the unannounced interruption. I swung my body frightfully to the side, partly relieved and scared to see Dinah's face merely inches away from mine.
"Chanco!" Dinah greeted loudly, before pulling me into a big hug.
"How ya doing?" I breathed out slowly.
To which Dinah replied, "Very well. Have you seen all the new athletes? They are yummy." She added dreamily.
Hearing how her day had passed calmly, was a bit of relief. I tried to force her a smile, hoping she would buy it. However, I should have known better than trying to trick Dinah as I soon received a punch to my arm.
"Don't even try to lie to me, Camila. Your face is pale as a ghost's. Tell me what's wrong, now." She demanded, and I knew there was no chance she would ever let it go.
"Okay. I will, just...keep it quiet, okay? I am already in so much trouble." I buried my face into my hands, exhaling a stressed breathe. "Earlier, after talking to Ally- I don't know how it even happened. She came out of nowhere and my door hit her straight in the face!" I gulped with my voide dropping low.
"Who did you hit, Mila?" Ally questioned from behind, and I felt this dread taking over my body.
Shit.
I turned around again to see Ally approaching from the other side of the table. Normani was by her side, and they were both carrying worry in their eyes . Ally pressed her books tightly to her chest, her body completely tensed up.
They sat down at her table. I was biting at my lip, debating whether to tell Ally about the scene. I wasn't sure how much Normani knew either, and I wouldn't want to scare her away from our group. Normani had newly moved from Houston. On top of being one of the nicest people I had met, she was absolutely beautiful. With her dark skin, contagious smile and shiny long hair, she looked like a queen.
She had fit right into our group, and her and Ally had hit it off right away. Which had bothered me a bit in the start, nearly to the point where I was jealous of their connection. I had been used to it being Ally and me for so long. But, considering how I had grown closer to Dinah my jealousy calmed down eventually. It actually turned out that the four of us fit even better together.
Back to reality, I gulped to get rid of the lump forming in my throat. Obviously, they were waiting for an answer. And just like with Dinah, I knew there was no point trying to lie. Especially not to Ally.
Inhaling a full breath of air, I tried to downplay everything that had happened this morning. Cautiously, I explained how I had hit Lauren with my locker door. Especially revealing the way she had stared and mumbled at me before running off.
I could literally watch their eyes widen, and there was no surprise that Dinah was the first to speak up, "Lauren Jauregui?!" She stated loudly. I instinctively jumped at the loud mentioning of her name and slammed my hand in front of her mouth.
"Shh, Dinah! Are you insane? She might be around, and then we'll all be dead." I hissed scoldingly.
Dinah nodded her head unconvincingly, my hand still covering her mouth. I narrowed my eyes, trying to read her smug expression. It wasn't until I felt wetness in the palm of my hand that I quickly withdrew my hand, offering her a shocked look.
"Dinah Jane!" I yelped, examining the drool glistening on my skin with disbelief. "Did you seriously lick my hand?" I complained disapprovingly, glaring at her before wiping my hand on her jeans.
"It's my drool, I don't care." Dinah shrugged and we all laughed at her nonchalance. Unfortunately, there was one not paying any attention. Ally was looking between a mixture of thoughtful and worried.
"Are you okay, Ally?" I questioned knowingly, noticing the way she flickered her gaze around nervously.
"Oh, yeah." Ally uttered and fixated her gaze at me. "Just worried now that Vero has another reason to make my life terrible." She gulped with tears brimming in her eyes. I leaned over the table, rubbing my friend's arm comfortingly. The guilt was eating me up from the inside.
"Don't worry about it, Allycat. Besides, it's me they'll be after. I'm the one knocking out Queen B," I joked, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. She nodded weakly to my attempted joke. A sad smile still traced her lips.
How much I trusted my own words, I wasn't sure of yet. But, as the minutes passed and the canteen filled with students, I was calming down severely. That was however until I felt strangely observed. I slowly averted my gaze from my friends, and was soon met with Lauren's green eyes staring at me with confusion written all over her face. She didn't budge for one second, and instead held my gaze for a few seconnds before offering a shy smile that sent unexpected shiver through my body.
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Lauren's POV
By lunch all the fuzz about starting school again dimmed down and as usual we sat at our regular table, listening to Veronicas's rant about how her math teacher, who had demanded her phone during class because she had answered a very important message. To be honest all I heard after that was meaningless words that flowed unnoticed by me.
However, someone shouting my name was certainly more interesting and when I swung my head to the call I watched another familiar girl. Dinah Jane Hansen, one of those girls who never seemed to lack any confidence in what she did. Perhaps it was because she was so tall that no one could have hurt her. I could have had a chance if we ever got into a verbal argument, but I would be doomed if anything physical ever happened. I discreetly looked her way, recognizing the girl in front of her with mixed feelings, Camila.
Clearly, she was the one who hit me earlier and as remembered she was one of them. I didn't really know any of them very well, but we had some sort of relationship. Only thinking about how I knew the girl made my stomach wrench uncomfortably. Especially looking at the smallest one, Ally Hernandez made me feel on the verge of nausea.
I wasn't a total psychopath with none feelings whatsoever. Perhaps it would be better if I was, but unfortunately I couldn't display too much of my opinions. People often did the mistake of thinking it was easy being me.
Walking around with the crown on my head, smiling brightly and being brutal, because my life seemed so carefree. When in reality it was hard work every day. I had to make sure everyone stayed in their original lanes, and that no one in our group did anything unforgivable. If it weren't for me, the entire balance in this high school would threaten to break at any second.
In addition, I was forced to appear as perfect as I could all the time, but I couldn't be too kind in fear of losing respect. Because there was no secret that people who were nice to everyone never reached the top and I was at the top, willing to do anything to stay there.
This was high school and regardless of how brutal it was or what the adults might have to say about it, it was tough. And, if you didn't make yourself respected, you were nothing, a nobody.
I focused back on the group of girls and could hear laughter all the way from their table to mine. The way Camila's face lightened up into a teeth-showing grin. I wondered what their conversation was about, since they looked overjoyed.
Studying the brunette, I could see that she was pretty. Correction, not pretty. With dark hair that roamed down the sides of her face and matching brown eyes, she was actually beautiful.
I swore that if I had stayed with her any longer this morning, I would surely have lost myself in them, which was scary to know. How was it that our minds could be so captivated by the inner depth in another person that we actually were leaving earth, not physically but mentally.
Lost in my own thoughts of admiration it took me awhile before I realized that I wasn't just glancing at her. By now, I was more like gawking at her and what made it so more awkward was that the brown eyes had caught me. The clear bewilderment was evident across her face as we held the stare.
I gave her a graceless smile, my lips tugging up hesitantly before I turned around quickly. My face was heating up quickly, causing confused expressions to spread around my friends - almost identical to the one Camila had given me only seconds prior.
The silence was unbearable until Alexa peered in on my forehead. She lifted her finger, pointing shamelessly to my forehead with a gasp. "Laur, what happened to your head?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. I kind of crashed into Cabello's locker door this morning, nothing to worry about." I brushed off nonchalantly while shrugging my shoulders, not wanting them to mistake the accident for something it wasn't.
However, it was too late to try diverting the topic of our conversation, as the girls in front of me exchanged a few worried glances. "What?" I asked and feigned ignorance, knowing all too well what they were silently discussing.
"Why you- I mean didn't did you..." Alexa trailed off.
Veronica quickly to jump in as she finished Alexa's sentence for her, "what we want to know is why you didn't do anything about it? That's a prime example of what should not pass unresolved. People already think they can mess with us."
I rolled my eyes, the annoyance with Veronica was always worst when it came to cases like this. I was a coward for avoiding their glances and not speaking my mind but I couldn't help it. Thinking about hurting Camila made me feel sick to my stomach, but knowing Veronica wasn't lying, made me feel even worse.
Occasionally, we had to remind our fellow students that messing with us would serve consequences. Otherwise, we would be the ones to suffer in the end and I couldn't let my friends go through that just because I was being a weakling.
Veronica and Lucy however took my silence the wrong way and looked at each other, growling while Alexa lifted my chin up with her finger, forcing me to look at her. "Lauren, you don't have to do anything, ok? I am sure it was an accident and I think they have suffered enough." Alexa reasoned, giving me a probing smile.
I returned with a content sight, feeling at ease at her lack of pressuring. Veronica however sighed irritated, giving me a small glare before a mischievous smile covered her features, "I'll do it." She announced and my heart speeded up.
"what?" I blurted and panic struck through me immediately. There was no way I would allow Veronica to have her way with Camila. The girl was too vulnerable for that kind of exposing. I had no idea where this strange urge to protect her emerged from. Considering our record, we weren't even close to friends. But call it humanly instinct or whatever, I was not going to let Vero mess with her for the hell of it.
Sighing I glanced at Camila, looking back at Vero who was in deep talk with Lucy. Did I really have a choice in this? I wasn't worried about Lucy planning too much. Veronica however could be terrifying, especially when she built her agenda on revenge. Thinking back, it had been Vero's thirst for vengeance that had started the mess.
*3 years ago*
"Lauren, did you hear about that Carlos? Apparently he hooked up with Ally Hernandez at the Halloween party." Veronica gritted out, her eyes swimming in anger and I wasn't sure how to respond.
I didn't doubt for a second that Carlos wasn't guilty. Ally however, I was surprised. She didn't really seem to be the hit and ditch kind of girl. Veronica and he had never been exclusive, but she'd had the tendency of being possessive anyway. The whole thing made me think about my own relationship with Luis, what if things were reversed and he'd cheated on me, would I have stayed with him? I doubt I would have left him. I wasn't strong enough to go through that.
"Laur, are you listening?" Veronica addressed me, annoyance in her tone and I lifted my head, indicating that I definitely was now. "I said we should come up with a plan to get her back." She repeated herself and as usual, I hated when she decided on something like this. She was very passionate in her ways and when she first had set her mind on a victim, you could only pray it wasn't you.
I shook my head discreetly at the recall of the beginning. We all knew how the story ended and Veronica claimed that it wasn't that bad. She guaranteed that we wouldn't hurt them, not really. Her methods would only teach them a lesson about life and the day she laid it I couldn't really protest.
Most of the time I even believed her, or maybe I didn't, but I pretended to because it was easier. Honestly I didn't think I wanted to really know what she did, because like I said, I wasn't an emotionless psychopath and I definitely couldn't switch of the guilt button.
Feeling Veronica growing more impatience I panicked and the words fell from my lips before I could even think them over. "I would rather have a go at Ally, considering she's the one who started this whole mess." I suggested and I couldn't believe I just sold out an innocent girl, fuck.
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