Chapter Twenty-Six

Charlotte

"You're late," Summer griped when I walked into the bedroom. She was sitting on my bed looking through the different books I had on my bedside table.

I raised my eyebrows at her in disbelief – it was only ten past eight. She pierced her lips challengingly while tossing my books back on the table.

Sighing, I said, "Fine, I'm sorry. I was-"

"Hanging out with Rayden?" She questioned, folding her arms. "Yah – I know, which is kind of why I agreed to talk to you."

Slowly tilting my head, skepticism rolled over me in waves. "W-what exactly do you mean?"

"Well, I've noticed that you and Rayden have become close lately," she said, casually inspecting her nails. When she looked up at me, a hint of hopefulness danced within the depths of her eyes, "So I was thinking you could put in a good word for me."

Recoiling, there was a long pause before I finally blurted, "You're serious?"

"Of course I am."

"After everything you've put me through," I asked in disbelief, motioning toward my hair. "You actually have the nerve to ask me for a favour?"

Summer's chubby cheeks inflated when she clenched her jaw. "Well, if you want advice on how to deal with some of the other girls, then you'll do this for me," was her defence.

Tensing, I lowered my eye lids and glared at her. Indecisiveness wiggled into way into my mind and I couldn't decide what to do. On one hand, I was revolted by the notion of helping one of the girls who'd been making my life a living nightmare since I got here, but on the other hand, I really did need a way to finally put a stop to all the bullying.

Then there was the fact that I didn't even want to put the idea of Summer into Rayden's head. He may have been a cocky daredevil with a death wish, but he deserved much better than a girl who obviously had no backbone. It was obvious, to me at least, that Summer was more of a follower than a leader. She likely did what the other girls told her to just to save her own hide.

"Well?" Summer nagged, standing up and placing her hands on each hip.

I guess I could always just mention her name and Rayden could make up his own mind – he was a pretty smart guy.

"Fine," I said reluctantly. "You have yourself a deal. Now, how do I stop them from harassing me?"

A haughty smile crept onto her face and she walked over to her bedside table and began digging around in the drawer. "First, you need to start with Lizz," she said over her shoulder, pulling a few things out and then walking over to me. "If you get Lizz on your side, then Brittney will follow. That girl is head over heels for Lizz, even though Lizz doesn't swing that way."

Huh, I didn't even know Brittney swung that way, but it did make sense seeing as she was the only one who didn't gush incisively over Rayden. Even Mack, who was apparently dating Danny, prattled on about how ruggedly sexy Rayden was.

"So, how do I get Lizz on my side?"

"Easy," Summer assured, opening up her hand to reveal a pair of brass knuckles. "You have to kick her ass."

Almost tripping over my own feet, I took a step back and gaped. "W-what?"

"It's the only way to gain Lizz's respect," Summer said with a grave expression. "Right now she thinks you are a pathetic wuss who's too weak to stick up for herself. She won't stop until you either break, or finally fight back."

"But why?!" I exasperated. "Physical violence accomplishes nothing." I was flooded with thoughts of my parents and all their fights over the years, all the violence and pain I was dragged through only for it to kill my mom in the end and land my dad in jail. Every cell in my body was against violence, and I refused to fight because of it.

Summer shrugged and leaned up against my bedpost. "I don't know – Lizz had a pretty hard life so she's kinda obsessed with the whole 'Survival of the Fittest' conception. If you can't prove that you're strong enough to protect yourself, then she'll just keep pushing you. We've all been through it – you don't even have to win."

"That's absurd!"

"No, I'm serious. When I fought her, she totally kicked my ass, but she respected me afterwards for having the courage to stand up to her." Summer interjected, misinterpreting my exclamation.

I thought the entire idea was absurd, not merely the fact that Lizz would still respect you if you lost against her. Although, that just made the fighting seem unnecessary – how would losing in a fight show proof of strength? How did fighting show strength at all?

"I don't believe in fighting – it proves nothing but maybe a lack of strength in self-discipline."

Summer, grabbing my hands, sighed heavily before placing the brass knuckles against my palms. "Maybe you're right, but do you really want us to continue harassing you because of you moral principles?" She curled my fingers around the metal and let go. "I really don't want to hurt you anymore than we already have, so just go and fight her."

"Why do you need Lizz's approval, why don't you just stop?"

"I can't," she whispered with a regretful look on her face. "I'm not like the other girls, I'm not a strong person so I need strong friends. I go where ever the numbers are, and right now that's with Mack, Lizz and Brittney." Her eyes widened slightly, and with a sense of desperate optimism, she added, "So, if you prove to Lizz you're strong, she'll accept you, and so will Brittney."

"And if they both stop bullying me, I gain the numbers so you stop too?" I guessed.

Smiling, she nodded vigorously. "Exactly!"

I pushed my glasses up my nose and looked away, thinking about what she'd told me. Could I sacrifice everything I believed in just to gain the acceptance of my peers? It would make my time here a little easier, but I would be betraying myself in the process.

Plopping down on my bed, I looked up at Summer with narrowed eyes. "And what about Mack – would she stop too?"

Stiffening, Summer's face paled and she quickly glanced toward the bedroom door. When she turned back to me, fear flashed in her unblinking eyes. Lowering her voice, she said, "No, you need to stay away from her."

"I don't understand," I admitted irritably. I hated things that's didn't make sense to me. "I haven't done anything to make her hate me so much."

"It's not what you've done that bothers her, it's what you are." Summer glanced nervously at the door again before slowly sitting down beside me. "You're really smart, and nice, and Mrs. O'Donnell took a liking to you instantly," Summer explained, but her eyes stayed glued to the door. "Mack has always struggled with school, and she has really intense jealousy issues. Nothing you do or say will change her opinion of you, so just stay away from her. And whatever happens, never tattle on her to the O'Donnells."

Something about Summer's severe tone and frightened expression made my stomach twist nervously. "W-why not?"

Summer glanced at me and bit her lip, uncertainty flashed across her face before she finally breathed out in submission. "Fine, but you can never, ever repeat this or else..." she trailed off, her face contorting as she became lost in her own horrific thoughts.

"I won't," I finally said, pulling her out of her trance.

"Okay, last year, there was this girl, Jasmine, who lived here. She was pretty smart, not like you, but she read books and had this thing about correcting Mack's grammar. Mack starting bullying her pretty badly, until one day Jasmine had enough of it so she went and told Mrs. O'Donnell. When confronted, Mack denied it and said that Jasmine was the one bullying her, and obviously, Mrs. O'Donnell believed Mack. Jasmine got chastised pretty badly over the whole thing, and by the next morning, Jasmine was gone.

The police and Child and Family services looked for her for a while, but eventually gave up, determining that she was just another foster kid who ran away after being reprimanded. But there was something weird about that way Mack acted for the first week after Jasmine's disappearance that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She seemed giddier than usual and very full of herself, but when the cops came around she would start fidgeting nervously. The adults all seemed oblivious to it, but I know that something else happened to Jasmine. You just need to look in Mack's eye, and you know that there is something seriously wrong with her."

I wiped my sweaty palms on pants and gulped, trying to cover my fear in false bravado. "So," my voice came out as a squeak. I cleared my throat and said more powerfully, "What do you think really happened to Jasmine?"

"I don't know..." Summer looked down at her clasped fingers and then back up at me, before saying gravely, "But I've done everything in my power to stay on Mack's good side because of it, and although, it's too late for you, I think you should keep your distance and never tell the O'Donnells about Mack."

She got up off my bed and walked over to the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she nodded her head toward the brass knuckles I dropped on the bed beside me. "But you should take my advice and fight Lizz, maybe if the other girls start seeing you as an equal, Mack will eventually come around."

And then she left me sitting there staring down at the weapons she gave me. I picked them up and put my fingers through the holes before inspecting them with a clenched jaw. I wasn't sure if I could ever use them on Lizz, but I might just have to with Mack.

Before coming upstairs to meet Summer, I already talked to Mrs. O'Donnell and I told her everything that happened with Mack. That's why I was ten minutes late showing up.

My insides twisted, and I closed my eyes tightly, fear and regret washing over me. I should've listened to my instincts.

A/N Okay, so I know this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but it just felt right to end it right here. I know I would normally have the next chapter in Christian's P.O.V because I tend to do a Charlie, Charlie, Christian, Charlie, Charlie, Christian rotation, next chapter will be in Charlie's P.O.V again because I didn't fit everything I wanted into this chapter. On the plus side, the next chapter will be updated sometime between tonight and tomorrow afternoon.

So, question of the day: Do you think Charlie should go against everything she believes in and fight Lizz to gain her acceptance?

Vote, Comment and I hope you enjoyed.

Love, Peace and Chicken Grease \m/

Krissy