"So are we going to sit here in silence forever?" The principal sighed, rubbing her temples in a calming manner. She had been quite an absent principal, in all honesty. There have been so many issues in our school, and she hasn't really been taking care of them. But who am I to judge? I haven't really dealt with any of my issues either.

"Come on kids, just tell me how this happened" She huffed, typing something into her computer. I looked around the room, searching for something to switch my attention to. Tom glanced at me, giving me the death glare. He was trying to silently threaten me, so I wouldn't say anything. Little did I know, Austin saw his glare as well.

"Tom, all of his jock-buddies, Lindsay, and her cheer-slaves," Austin said simply.

"Excuse me?" The principal asked, confused. She stopped typing and completely turned away from her computer to look at the three of us.

"That's what happened...they happened" Austin groaned, aggravated by her cluelessness. My eyes widened at his bluntness and I quickly sank into my chair. As I did this, it was hard to ignore all the different aches and pains I felt. Physical and psychological.

"They've all been bullying Tina, for a while now. Ever heard that? No? Hm, shocker. That'll make you the only person in this school who doesn't fucking know" Austin spat, making me sink even lower in the chair." They've been beating her, humiliating her, treating her like crap" He continued, his anger rising by the second.

She stared at him in complete and utter shock, before turning to look at me."Is this true, Ms.White?" She asked, concern taking over her aged features.

I avoided eye contact at all costs, staring at anything but her face. My bottom lip started to tremble and I had to bite it, to make it stop.

"Tina?" She tried again.

I gulped, trying to calm my mind. It was on overdrive, trying to think of ways to avoid telling my mother about all of this. Should I lie? Should I just say that Austin made it all up? No, I couldn't.

"Tina" She demanded I look at her.

I let my eyes land on her's, immediately regretting it. She looked extremely concerned. I had never seen her like this before. Maybe it was because she never noticed anything and felt guilty. Maybe she was just worried about what my parents will do to the school's reputation. Little does she know, my parents don't give a crap. They're just as clueless as her.

Also, I guessed she realized all those trips to the nurse weren't just accidents...

"Yes..." I finally answered, my voice coming out as a barely audible whisper.

Her frown deepened, visibly trying to make sense of it all."I will call your parents, Tina. And we will surely get to the bottom of this. I promise" She assured me as if I demanded it from her. Okay, I know she's just doing her job. But I really, really didn't need this.

I nodded, curtly.

There was no way to get out of this and that realization slowly settled in my mind.
Either way, she would need to inform my mother.

Which will most likely lead to a series of unfortunate events for me...

***

I stood in front of the dirty restroom mirror, examining my tear-stained face. There goes my pretty makeup...

After fixing myself up, I made my way to the cafeteria. My thoughts slowly drifted off to this morning's events.

Tom, Lindsay, and everyone else involved got suspended until further investigation- as the principal said. Their parents were getting called in for a 'serious' talk this afternoon, along with my mother and stepfather. To my greatest joy, I don't need to be there.

I, however, saw no point in this whole ordeal. They wouldn't be able to prove anything anyway. My word against all of those snobby parents? Yeah, no luck there.

I had many documented visits to the nurse's office but none of them indicate that I was beaten. Firstly, because I never went to the nurse's office if it was really bad. I only went if it was minor, just to get out of going to class. Besides, I always told the nurse that I was just clumsy.

As for eyewitnesses, who the heck would have the guts to go against Tom and his herd of dumb sheep? Okay, Austin and Tara don't count.

"Wow, so they finally got what was coming for them..." Tara whistled, plopping down across from me with her tray. I stared at the cold food on my tray, wishing I was at home.

"Hey...Tina," She frowned, reaching over and rubbing my arm soothingly."You know it'll be okay, right? Maybe this will be a wake-up call for your mom. Who knows?"

"Nothing will ever be a wake-up call for her!" I snorted, dropping my fork. This was when I noticed all the eyes on me. Everyone knew. The entire school was gushing with the fresh drama.

Rumors spread fast in our school.

"Brooo, come on, stop being an asshole. Let's sit with the ginger chic and her friend!"

My ears perked at the mention of my hair. After all, I was the only 'ginger chic' in our school.

"I said no, Caleb" A familiar voice answered.

I looked up, spotting Austin, Caleb, and Sebastian in the queue. Austin glanced our way and I quickly dropped my gaze back to my cold food.

"Ginger chic, huh?" Tara snickered, biting into her apple loudly.

I scrunched up a napkin and threw it at her head, rolling my eyes.

"Seems like lover-boy doesn't want to sit with you, Tina. Must be the unbearable sexual tension between you two...he's afraid he won't be able to hold back!" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she picked the napkin up off the floor.

"Will you ever shut up!" I hissed, ignoring the looks from the badboy squad.

Oh, Jesus.
The bad boy squad?

Really?!

"Sup, pretty ladies!" A voice barged into our conversation.

I looked up to see Caleb Gray grinning down at us. He was the typical beloved class clown that every school had. He, Austin, and Sebastian have been best friends for as long as I can remember. Caleb was definitely attractive, as were all three of them, but he could be really annoying sometimes. Especially when you're trying to take a test...

"May I join you fine ladies at this exquisite lunch table?" He faked a 'posh' voice as he plopped down onto one of the empty seats.

"Caleb, I said no"

I switched my attention to a very pissed-off Austin, standing right beside my seat.

"And I said," Caleb stuck a straw into his drink, rolling his eyes in the sassiest way imaginable."That I want to sit here!" He pursed his lips.

"Dude, shut up...you're embarrassing as hell..." Sebastian Price huffed, setting his tray next to Tara's and also taking a seat. Sebastian was the shy guy of their trio. I had a group project with him once and he was honestly the sweetest guy. Which was unexpected because he was in the badboy friend group.

The only empty seat left was the one between Caleb and me, leaving Austin with no other option."Sit down already, Mrs.Pouty Pants" Caleb snickered, stuffing his face with fries.

Austin groaned in reply before lazily lowering himself down onto the seat next to me.

"So, you guys aren't very talkative huh?" Caleb spoke again with a mouth full of fries.

"What do you expect? You've never spoken to them. And I've spoken to Tina like once..." Sebastian rolled his eyes at Caleb, leaning back in his seat.

"Lies!" Caleb exclaimed, pointing a finger at Austin."This guy has talked to them, and not once!" He grinned mischievously. Austin muttered something about Caleb being a spastic idiot under his breath and I stifled a laugh.

"Em..." Tara sipped on her water awkwardly."I don't think I've ever conversed with you guys before, except Austin..."

"Conversed?" Caleb made a weird face at her."Nah, bro. She's too smart for you, Seb" He shook his head at Sebastian, munching on more fries.

Tara's entire face grew red, as did Sebastian's.

"Eat your fries already!" Sebastian slapped Caleb across the head.

I flinched at this and Austin's head snapped my way."Sorry" I muttered to him, feeling uncomfortable under his stare.

"What did the principal say in the end?" He asked simply, ignoring my apology. I looked around at everyone, making sure no one could listen in.

Although, everyone probably already knew everything.

"They're suspended until further investigation. All the parents are going to be called in today..." I spoke quietly, taking a small sip of my water.

"That's good, I guess" He nodded, grabbing his soda from the tray. I watched as he took a sip out of the can. He looked anxious, in a way. Almost as if something wasn't allowing him to relax. Like he was on edge.

His gaze landed on my tray."Why aren't you eating?" He asked, rather loudly. All heads at our table turned my way, curiously.

Tara, however, scrunched up her eyebrows at this. She knew why.

"I'm not hungry" I shrugged awkwardly, feeling self-conscious.

"Nah, girl" Caleb shook his head, grabbing a few of my fries."I'm not gonna let you waste some perfectly good fries!"

Austin slapped his hand, making him wince."Let her eat the goddamn fries, you idiot!" He gave him a warning look.

I coughed to gain their attention.

"I'm not hungry, he can have them if he wants" I shrugged, flashing a small smile Caleb's way.

Caleb stuck his tongue out at Austin, earning a death glare in return. Sebastian just shook his head at them as he ate his fries.

"No, she's hungry" Tara spoke up.

"See?" Austin flashed Caleb a 'take that' look.

I groaned angrily, grabbing a few fries and stuffing them in my mouth angrily."Happy?" I gave them all an exaggerated fake smile with a mouthful of fries.

Caleb patted my back with a smug expression on his face."There you go!" He cooed.

Austin smacked his hand away, muttering profanities under his breath. Tara raised her eyebrows at this and I already knew what was going on in that messed up mind of hers.

I rolled my eyes at all of them, taking a few more fries off my tray.

"So, Tina..." Caleb stole a fry from Austin's plate as he spoke to me."How long have you and Austin been fucking?"

I choked on the fries, coughing aggressively.

"Are you mentally challenge or did your mother just drop you as a baby?" Austin slapped Caleb across the head, again. This time, it sounded quite painful.

I chugged my water, feeling my cheeks burn from embarrassment.

Tara reached over, handing me a napkin.

"What?!" Caleb whined, rubbing the back of his head soothingly."You guys seem like you fucked and it wasn't the best experience in the world, so now you're both awkward around each other" He defended himself. I gaped at him, glancing at everyone to make sure that I wasn't the only one hearing this.

Austin dragged his hand down his face, once again muttering profanities.

I just stared at Caleb in complete and utter shock. What shocked me the most was that he actually seemed pretty confident about his claims.

"Excuse me?! We did what?" I choked, grabbing my water again.

"Fucked" Caleb shrugged, slurping his drink."Like, y'know how it goes...he stuck his dingaling into your whoohaw..."

My mouth dropped to the floor as Sebastian and Tara burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter.

"We didn't fuck!" Austin deadpanned.

"But they definitely did something!" Tara piped up, excited about the topic. I threw another scrunched up napkin at her forehead in an attempt to shut her up.

"Ahhhh!" Caleb rubbed the palms of his hands together."We have an eye witness!"

Tara chuckled, sipping her water before beginning to talk again."Well, when we were at the party-"

"The party you two stripped at?" Caleb cut her off, casually. Is this what Tom was talking about? We stripped?! Oh Dear God...

I groaned loudly, sinking into the seat to escape the conversation.

"Yes." Tara nodded, also casually."He got all mad and wanted her to put her dress back on, but she was shitfaced drunk. So she started playing with him and then they went outside for about 10-15mins. Anything could've happened when they were alone"

Suddenly all the memories from last night hit me like a truck.

"Nothing happened!" Both Austin and I exclaimed in unison. My eyes widened and I blushed deeply, avoiding Austin's piercing gaze.

Caleb's eyes darted from me to Austin, curiously."We have some liars on our case..." He muttered, acting as if he was a detective in CSI or something.

"Maybe they nearly fucked?" Sebastian wondered out loud. Tara nodded, completely agreeing with him. I gaped at them. Are they serious?!

"Are you all out of your minds?" I shrieked with embarrassment, my face probably the exact shade of a tomato.

"Maybe" Caleb shrugged, stealing one of my fries."But I won't rest my case" He added.

"There is no case" Austin shook his head at his friend.

"Objection!" Caleb slammed his fist on the table, scaring me a little."Witness A, testified otherwise" He argued.

"Dismissed" Sebastian banged the table with his fork as if it were a judge's hammer.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you guys watch Law&Order..." Austin sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Your opinion is invalid!" Caleb waved Austin off, chewing rather loudly on purpose.

I watched all of them in confusion. Why did they all decide to sit here, out of nowhere?

"What's with the face?" Austin spoke so only I would hear.

Tara laughed about something with Sebastian and Caleb, as I turned my attention to Austin."Why did you guys want to sit here?" I asked, staring into his eyes.

He looked lost for a moment as he stared back at me, before turning his gaze to Caleb."That idiot wanted to get in on the scoop of the daily drama" He groaned, giving Caleb a look of pure annoyance."He couldn't get anything out of me so he thought he'd try you"

"So why isn't he asking me about it then?" I wondered.

"Because he's a pussy" Austin snorted, kicking Caleb's chair.

I chuckled as Caleb jumped.

"Is he talking shit about me?" Caleb straightened up, giving Austin a mocking glare.

"Nope!" I popped the 'p', still chucking about his reaction to almost falling off his chair.

"Yeah right! Like I'd believe you. You're involved with the suspect...I can't trust anything you say!" He said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Objection. False accusation." Austin said in a monotone voice, making Tara and I burst into laughter.

"I'll allow it" Sebastian shrugged.

"I'll rephrase!" Caleb held his hands up defensively.

"Oh shut up already" Austin slapped him again."What, do you memorize every phrase from the fucking show?"

Caleb threw two fries at Austin's face, before rubbing his head again."For your information, foul language in the courtroom is unacceptable"

Austin shook his head, turning his attention back to me."Ignore him, he's not the brightest" He smirked, knowing this would bug Caleb.

Caleb placed his hand on his heart, wiping a fake tear away with his other hand."That...was a low blow. Even for you, Austin Black" He fake cried.

Sebastian threw a napkin at Caleb's face."Wipe that snot off your face" He muttered mockingly.

"I was pretending!" Caleb huffed.

"Really?!" Sebastian gasped, looking around quickly."No one noticed" He said sarcastically.

They really are crazy.