Surprise flitted across her eyes as I felt a body against my back and arms circled around my waist. I knew it was Jake and he said, “Why don’t you ask me yourself?” Claire’s face brightened with anger. “Well?” Jake asked. She turned around and stalked off with her friends
following her. “Sorry,” Jake said resting his chin on my shoulder.
I leaned into him and took a deep breath. “It’s nothing,” I said.
He kissed my neck and said, “Right. Claire is just Claire. It’s best to ignore her.”
“I should probably get going,” I said, stepping away from him and slinging my bag on my shoulder. I shut my locker and returned the lock.
“I’ll see you at lunch,” he said. I nodded and walked away.
I had a little time before class and I headed towards the bathroom. Two seconds after I got in there, someone pushed me to the ground. I felt the skin breaking on my hands as I fell to the cement floor. I turned around and saw Claire and the two girls hovering over me. I stumbled standing up, noticing they had me backed into a corner.
“Wh-what do you wa-want?”
Claire laughed. “Aw, she’s sccc-cared.”
I tried to hold back the tears as my eyes saw the hate. She poked a finger in my chest and emphasized each word with a poke. “You need to leave Jake alone. He’s mine. I can make your life a living hell. Got it? You’re nothing but garbage and Jake deserves better. He deserves someone like me not you.”
“Okay,” I said quietly, looking at the floor. She laughed and shoved me again before leaving. The bell rang making me tardy. I didn’t care. I took my time in the bathroom. I splashed water on my face to refresh myself. My mood from earlier had disappeared and was replaced with an ominous cloud hanging inches from my head.
I walked slowly to class, digging my nails in my hand, so I could feel physical pain over the emotional pain. I didn’t even try to pay attention and my teacher noticed. I didn’t answer when she called on me. I just turned the volume up on my iPod.
I felt torn. Everything my mom ever said to me slammed into my like a cannon ball. Seeing the hate in Claire’s eyes brought it all back full force. Between that and the past few days with Jake, Drake and my dad, I felt like I was being tugged between believing my mom or the guys. I tried not the think about it as I sat down at the lunch table. I bit my lip and stared at my food.
“Emily?” I looked up to see Jake sitting across from me. “Everything okay?” I avoided his eyes, just in case. I didn’t speak because I didn’t trust what would come out. Instead I opted for shaking my head. He stood, walked around the table and sat beside me. “Em, what’s the matter? Claire?” He asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and bringing me to him.
I didn’t answer him and he took that as a yes. His voice came out in a stern whisper. “Claire is just jealous. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Anything bad anyone could think about you wouldn’t be true. Emily, you have to believe that. Otherwise, you won’t ever be…well, you.”
“You…you don‘t know what she said, what she did.”
He looked at me curiously, waiting for me to continue. “What‘d she say?” He asked quietly. I told him about what happened in the bathroom and he was outraged. “I can’t believe her. I’ll be right back,” he said standing up.
I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Where are you going?”
“To talk to Claire.”
“Jake,” I objected, but he walked off anyway. I watched him as he motioned for the person next Claire to move. He sat beside her and her face lit up upon seeing that Jake was looking at her. She glanced my way with success written all over her face. Jake curled his fingers under her chin, as he has done to me so many times. He made her look at him.
I saw his lips moving and the anger that covered his face. I didn’t know what he was saying, but Claire objected to it by flailing her hands.
She set him off because abruptly he stood and yelled, “I don’t want you! You’re a self-centered bitch who hates on people you know nothing about. So drop it!”
He stormed over to my table and plopped into his seat. The entire cafeteria was quiet. Even the teachers seemed speechless. “Well, I feel better. Do you?” Jake asked, his deep voice echoing in the cafeteria.
I shook my head. Claire jumped out of her seat and ran out. The cafeteria began to mumble with voices talking over what happened. “Jake,” I said cautiously. His outburst had scared me. “Why did you do that?”
“She deserved it. She knows nothing about you Emily and she shouldn’t do that to you.”
I shook my head. “You don’t get it.” I picked up my full tray and tossed it in the trash on the way out.
“Emily,” Jake called after me. He followed me out into the hallway and called my name again.
I stopped and turn around. “What?”
“What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is you scared the hell out of me. What’s wrong is you talked to her just like my mom talked to me. I don’t care what kind of person she is, she didn't deserve that. I don’t want to be around someone who can talk like my mother. I can’t deal with this right now.” I turned and headed for the double doors that led to my car.