Life Of A Bitch

12

I step down the platform and thank Mr. Das, at the same time relishing the bewildered and confused look on Callaghan's face.

Gotcha, didn't I?

Brandon's hovering around her, along with the other nerds, asking her if she was okay and obviously calling me names to comfort her. Why does she need to do drama? All the drama is entitled to me, only me. She was wrong and she needs to admit it. We all make mistakes, though not as stupid as yours, but we do and admitting them makes us stronger. Just like I committed the mistake of thinking Callaghan an easy enemy. Which she isn't, I admit.

Just as I'm about to reach my desk, Callaghan runs out of the class, sniffling. Now, if only she and I were in the class, she wouldn't have done so. Rather, we would've gotten into a verbal fight, which would turn to physical. But, Brandon is in the class and so are her nerdo followers. In order to keep up her identity of the 'innocent, repeatedly wronged, shy and pretty' nerd, she has to do something dramatic to make them feel even sorry for her, and hate me even more- even if all I did was to prove her wrong.

She resembles you so strongly, right?

What the hell are you talking about?

I mean, she would make a good queen bitch.

The thought makes me wanna puke. She? The Queen of bitches? She may be evil, but she has a crush on Brandon and she would never have the guts to disappoint Brandon.

Unlike me, the strong, gutsy Queen.

You forgot two-faced, obsessive hypocrite.

Shut up.

The nerds exit class one by one, staring at me, as if I'm some zombie. The last to exit is Brandon. I quickly look down, too afraid too meet him in the eye. When I think he has exited the class, I look up, only to find him standing at the doorway, looking at me. Our eyes meet, and he whips his head around and walks out.

He's embarrassed to even be caught looking at me. Huh.

"You are quite ahead of us in studies, aren't you?" Aiden says, pecking me on the neck. "Good."

We are sitting on the bleachers. As it's Friday, it's game night and us girls just got changed into our canary-yellow cheer costumes. There was an awkward conversation about what happened in the Physics class but I managed to convince them by saying I watched Interstellar last night. Since no one really cared about what Interstellar was -I told them it was about the topic of today's class discussion- I think I am safe. But I don't like how Anita looks at me from time to time.

What, Anita? Can't you mind your own damn business?

The West High team is getting ready and I watch their cheerleaders practising handstands. They're wearing cherry red costumes and oh, do they look lovely. Our canary-yellow looks somewhat good in the cold season but in the hot weather, they make pale-cheeked girls look sallow and rosy-cheeked girls alarmingly scarlet. Of course no one knows, as we look like this just during the practice. During the games, heavy makeup saves us from looking like ugly toads- that's another thing that at the end of the game, we need to rush into the washrooms before anyone could see that our makeup ruined by sweat.

"I told you- I watched Interstellar yesterday," I gush and kiss him on the cheek. "Good luck, babe."

He kisses me back and stands up. "I don't need your luck, babe. I am sure we'll win."

Even though River High has some of the lousiest students, when it comes to football, we have the best players- like the gods of football. They win every match against the other schools, making us invincible at the game. I have to admit, even though I hate my stupid gang, I love the guys' team spirit during matches. I too used to play football with Dad and Alz, but at the beginning of middle school, I dropped it. The budding Queen should be girly. She shouldn't be playing football. And when I saw girl athletes being avoided by the cool girls, I was happy about my decision.

I look around us and find many nerds too, sitting around, drinking cola. Just as I expected. West High football-players kind of sucked, until this year. Many say they now have the best players in the city, a few who even played at National levels. They beat every single team here, which leaves only us. So, this is sure one interesting match and nobody wanted to miss it. Look, even Miss Callaghan is here, clicking away on her Polaroid.

I look at the field, towards the commentator stand. There, with our Principal sit the student president and sports president. Brandon and Anna are checking their mics, as they would do the commentary as usual. I sigh and walk towards Stephanie, who is clicking adorable selfies with Nathan. Nathan sees me approaching, smiles and walks away to talk with the guys.

"You alright?" Steph asks.

I nod. Why did she say that?

The coach calls all the guys together, which is our cue to take positions. I create the formation in which we are supposed stand and take our Pom-Poms.

Now we wait for the whistle.

"This is a disaster!" Aiden shouts, opening his helmet and throwing it away. "They are gonna win! We are gonna lose!"

Yes, this is a disaster. West High scored a touchdown within minutes and boy, were they playing aggressive. We didn't even make ten yards within the downs, resulting into us giving WH the set of downs. It was a series of touchdowns for them. What is happening? It was never this bad with River High.

"Calm down, Aiden," Coach says. "We're gonna do something."

"No we aren't!" Aiden shouts and storms off towards the restrooms. Everybody looks at me expectantly.

What? Me? I'm not gonna calm him! Do I look like his mother?

Fortunately, Anita arrives, sweaty from all the cheerleading.

"Where were you?" I ask her roughly. She disappeared abruptly in the middle of our routine, causing us to start again. Not that anyone noticed everyone's eyes were glued to the game.

"Bennett sent me on an errand," she whined, panting.

The principal sent her on an errand?

"Why?" I ask, eyeing her suspiciously. She senses my suspicions and shoves me. "What the hell are you thinking? I didn't give a BJ to him to pass my tests! I was on my way to the restrooms when I saw him violently coughing beside the Men's WC. He spotted me and told me get some coffee and his coughing pills from his office. I had to go all the way to the office to get his pills, but I can't find the coffee guy anywhere."

I look at the commentator stand. "Bennett looks fine," I observe aloud.

"Of course he looks fine, he drank some water, duh. Listen, can you find the coffee guy and give Bennett some coffee and his pills?" She asks, handing me an orange coloured pill bottle. I look at Anita, who looks genuinely tired. So I take the pills from her. I finally find the coffee guy exiting the Men's WC and buy some coffee, add a pill- or more, who cares?- and walk towards the commentator stand.

Brandon isn't there and neither is Mr. Bennett, so I ask Anna to give the coffee to him and return.

Aiden returns too, relieving everyone of the task of spreading out to search for him. I feel bad a bit for him so I kiss him and wish him good luck again.

"My head's killing me babe," he says and walks off to the guys.

I walk towards my team.

The third quarter begins with Aiden scoring a touchdown quickly. He's killing it now. We all cheer and roars of "Go Aiden" come from the bleachers. I smile. We're gonna win.

And then, when everything is alright, Aiden falls down suddenly, face-first. As if he's been shot.