Hierarchy

IV

May 2016

Bambi told me she's in here for extortion and attempted murder.

I was really confused how a little girl got wound up in all that but I didn't dare ask, not when I'll only be a hypocrite myself.

She fell into an easy routine, kept her head down, talked back only when talked to and she never ended up in solitary. She was what I could be if my pride didn't get in the way.

"Do you think they'll ever stop?" She asks as she wipes the blood from my back, she's also become my nurse for when things get too bad

"Never,"

*
September 2018

"Loved the showdown earlier today,"

I look up from the book I'm reading to see Vivian, she always managed to look really good and expensive.

I didn't reply to her but she took it upon herself to come and sit down next to me.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll nip this in the bud."

"What's good for me?" I question with a little laugh only to see her face very stern.

"You're close to becoming the most asked about girl in the school, even when you're not sitting with us everyone was looking outside to just catch a glimpse of you, to get back at Kayla, you're going to need to keep that up."

"Did I not already accomplish that?"

"With the little thing with Caleb? He does shit like that to keep her on her toes, if I were you, you need to find something to make her truly embarrassed."

I raise my eyebrow at her, "Are you not Kayla's friend?"

"I'm nobodies friend." Was her response, "But Kayla hates not being the centre of attention, her little stunt only made you more popular and she hates it which makes me extremely happy."

I couldn't help but feel confused, something is clearly up. You can't stay with a girl for god knows how long and then not be her friend.

Maybe this whole hierarchy thing promotes fake friendships and betrayal

"I don't care about popularity," I respond, "But seeing the smile wipe off her face is good enough for me,"

"Perfect, keep doing you, maybe even surprise me and do something outlandish but come to my house on Saturday, I have the perfect revenge." She turns and walks away without giving me her actually address

*

"I can't believe he let you stay there." Ethan's girlfriend, who's name always slips my mind, utters to me "Kayla looked like she was gonna blow her fuse,"

"I know right?" Her friend who thinks we're friends comments, "Obviously Caleb likes you more."

"And how exactly is that obvious?" I question as I pause for Ethan to drive the car around to the entrance

"I mean he let you stay there." The girlfriend continues, "Everyone knows it's been empty forever."

"Everyone knows," the friend confirms

"I thought he does stuff like that all the time to keep her on her toes," I mention what Vivan told me earlier

"Actually, he mostly just sleeps with them, no one ever sits on that chair. at least not twice." the girlfriend informs, I should really commit her name to memory.

"Definitely not twice."

Tweedle Dee and tweedle dumb had a point, I recall the others being really shocked when I could sit there for the second time. It must be a big deal for everyone, though I'm still confused about why the guy decided to help.

"Oh my God, he's walking this way!" the friend exclaims as she flips her hair over her shoulder, I turn around slightly to see him coming my way.

I may want to know why he helped but I'm not interested in the guy to talk or have any type of discussion. Why did we choose today to park down the road from school? It's going to take Ethan forever just to walk to the car, everyone knows how slow of a walker that boy is.

Caleb joined us and looked at the two blonde girls next to me.

"I'm going to go find Arabella. Tell Ethan I said I love him!"

both the girlfriend and her puppet walked away. I turned to face the guy face on. I see why they are all so obsessed with him, if I say he's not hot then I'd be lying but he's nothing special to ruin people for. Just another boy.

"Are you here for a thank you?" I question

"That would be nice but I don't expect it." He says in response, "I'm just here to ask if you're okay. I didn't when Kayla outed you and -"

"Why are you helping me?" I interrupt, "If you don't like Kayla just tell her and don't use me to help get her out of your hair."

He chuckled as if it was amusing to him how I responded to this situation, "I'm helping you for Ethan. You might not know because you were locked up, but Ethan took it really hard and I was the brother he never had. I think it's only right I treat his sister with the same respect."

I stayed quiet for a while and tried to see if he was genuine, Ethan never made it seem like it was hard on him but then again he wouldn't want me to feel bad. I didn't even know he told anyone about me going to jail but I guess Caleb was there for him when I wasn't able to be.

I hear beeping and I turn to see that Ethan had pulled up the car. I look back to Caleb, "Thank you." I move to leave but then look back at him, he raises an eyebrow, "Do you have Vivian's address?"

"Yes?"

"Can I have it?" he narrows his eyes as if trying to understand what I'm on about

"Give me your number and I'll text it to you," he replies and I can't decide if that was just a really slick way to ask for my number or if he's just trying to help.

Either way, I pull my pen out of my pocket and grabbed his hand to write on it, "Just her address is all I need, then you can delete me."

he looked down at the number on his hand and then back at me, "I'll use it wisely."

I roll my eyes and walk towards the car with Ethan staring at me with a perplexed look on his face, "What?" I ask as I sit down

"That was the longest conversation I've ever seen him have, usually he just listens and not talk back."

"Creepy and sad," I respond putting on my seatbelt, Ethan shrugs.

"He's a good listener."