Once I arrive in class, I slide into my seat and force myself to pay attention during the whole hour. To actually learn something, for once, so I can take my mind off of everything else that's bothering me. Instead of daydreaming, I listen and concentrate on the lesson. I take notes from the slides. I participate when my teacher calls on me.

I keep up this go-getter attitude in second period as well. Then, in third. In fourth, too.

I check in with Cruz every now and then. We text back and forth during my passing periods. My guy tells me that he's bored out of his mind in the detention room. Cruz finished all of his homework around lunchtime, so, now, all he can do is twiddle his thumbs and stare at the wall. For the most part, though, he seems fine.

To my surprise, I manage to slug through the rest of the day without losing my focus or catching a single glimpse of Chrissa. I'm beyond relieved. I really lucked out today.

After the final dismissal bell chimes, I run out of the classroom and fight against the stampede of students in the hallway. I feel like a fish going upstream, hurrying toward the soccer field to find Cruz. I've never really been into sports, but I can't wait to see him in action. I bet he'll look fuckable as hell while kicking around a soccer ball. Maybe he'll even be shirtless. A big, stupid smile spreads across my face. My heart flutters with anticipation.

The moment I step out of the main building, however, three very blonde heads catch my eye. Alarm rams into me. My smile freezes and my heart drops right then and there.

Chrissa and two of her besties, Leilani and Whitney, are walking towards me.

Fuck!

As our gazes lock, they leer at my grungy jeans and tee outfit as critically as I eye their picture perfect poshness.

Today they're dressed like the villains in a bad teen movie. Preppy, rich, and entitled. Blonde, blonde, and blonder. It's very Scottsdale of them. I'm pretty sure Chrissa is the only natural blonde in their trio, though. Leilani's dark brown roots are showing, and Whitney's shade of silver-white blonde looks like it probably came from a dye bottle rather than genetics.

On their own, Leilani and Whitney aren't as nasty as Chrissa, but, together, the three of them seem to feed off one another's bitchiness, merging into some sort of three-headed bitchy blob that preys on poor and unsuspecting souls.

Poor and unsuspecting souls like me.

The will to stand up for myself dissipates. I'm outnumbered. I just want to get away and find Cruz. Unfortunately, before I can dip, Chrissa approaches me. Leilani and Whitney trail closely behind her, effectively blocking my escape routes on either side of their queen bee.

A smirk rests on Chrissa's glossy petal-pink lips as she greets me, "Hey, slut."

"What perfect timing," Whitney drawls. She's looking at me like I'm a bug that needs to be squashed.

Feeling nervous and tense, I inquire, "What do you mean by perfect timing?"

Leilani snickers unpleasantly. "We were just talking about your slutty ass. And then your slutty ass shows up. See? Perfect timing."

My heart lurches with unease.

"I gotta go," I mumble, struggling to keep my voice calm and steady as I try to maneuver around them.

Chrissa moves to block my way. She growls, "I heard Cruz Recker got into a fight yesterday."

My eyes widen at the mention of Cruz's name. I don't want to talk to Chrissa about Cruz. I don't want to talk to her about a single fucking thing, actually.

Maybe if I ignore her, she'll get bored and go away?

I stare down at my shoes and say nothing.

Undeterred, Chrissa presses on, "Brody told me everything."

I glance up, but I stay silent.

Her blue eyes harden like ice. "They're both suspended now. Because of you."

Leilani chimes in again, "Cruz has never gotten into a fight over a girl before."

"Yeah, seriously," Whitney side-eyes me and remarks, "what's going on between you two? You giving him free bags of weed or something?"

"More like," Leilani whispers loudly to Whitney, "she's giving him free BJ's on the side."

Whitney giggles under her breath. "Oh, my God! You're so right. She's such a whore. I bet she sucks at BJ's, though. Poor Cruz. He should come to me next time. I'll blow his fucking mind."

Over the next two minutes, Leilani and Whitney continue to insult me as though I'm not standing right in front of them. Some of my fear melts away. Anger surges inside me over their vile attitude.

I wonder how much Chrissa has told Leilani and Whitney about what happened at Sam's party?

Do they know that Chrissa drugged me?

Do they know about the pics and vids of Brody pretending to fuck me?

Do they know that Cruz and Alison were the ones who came to my rescue?

Granted, Leilani and Whitney may be shitty human beings, but, if they're aware of everything that went down and still have the nerve to say this kind of shit to me, then the pair of them are as despicable as Chrissa and Brody.

I refuse to let them taint Cruz's rep with their brand of evil. These bitches can gossip about me all they want, but they aren't allowed to drag Cruz as well. Not on my watch. Adrenaline spikes through me. It's fueled by an instinct to protect Cruz.

With Cruz on my mind, I finally find my voice and give Leilani and Whitney the dirtiest of looks. "Oh, fuck off! Cruz isn't anything to me, and I'm nothing to him. You guys don't know shit."

"Then," Chrissa counters, "why did he punch Brody in the cafeteria?"

I supply in snarky tones, "Some guys just have punchable faces."

Leilani released a scoff, "Are you blind? There's nothing punchable about Brody Carlisle. He's one of the hottest guys at school."

I laugh harshly. "You think he's hot?"

Leilani arches a defiant eyebrow. "I do."

"Maybe Cruz thinks Brody is a piece of shit," I retort, "and decided to give that fucker a taste of his own drugs."

"His own drugs?" Whitney echoes in mocking tones. "Is English your second language, Athena? Because that's not even the right saying."

I choose not to acknowledge Whitney and, instead, shoot Chrissa a pointed look. "Did I say—drugs? Sorry, I meant to say—drugged. Oops, I mean—medicine."

Chrissa glares at me warningly. "Watch it, Athena."

"Chill, bitch, can't you take a joke?" I fire back in a tight voice. My eyes lock on to Chrissa. "Honestly, I don't know why Cruz got in a fight with Brody yesterday. I think Brody is a fucking sweetheart. Just like you. Right, bestie?"

Chrissa's mouth falls open as she sucks in a gasp of outrage.

Instantly sensing the hot tea between us, Leilani and Whitney's eyes dart between Chrissa and me with unmasked intrigue. 

Their curious, clueless expressions make me think that, maybe, they don't know much about what went down at Sam's party, after all?

Maybe they don't even know that Chrissa has been cheating on her boyfriend with Brody?

I decide to hold onto these questions. For some reason, I feel like they might be worth revisiting later.

"Ugh, I'm so over this bitch and her big, stupid mouth," Chrissa suddenly exclaims. "Let's go, girls!"

Her voice sounds oddly panicked.

Without another word, Chrissa pivots on her heel and stomps away. Leilani and Whitney dash after her like good little minions, still wearing the same curious, clueless looks on their perfectly done up faces.

I stare after their retreating forms in disbelief. I can't believe that I actually managed to stand my ground against them. In fact, I'm shocked that it was so easy to chase away an evil, scary bitch like Chrissa Lawrence. For several nights in a row, I could barely sleep because of what Chrissa and Brody did to me. They became my monsters in the dark. Up until yesterday, Chrissa and Brody still terrified me. In the restroom. In the school cafeteria. Now, though, I'm seeing things more clearly. Chrissa is still an evil, scary bitch in my mind. But she's also a dumb bitch who knows that she fucked up, got caught, and is way too desperate to cover up the damage.

At the end of the day, Chrissa's reputation matters far more to her than mine matters to me.

Because she has everything to lose.

She cares a whole lot about what her friends think about her. She's scared that I'll spill the tea in front of them. She's scared to lose her boyfriend. She's scared to lose her popularity. She's scared to lose all the influence she wields over everyone at school.

A diabolical thought passes through my mind: Next time Chrissa tries to give me hell, I know what to do. I may not be pressing charges against her, or Brody, but I'm definitely going to fight them as much as possible. I'm not only fighting for my sake, though. I'm fighting for Cruz as well. He's too good for this ugly world. There's no way in hell I'm going to stand by and let bitches like Chrissa or Brody or Leilani or Whitney hurt him.

I have to live up to the name my mom gave me. It's time to wise up and get ready for war with these bitches.

With this hardening new resolve, a wave of strength washes over me. It casts some light on my monsters in the dark. Chrissa and Brody are still scary, but they no longer terrorize me in a crippling, paralyzing way.

I feel quiet sense of triumph as I rush over to the soccer field to seek out my favorite green-eyed boy.