Hierarchy

VI

June 2016

"Why is she still staring?" Bambi asks in a low voice, I know she's talking about Ines.

"She's trying to taunt us, you have to get used to it, Bambi. Don't let it get to your head." I tell her.

Bambi plays with her food, glancing up at Ines slightly, "She has this really ugly ulcer on her lip, I bet it's herpes."

I let out a little chuckle, "Probably. I heard Officer Upsen gave it to her, now the others won't touch her till she's got it cleared."

"Really? Does that mean she can't touch us for a while?"

If only it meant that, "No, they are still under her command, she'll probably threaten to tell their wives they've been fucking or something." Bambi hums in understanding

"But at least no more solitary for a while, you know, if she stays out of our war and vice versa."

Bambi was put in solitary once, earlier this month. She was a shivering mess for a week after that. Completely messed her up and I vowed never to have that happen to her again.

***

September 2018

"It's awfully quiet on the table," I mention as Kayla's eyes seem to want to pop out of her head.

"A third time, Caleb?" Kayla asks, "Is this really what we're doing?"

He stays quiet making me think that maybe Ethan was telling the truth that he doesn't have very long conversations.

"He wants her here, Kayla. Why do you care so much?" Jude asks and there was a little silent moment between the two which seemed to have sparked Vivian's interest because she did that thing with her eye that she does when she stumbles on important information.

"Anyway, Viv, are we still doing the party tomorrow?" Quinton asks and Vivian nods her head

"That's great, I haven't been able to dress up in a minute," Paulette announces but everyone ignores her

"Are we invited?" One of the junior elite people asked from the end of the table

"Everyone who sits here is." Quinton states and Kayla clears her throat making us all look at her, "What now?"

"Everyone who is a permanent member can, sure." She corrects smiling at Quinton

It's clear she was directing the comment at me but it only made me smile at how bothered she is by my presence. 

"If Gi doesn't go then I'm not going." Ethan declares and the other juniors sigh because it means they're not going.

"That's perfectly fine with me." Kayla shrugs

"Ethan's coming," Caleb finally speaks and everyone stays quiet and respects his decision like the King they take him to be.

Is this how he helped Ethan when I was away? Stuck up for him when others wouldn't? It would explain why Ethan has such respect for him.

"So Regina is coming." Ethan replies and Kayla shakes her head giving a firm no.

"Actually, It's my house so I can invite who I want," Vivian states before looking at me, "It's the same address Caleb gave you the other day."

We've been pretty good at acting like I've never been at her house on Saturday or even talk to her at all but I could see Ethan's face look confused and I gave him a look that meant he didn't comment on it

"Since when did you and Caleb talk?" Paulette questions

If I didn't know any better, I would say that Paulette likes Caleb too but she's too much of a people pleaser that she's allowing Kayla to take him instead. Sad, if you ask me.

"You think she sits there and they don't talk?" Jude questions, "You must be dumber than you look"

they all started arguing and I turn to look at Caleb who gives me a little smirk, "You deal with this every day?"

"You get used to it." was his response.

"I'll rather be in solitary," I mutter and for the first time, he actually laughed which caused the people on the table to stop arguing and look down at our side of the table.

It's clear he doesn't get funny people talk to him because that honestly wasn't even a joke let alone a good one but it still made him laugh.

"What did you say to him?" Kayla demanded

"That's confidential," I reply and take another bite of my food. I could feel her hanger in waves and it made me smile even more.

 "So are you coming, Gi?" Quinton asks and I wonder why he thinks that he's able to call me that but I shake my head anyway, "Oh come on, you can't let Kayla bully you out of coming."

I laugh at the notion that Kayla could ever scare me out of something. "I just don't party anymore."

This caught Vivian's attention but the bell rang and everyone started to move.

"Jude, can I talk to you for a minute," I call before he could leave and he raised his eyebrow at me but stayed and I waited for everyone to leave not without seeing Kayla and Paulette's suspicious eyes.

"What does miss jailbird want from me?" he asks leaning on the table

"Firstly call me that again and there will be a problem." I warn and he smirks at me, "Secondly, I want you to swear you will not tell anyone the information I possess until I'm ready."

"Oh, it better be good." He tells me and I bring his copy of the USB out of my pocket.

"I need these picture's everywhere. Not on social media but actually around the school. Not now but when I call upon it, you supply."

He took the USB and looked at me curiously, "What do I get in return?"

I knew it was coming but I have nothing to offer him, "What do you want?"

"Why don't you party anymore?"

It's a simple question with such a difficult answer. How do you say you killed someone at a party? "Let's just say, the last party I went to, someone died." 

You would think that would make him stop asking questions but if anything, he looked more intrigued, "Who?"

"One question, one favour." I tell him, "Thanks for the help."