Now It's My Time to Strike Back

Beep. Beep. Beep

“Stupid alarm,” I mumbled nearly slamming my hand on the top to turn it off.

My eyes were squinted as I struggled to read the alarm, them adjusting after nearly a minute. It read 7:30 am. With a groan, I turned over just as Nick groaned in a sleepy yet irritated tone. He mumbled something, but I didn’t understand him seeing as his head was buried in one of his pillows.

“Nick, baby, wake up,” I got out shaking him only for my strength to diminish after a few tries.

“Can’t we just skip class today?” he asked in a whiny tone.

“Mmm-mmm. We can’t. We have to go,” I answered with a yawn.

Nick forced himself up with a groan as well as a yawn, but nodded in response.

“Can’t we just have one day of peace? No drama, no school?” he asked catching me off guard.

I couldn’t tell if he was talking to me or just speaking his mind.

“Everything should die down soon once the detention is over,” I replied climbing out of bed and began fixing the sheets and pillows.

Nick tossed one of my uniforms to my bed causing me to shoot him a look.

“I was making the bed, babe,” I said in a whiny tone.

He rushed over not realizing my actions and placed the uniform on my desk, but not before adding a quick, “Sorry,” afterwards.

My phone went off 3 times causing me to be confused. I picked it up checking to see what was going on. There were 3 text messages. One from Jake, the second from Mel, and the third from Vic. I read all 3 only calming down shortly before anger flared in me again with Vic’s final words.

So your stupid pretty boy had the balls to actually challenge me. He’s going to pay for that.

I rolled my eyes at Jake’s text before reading Mel’s.

Where are you guys? It’s pretty late.

I bit my lip knowing Mel was right and finally read Vic’s message.

Wow, Rose. Didn’t think you had it in you to admit the truth.

There was a link attached to the text as well. Clicking on it, I saw an article pop up to the school’s online forum. The article was titled The True Story of Rosalina Sanchez aka Me. Frantically I read the article my mind on overdrive as it had specifics of what had happened to me in my years of high school as well as false things like how I apparently wanted Jake and Nick to fight over me and humiliate the both of them to cause Jake to get kicked out of all athletic teams and clubs he participated in. There were also personal things like how Nick and I had sex last year and this year. A few pictures were throughout the article beginning with one of Jake and I Freshman year, followed by one of Nick and I last year, a picture of Jake and I holding hands on our date from a couple of months ago, and finally the picture Vic took of Nick and I last year when I thought she was changing into a better person. There were comments in the article as well. Most people were shocked and angry than skeptical.

“What the hell?!” I exclaimed in confusion. Nick rushed over to my side.

“What’s going on?” he asked in a concerned tone.

“This!” I replied handing him my phone plopping down on my bed with my head in my hands.

“What the hell?!” he exclaimed angrily.

Was this what Vic was planning? What was I going to do if I was questioned by Ms. Thorne. I didn’t want to get detention, let alone expelled. I didn’t have time to think of the matter seeing as the intercom was turned on, Ms. Thorne’s voice coming from it.

Rosalina Sanchez come to the principal’s office immediately. Rosalina Sanchez, come to the principal's office immediately.

My eyes welled with tears as I grabbed my bag, packing my supplies for class. I went to my desk again and changed into my uniform, Nick following in my footsteps as I walked to the bathroom afterwards. Rinsing my face in cold water, he spoke.

“Babe, don’t worry. We’ll figure this out,” he said in an assuring tone, but I didn’t believe him.

I shook my head grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste just brushing my teeth. I couldn’t speak. Did Vic do this? Or was it Jake this time? Or did I have some new enemy I didn’t know about? I was a ball of confusion, anger, and fear all at the same time. Nick followed suit with the tooth brushing as I finished and then brushed my hair before tying it into a ponytail going to my right side. I grabbed my dorm key, but waited as Nick packed his bag. Once he was finished, we headed out nearly running into Mel.

She was panting as though she were out of breath getting out only six words.

“You guys have to see this.” Her hair was slightly messy and her uniform jacket was tied around her waist.

Alerted, we followed Mel as she led us down the many steps, my heart feeling like things couldn’t get any worse than the article, but I was wrong. She led us to the regular dorms and there was a large group of students crowding the area. We forced our way through before ending up in front of Vic’s dorm. Her door was covered in spray paint with one sentence.

I AM A SLUT

Vic was outside crying, but I couldn’t tell if her tears were genuine or not. I didn’t know what to do. I was confused yet didn’t want to not console her if she was attacked by someone. Other students began murmuring once we all stood there and I felt like a thousand pair of eyes were glaring at me.

“So did you do this, too, Rose?” one guy who was a senior asked looking pissed off.

I looked from the door, to Vic, and finally the guy and crowd.

“No, she didn’t, obviously,” Mel said speaking before I could. The guy towered over Mel by a few inches, but she didn’t care.

“How do we know considering the article she wrote about herself on the school’s forum?” a girl asked.

Nick came to my defense this time.

“Look. You guys believe what you want to believe. What kind of sense does it make for someone to write a forum about themselves and slander their own sister in the process?” he asked glaring at the girl and the guy from the first time.

“No one really knows much about Rose, but she’s done some shady things to you, too. I find it weird you’re sticking up for her,” Jake said appearing from the crowd.

My voice wanted to get caught up in my throat as Nick spoke.

“Really, Jake? After everything you’re just throwing more dirt onto Rose’s name and reputation?” he growled making a fist to contain his anger.

“Jonas, seriously? Me throw dirt onto Rose’s name when she’s already done it to herself?” Jake retorted.

“Seriously, back off,” Nick threatened.

“Will everyone just stop?!” I exclaimed causing the crowd to get quiet.

“I didn’t do any of this. I didn’t write the article nor put graffiti on Vic’s door, OK?! Like Nick said why would I do any of this to Vic?” I asked turning from Vic to the crowd.

“I don’t know, Rose, maybe cause Vic dated Nick after you did?” one of Vic’s bimbo’s asked chiming in.

“Ugh, this is stupid!” I said angrily seeing the conversation going nowhere.

“It is, especially since all of you should be in class,” Ms. Thorne’s voice came from the back of the crowd in a stern tone.

Like a crack of a whip, the students noticed and ran off towards the Academic building or gym except the 7 of us including Mark and Megan. I hadn’t noticed them before most likely due to the amount of students there were previously.

Ms. Thorne looked at the 7 of us.

“What is with you guys? You two, go, this doesn’t concern you,” she said sternly to Megan and Mark.

“But Ms. Thorne-,” Mark began, but she cut across them.

“GO TO CLASS NOW OR YOU’LL GET DETENTION!” she yelled looking even more irritated than before.

Mark and Megan looked at me before taking off to the Academic building. Her eyes landed on Mel next.

“That includes you, too, Parker,” she said in a serious tone.

Mel looked at the me, Nick, Jake, and finally Vic before her eyes came back to me. I nodded at her in return. Her eyes reluctantly tore from mine and she began walking towards the Academic building in suit, shortly catching up to Megan and Mark.

“Jonas, Rose, and Owens to my office. Victoria, get dressed and come to my office promptly afterwards,” Ms. Thorne ordered before turning obviously expecting us to follow her.

I bit my lip nervously before suddenly feeling Nick’s hand in mine. With a slight tug, we followed Ms. Thorne, Jake following a foot or so behind us. I looked back once at Vic as I saw her slowly get to her feet some tears falling from her blue eyes, but she wiped them away. Turning towards Ms. Thorne’s figure, my mind was clouded with thoughts, but the two questions remained.

Who did this? And why did they choose now to strike?