Seven

"You do know who started these rumors, don't you?" Chris's music was blaring in the background, making her have to shout into the phone.

"If I had to guess, it would be the same assholes as always, but I don't really care. I don't even know what the rumor is this time. I'm so sick of it all." I looked down at my homework as I packed it up into my backpack so it would be ready for tomorrow. I'm finally done!

"Why wouldn't you want to know? The rumors are spreading fast." I could tell that she was frowning. Her voice wasn't the normal high and happy Chris, and she turned down her music.

"I really don't care anymore. These people who keep starting rumors about me just to make me miserable, don't realize that they aren't hurting me. I just want to do my time and be done with it." I sighed.

For a brief moment the thought actually popped into my head, 'Why does Jessie hate me so much? How can a man be proud of himself by bullying a woman he didn't even know?'

I quickly shook my head to get the thought out. It doesn't matter what he thinks, I don't know him. I only met him a week ago, and he didn't make the best impression. At the same time, I'm sure I didn't either.

I thought back to every encounter I have ever had with him. I yelled at him, poured ice cream on his head, and was just overall mean to him too.

No.

No, it's not my fault, he had a bad attitude from the second we crossed paths. He treats people like crap for no reason!

"Jules?" Chris's voice brought me back to reality, and I slowly unclenched my jaw. My knuckles were locked in a vise grip around my phone as I thought about that asshole. He was nothing but a bully. Jessie, and all his friends, can go to Hell.

"Sorry Chris, I was just lost in thought. What were you saying?" I walked across my bedroom floor and pulled back my duvet, crawling in shivering at the cold fabric.

"I was talking to you about my stupid history teacher, but you seem to have your mind on other things. What's going on? Do you want to talk about it?" Her voice slowed down as she talked and she got really quiet at the end.

"No, I'm good I just think I'm going to go to sleep, I'm really tired. Sorry, Chris, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

* * * * *

"What a slut!" Who was that chick and why did she just call me a slut? I looked around for a minute and saw a girl crying her eyes out and a boy trying to explain. Of course the regular high school drama you see every day.

I didn't miss the group of guys that had dedicated their time to try and make my life hell. A few were smirking my way, the rest were laughing. I watched as Jessie walked up to them, doing a stupid handshake with one, nodding his head with excitement.

His smile made me stumble. It was blinding, and kind of beautiful. At least, it would be if his personality wasn't shit. I had to remind myself how rude he was to shake away the awe.

I walked up to my locker and fiddled with the lock. As I pulled the door open, around a hundred fliers fell to the ground. I bent down and picked one up. At the top of the paper was my yearbook photo from last year. My smile was wide as my excitement for high school hadn't been crushed out of me yet.

"Ladies and Gentlemen,

The quiet ones are always the ones you need to watch out for.

Put your flier in her locker if she fucked you too! Her locker number is 721!

P.S. I'll call you later Julie. ;)"

My jaw dropped to the floor as my eyes lined with tears. The crushing pain that filled my chest was a surprise to me. I had worked hard to make sure none of their bullying and pranks affected me but this was more than that. It wasn't just that stupid group of assholes. It seemed my whole grade put flyers into my locker. It didn't matter that I was still a virgin, or that I had never had a boyfriend before. They just wanted a laugh and didn't care how it affected those around them.

Soon a huge crowd was surrounding me. The girls were yelling at me, the boys were laughing at me, and I was scared.

My feet were glued down to the floor, and my mouth clamped shut to hold back the sob that was threatening to breakthrough. Someone was pushing through the back of the crowd making their way to the front slowly. My savior.

Chrissie grabbed my upper arm and pulled me out of the chaos. I closed my locker door and let her pull me. The crowd was violent as we pushed our way through. My head was down with my chin to my chest. They didn't deserve to see me cry.

A hard shove sent me flying into Chris' back when we reached the edge of the group, only steps away from freedom. I turned to her once we were away from the crowd of angry girls, and hysterically laughing boys.

"Chrissie are you okay?" I looked towards her, hoping I didn't hurt her when I slammed into her back. She looked confused but then laughed after a minute.

"Jules, you were just surrounded by half of the school, most of which looked like they wanted to kill you, and you're asking if I'm okay?" She laughed again. My mouth relaxed, and I wanted to pull it up into a smile, but I still couldn't.

"Yeah, so? I'm allowed to make sure my best friend is okay, you had to throw some serious elbows back there." That was a terrible excuse. My shaky hands reached up and wiped the moisture from my cheeks.

"Sweetie, sometimes I worry about you." My lips finally pulled into a smile and everything felt normal for a minute. She walked me to my first hour and hugged me.

"Text me if anything happens." I nodded to her and we both walked into our first classes of the day but on opposite sides of the hallway. I wish that we had it together, but it wasn't often that things went my way. I was 90% positive a curse was placed on me as a child.

As I walked into my first hour the class got silent, then louder than it was before. I slouched down and pretended not to hear them until the bell rang. I ran out into the hallway and to my next hour. I made it in record time and was the first one there. Sitting down in my seat at the back of the class, I could only pray that everyone left me alone.

When the bell was just about to ring, Jessie walked in with an evil grin. He walked over to a blonde cheerleader and slapped her butt making her jump. He smirked at her then continued to the back of the class.

Gross.

He sat down in his seat smiling.

"You didn't tell me you were like that. I would have never known." I snapped my head in his direction as he began to talk.

"I'm not. It's nothing but a rumor." I wasn't smiling, I wasn't trying to, and I was not happy at all.

"I think you're just holding out on me." He winked and smirked at me. "The boys seem to say that as soon as the lights go out, you're an animal."

What did I do to deserve this? I didn't do anything bad. I've been good my whole life.

"As I said, they're all just lies and rumors." I looked up to the front as the teacher came into the classroom. We passed in our homework, and I saw Jessie move a seat closer to me so we were right next to each other.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "If you're holding out on me, you won't be for long. You want me." He winked again before sitting back in his normal seat.