Zach had replied to my text really quickly the night before. It was settled that we’d meet at the old coffee shop Java Joe’s in Hollywood. April dressed to impress in a coral chiffon blouse patterned in navy blue birds, dark high rise denim shorts and my cream leather coat. Her hair was scraped away neatly in a braided bun and Erica loaned her a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses to set off the look nicely.
If anyone walking around town saw April, but did not know her from Adam, I reckoned they would’ve made any excuse to talk to her. I however, tried not to dress as nicely, so I pulled on some pale skinny jeans and a yellow tank top. No accessories or up do’s required.
Zach was already sat at a table close to the front with his Letterman jacket hanging on the back of his chair and two coffee’s on the table before him.
“I did the honours of ordering you one of those herbal teas you like so much.”
“Thanks, that’s sweet.”
“So what did you want to see me about?”
“It’s about this.” I said, pulling out the prom ticket. “I can’t take it.”
“What?” his smile faltered. “But you said…”
“I know. But I’ve had time to think now and I’ve realised I’ve not been a very good friend.”
“To me?”
“To April.”
“April who?”
I felt gobsmacked. Either he was lying or trying to avoid the inevitable but from his confused and shocked expression I wasn’t so sure.
“April Green. You know her, everyone knows her.”
“Is she on the cheerleading team?”
“No, she’s well known for something else. There’s more than one kind of fame at our school Zach. There are the cool jocks, cheerleaders and preppies. And then there are the bottom dwellers who get pushed around by everyone else.”
“So where does Amy come into this?”
“APRIL!” I shouted angrily. “April Green. The girl who is famous for being in love with you since she was eight years old. The girl Kristen Lowndes takes no shame in bullying day in day out since kindergarten.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know her.”
“Wow! Here’s your ticket. And find someone else to tutor you.”
April hadn’t heard any of it as she was waiting outside for me to leave Zach sitting there alone. I tried to stop her before she went in but she wasn’t listening and there was an awful look of excitement on her face. I was about to follow in after her when a raven haired someone nudged me out of the way.
Kristen made her way over to the counter but watched in amusement as April sat down in front of Zach. She watched like a vulture from the side lines as the barista brewed her coffee. I edged into a seat near the toilets so I could hear April’s conversation with Zach.
“Hi Zach, can I sit?”
“Um… sure.”
“I was just wondering if you’ve got a date to prom yet?”
“Well, I did have one till about two minutes ago.”
“That’s a shame. But, look, I know it’s traditional for a boy to ask girl to prom but I was wondering…”
“Sorry, can I stop you for a second?” he asked.
Kristen moved ever closer with her steaming cup of coffee in her hands.
“Yeah, sure.” April said patiently.
“Who are you again?”
“I’m April.” She said sounding a little offended. “April Green.”
“Oh. Oh, you’re April. Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Zach, I’ve spoken to you like I don’t know how many times.”
“Really? When?”
“Last weekend, at the party. We were talking and…”
“Oh, you’re the girl who cries all the time.” Zach said distastefully.
“Not-not any m-m-more, I’m not.” She stammered.
Kristen was on the edge of her seat looking extremely excited – the vulture closing in on its prey.
“Sorry, continue what you were saying before.” Zach said, yawning.
“You don’t remember me.”
“No I just said you were…”
“You don’t remember me. I can’t believe you.” She said rising from her chair.
“Amy…”
“APRIL!” she shouted like I had before. “My name is April Christine Green, you’d better remember it this time jerk.”
“I’m sorry, of course.” He said, trying to calm her.
“Do I really mean so little to you that you forget about me so easily?”
“No, no, no.” he was laughing nervously as more of our classmates turned in their seats to listen and see better.
“You know what, Zach? You are…”
“What?” he asked, levelly.
“So not worth all the pain and humiliation I’ve gone through these last ten years. You don’t deserve to be with someone like me or Shay. You are the lowest of the low. The scummiest of the scum.”
“Now, take it easy.”
“I can’t believe I’ve let myself get so upset all these years over you! You ruined my life. For years I got bullied because I thought you were the sweetest, kindest and smartest guy ever but…”
“But?”
April sighed. “You know, I just don’t care enough to hate you, Zach. You really make me sick but… I’m done.”
“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise.” Kristen said, turning her chair round to their table. “You know I said to myself, I thought those dulcet tones belonged to April Green.”
April got out from the table and moved towards the door where I now stood. Kristen barred the way easily enough.
“Not so fast.”
“What do you want, Kristen?”
“You know, Green, I don’t know. I came in here for a cappuccino but now I think I want some of my daily April pounding.”
“You don’t scare me.”
“May be you need to be put back in your place.” Suggested Kristen.
“Go to hell.”
“Excuse me?” Kristen asked stunned.
“You heard me.”
“Wow, Green. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”
“Quite the opposite.” April said calmly.
The potion was working, a sigh of relief escaped my lips. April wasn’t shaking, sweating or crying. She was cool, calm and collected and standing her ground for once.
“I don’t know what psychological problems you’ve got going up in that head of yours. But from what I can tell, someone who gets their jollies off on another person’s pain should probably be strapped to a bed in a padded cell somewhere getting examined for…”
“Shut your mouth.” Kristen snapped. “No one speaks to me that way. If you knew…”
“Keep talking,” April interrupted, “someday you’ll say something intelligent.”
I realised I wasn’t the only one gasping. Everyone in the shop, pretty much everyone in our year, turned around to hear what was being said between Kristen and April. Everyone gasped at April’s insult and they all looked like they wanted to give her a standing ovation.
As she pushed passed Kristen on her way out, April brushed against her sending the cup of coffee flying. I pulled April out of the fray just in time to see the scalding hot coffee spill all over Kristen’s head.
“Keep moving.” I whispered in her ear.
We made it all the way down the street to where her car was parked before Kristen came hurtling out of Java Joe’s, a crowd of onlookers from the shop followed in raucous fits of laughter, as she tried to catch us before we drove off.
“Was that too much? She probably wants to fight me now. Should I have stayed?”
“No, that was more than enough.”
“Do you think she’ll try anything at school?”
“It’s Kristen we’re talking about so, yeah, probably. We can’t rule it out.”
April’s run in with Kristen ended up on YouTube, but I was pleased it was this and not another video of her embarrassing herself in front of Zach Faust. Before the night was out, April’s video had seventy eight hits. Come Sunday evening it stood at four hundred and ninety three. But by the time we reached first class on Monday morning it had gone past the thousand mark.
It was a new record for April videos and she seemed pleased with herself. But the ‘tea’ I kept making for her started to make her, not only confident but, cocky. Erica helped me tweak the ingredients a little so that she would still have the confidence boost and a mind to stand up for herself but it would stop her from talking back at people.
“So how long do you think this happy streak is going to last?” Jordan asked, watching April chatting with a bunch of girls across the cafeteria.
“I don’t know but we have to be supportive. She’s our friend.”
“Yeah, it’s just, is this real? I mean the last time I saw Green like this was never ago.”
I laughed. “Well, may be this is permanent. The new improved April Green.”
“Talking about me?” April surprised as she showed up unannounced.”
“We were just talking about the new improved you.” Jordan smiled.
“Everyone keeps commenting on that but, honestly, I don’t feel any different. I’m still the same old me.”
“And we love the same old you.” I said, before Jordan could say something negative.
“Right, we just hope you’re still like this when Kristen catches up with you.”
“She’s had four days now. If she was going to do something she would’ve done it by now.”
“April, this is Kristen Lowndes we’re talking about.” Jordan said anxiously. “She’s probably just biding her time to catch you unawares and do something twice as nasty to you.”
“What can she do? Push me around? I’ll push you right back.”
“The last time someone embarrassed Kristen publicly ended up in hospital with nine stitches and a black eye.”
“Jordan, please,” I rushed on, “stop trying to frighten April. If Kristen does try something then we’ll deal with it when it comes.”
“Okay, well, since it looks like you two are about to bicker I’m just going to mosey onto another table.” April said, picking up her lunch tray and moving to another table with girls on her Lacrosse team.
“You know it’s only a matter of time before this bites her in the ass.”
“What would you prefer, Jordan? This new confident, independent April or the girl that would fall to pieces if Kristen just looked her way?”
“I’m not saying I’m not happy for her, Shay. I just think it would be more prudent of her if she was really…”
“Watching for Kristen attacks around every corner? Is that anyway to live?”
“Okay, fine, but I know, deep down, you’re afraid she’s going to get hurt too.”
Jordan picked up his empty tray, deposited in the stack of other used trays and left the cafeteria without me. I watched his retreating back, pushing the food around on my plate and turned to see April looking my way quizzically. We shared a brief smile before turning back to our lunches.
“Why can’t things at this school be simple?”