'If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lose' - anon.
Chapter 59: Rochelle
When we were kids, Jesper and I played in a sandbox by our apartment complex. At 7 years old, we were too old to be in there, but we just loved the sand. We'd bury our toys inside and build sandcastles, pretending like we were on a beach somewhere. Our mothers never could afford vacations.
One day some kids came to tease us. They got in Jesper's face and started throwing sand on him. He tackled the boy and then the others piled onto them. At seven, we were still all the same height and weight and I threw myself onto the pile. The boys freaked out when they saw me amongst them.
"No girls allowed! This is a boy's fight."
Jesper had his arm around someone's head, "Do you see any boys here, Georgia?"
"Nope. All I see is a bunch of wimps."
Jesper was about to give the boy a wedgie when I said, "I want to do it!"
Jesper shook his head, not ok with that. I went over and licked my hand, then I pressed it against the boy's face. Everyone started freaking out and screaming "COOTIES!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I broke out of my daydreaming in class. I was really out of it. Ever since I'd seen Holly in the bathroom, I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't hear it from the girls. Sid was too devoted to her sister to take a moment to tell me. I overheard it in class.
"Jesper dumped Holly."
Jesper dumped Holly. The shock waves reverberated through school. Holly is the most idolized girl in our school. Jesper was the new kid and now... he'd dumped her.
"He's taken her throne."
Gossip was ruthless here. No one can take a throne. Why do we even put people on thrones?
And how could Jesper not tell me? We had our movie night last night. When had he done this?
I met up with Isla and we went to lunch. It was our last day before the holidays and we had bought little gifts for each other. We almost rounded the corner when I heard Jesper's voice.
I immediately stepped back, bumping into Isla but grabbing her back with me. I pressed my finger against my lips, so she would stay quiet. We hid around the corner of the hallway.
I just couldn't face him right now.
"Holly's coming after her," a guy told Jesper.
Isla's eyes widened when she realized what they were talking about. I was hoping they would move on, so we wouldn't be stuck here listening.
Jesper said, "No, she's not. Holly doesn't care what Georgia gets up to."
"Are you kidding me, bro? You just broke up with her. She's out for blood."
"It had nothing to do with Georgia. Holly and I were never going to work."
"It doesn't matter. She won't see it that way. If you care about your little friend, you better do something about it."
"Have you seen G? She's taller than you."
Ohhh yes. That's what I'm talking about. I can handle my own shiiii....
"Busted." Hugo stood behind us, ready to expose us.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I grabbed Isla's hand and ran around the corner, passing by Jesper and his friend as quickly as possible.
"Was she listening to u-" the guy said, pointing at me as we zoomed past.
Isla was laughing hysterically. Then we bumped into someone.
"Lavender Georgia Young."
I found myself in front of Miles, the boy that asked me out.
"I think you know my name," I said, "And it's not Lavender."
"It is. Lavender is your name and Georgia is what you prefer. Now I'll tell you what I prefer," he said, though I didn't like his tone.
He was also being loud so others around us could hear.
I saw Jesper behind us. He was watching us. Other people had an amused look on their face.
"You like to play games, don't you Georgia? We heard about your after-school activities with Nate."
"What?" I frowned.
How?
"Yeah, you've been banging Nathaniel on the side. Leading everyone on like you're a perfect little Princess over in that mansion. Too good to touch," he came up to me, knowing that my anger was boiling, "You told me you weren't seeing boys. You have a fake image, Georgia, and it's coming down. You're a tease. You lead boys on and dump 'em. So let's have a little fun."
"Get away from me before it becomes sexual harassment," I warned.
"No, I don't think I will," he raised his arm out towards me, "Are you too good to touch?"
He touched me.
The prick touched me.
And I freaked out. I lunged towards him, but before I could reach him, someone pulled me back. My back bounced against a strong body and I felt his arms around mine.
I inhaled his scent and I knew.
Jesper.
"Let me go, Jesper!" I tried to wriggle out of his grip, "I want to kill him!"
Jesper knows more than anyone that I can handle Miles. Miles was a little pipsqueak and I've taken on demons.
Miles laughed, "You got another boy in your pants, don't you?"
"Ooh, boy no," Isla said, taking her earrings out so she could join the fight, "Hold my hoops."
Miles kept going, "Poor Holly got dumped because of your little love fest with Jesper. She didn't stand a chance, did she? Not when you're so easily accessible, living in the same house as both-"
I tried to wriggle out of Jesper's grasp, "Let. Me. Go."
"No," Jesper said, "I'll do it."
Just like what I said in the sandbox all those years ago...
Jesper hit Miles with a killer right hook.
Isla and I stepped back and watched Miles drop. Down Miles went.
And Jesper was suspended.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"What's wrong with you?! I was handling that situation just fine without you," I yelled at Jesper in the parking lot, "And now you got suspended!"
"One of us would've been," Jesper said back, "You were going to do the same thing."
"Yeah, but at least I'd be handling my own business."
He always had be my rescuer. I can rescue myself.
Hugo opened the car door, "Can we get in the car now?"
"No," I said, and went back to scolding Jesper.
Hugo looked to Zane for backup. Zane shrugged, watching us like it was a soap opera, "She needs to get it out of her system."
"Why didn't you tell me you broke up with Holly? Why would you keep that from me?" I continued, getting to the part that I was actually irritated about.
"Because I'm handling my own business."
He was using my own words against me.
Nate walked up towards us, and I immediately started to calm down. His name had been dragged into this as well. People knew about Nate and me, and people knew that before Jesper, Holly liked Nate.
I waited to see how Nate would handle this.
"You deserved that," Nate said to Jesper.
Obviously, he was much calmer. Nathaniel is always calm and rational, except when we...
...lose control together.
"Did I?" Jesper glared at Nate.
"You told your girlfriend about Georgia and me. And she told the whole school."
I gasped and stared at Jesper. Did he really?
"There'd be nothing to tell if you hadn't gone there with her."
"Can we get in the car now?" Hugo sighed.
"No!" we all yelled back.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Happy holidays everyone!" Emily rang some little bells as we returned home, "Let's get you ready for dinner with the Maythorne family."
I was furious with Jesper.
Mrs Maythorne fixed the bowtie around Hugo's neck, dusted off Jesper's jacket and handed Nate a pair of shiny cufflinks.
Did I pause to admire how the boys scrubbed up? Maybe. But I was fuming.
"Kaya sweetie, didn't I tell you to bring the other shoes?"
Kaya looked down at her mary jane's. "But I liked these ones."
"Why so nervous, Mrs M?" Zane asked from the corner of the room, dressed entirely casually in jeans and a T-shirt.
Lucky him.
"You would be too if you knew the Maythornes," Hugo said.
Uh, what were we getting ourselves into?
Emily came in with gifts for us all to bring. Brianna and Zane weren't coming. Brianna wanted to spend Christmas with the kids from the prison and Zane agreed to go with her. They were still staying with the other clan.
"I feel like a doll," I grumbled.
I was wearing this old-fashioned red velvet dress with white tights and black shoes. I was even holding a little basket of chocolates that Emily was making me carry.
Then Mrs Maythorne handed me a bonnet. I stared at it. Traumatized.
Jesper chuckled behind me.
I almost hit him with my basket, but Mohan intervened, "Hey, hey, it's the holidays. You have to behave."
"You heard the man," Jesper smirked, "Behave, Little Red Riding Hood."
"You're dead," I glared at him and saw Nate smirk.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Maythorne Manor was a very different place to the one Mrs Maythorne's parents lived in. We expected dungeons honestly.
Instead we came up to a giant white mansion, with lights on inside and out. There was a massive blue pool in the back. It looked friendly. The front door opened, and an intimidating lady stood at the entrance beside her butler.
"Alfons, please take our guests' coats," she told him.
She was a prim lady with a powerful presence. Her entire outfit was on point as was every inch of hair in place. Alfons began collecting our coats.
"Hello mother," Mrs Maythorne said.
"Hello daughter."
Were they robots or what?
"You must be the new ones," the O.G. Mrs Maythorne said to Jesper and me. She pulled my arm and looked me up and down. Then she did the same to Jesper.
If I didn't feel like a doll before, I definitely did now.
"You may leave your gifts in the foyer. If they're the usual stale chocolates and panettone, then I'll be feeding them to the pigeons."
"You kill pigeons?" I asked.
She spun round to glare at me, but Nathaniel stepped up to my side. "We have an inside joke about it."
Mrs Maythorne's mother softened at Nathaniel. He really had people eating out of the palm of his hand.
Then, she spun round and exclaimed, "Rochelle! You are two minutes late."
Mrs Maythorne apologized, "We had a shoe issue."
"Rochelle," Jesper repeated.
"Rochelle!" I sang along.
She has a first name!
"Will you two stop being clowns?" Mrs Maythorne hissed at us.
We answered in unison, "Yes Rochelle!"
The look Mama Maythorne gave us was enough to silence us forever. She was way more intimidating than her daughter... if that was even possible.
A/N: I hope you liked that chapter! Please vote if you did :) And the next one will be out tomorrow!
So Nate, Jesper and Georgia are all fighting now. And it feels a bit weird writing about winter in the middle of summer haha.