The Bitch War

I dial up my brother, just after last period ends to tell him I have detention.

"Rena? What's Up?" He answers into the phone.

"I got detention."

"What?!" His voices blares through the small speakers in my phone.

"I won't be home until 9:00. Maybe Nine-thirty." Detention goes to 4:30. But I don't know how long the whole thing with Kora is going to be.

"Why? Rena?"

"See you, then!" I say, laughing, and hang up on him. He's going to be so mad, but I don't worry about that right now. I text Elly I won't be able to come over to her house to do homework. Instead of sending a text back, Elly appears from nowhere and pulls me over, to the side of the hallway to talk to me.

"Fine, but your coming with me to the party on Saturday."

"What party? I hate parties, Elly."

"Brooke's having another one, so that mean you get to see Collin," she says, teasing me, in a sing-song voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You and Collin? Aren't you dating?" she asks confused.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"I was surprised, I thought you were going for Ryan, but BAM you and Collin. It works, I guess."

"No. It's not true, Elly."

She laughs, "Sorry. I shouldn't have believed her. It was Brooke."

"Fuck," I say, drawing the word out. I look at the time on my phone. 2:50, I have to get to detention. "Gotta go; I'll clear this up later."

Elly rolls her eyes as I run past her to make it to the room on time. Funny how running in the halls got me a detention in the first place. As I enter the room, Brooke stands there arguing with Collin.

"Serenity, get your ass over here," she calls. I hate Brooke. So very, very much.

"How many fucking times do I have to tell you not to call me Serenity?" I glare at her. Shyla stands next to her, grinning. Her too; I her hate her, too.

"How many fucking times do I have to tell you that you're ugly?" she retorts.

Collin interrupts, "Just ignore her, Rena, let's go."

"Aw, how sweet, you care about her."

"Shut the fuck up!" he yells.

"Oh, that's right. I heard you totally got rejected by her."

"What? I did not!"

My eyes flick, back and forth.

"Oh, so you admit to liking Rena?" Shyla joins in.

"Shyla, shut up. You're just jealous that Collin doesn't like you," Brooke hisses. Wow. She's a bitch to everyone. Shyla closes her mouth.

"Brooke, I fucking hate you," Collin says.

"Same here, brother dear. Actually, Dad told me you were adopted."

"I'd be glad I'm not related to you, bitch."

Shyla sits down, Brooke rolls her eyes, and Collin pulls me away just as the Ms. Beau walks in. I sit next to Collin. Then it hits me. Where's Ryan?

"Everyone here?" She says as she scans a list, noticing then that Ryan was gone. "Does anyone know if Mr. Bradson is likely to show up?"

"I do," a voice calls in the back, by the door. A voice that belongs to Ryan Bradson himself. He sits next to me as she glares at him.

"You're late."

"Sorry, I almost forgot about it," he shrugs, sitting be me. Ms. Beau sighs in frustration.

"Now, I want it silent in here. If you have missing work, I want you to be getting it done. If not, I need help with a few things."

I rummage through my backpack quick, pull out a folder, and grab my late English homework. I hand it to Ms. Beau.

"You needed help with something?" I ask as she takes the papers out of my hand.

"Can you go straighten the desks in my classroom, and also pick up the garbage? The janitor is sick," She says. We were in the math room, actually, but this was the biggest room in the school. Which makes it the best place for the high amount of delinquents that get detention.

"Sure thing."

"Anyone want to go with Ms. East?"

Ryan, Collin, and Brooke's hands raise into the air.

"Only Brooke. We don't need four people to do a few simple tasks," Ms Beau explains. Shit. Shit. Shit. As I walk back to my desk to zip up my backpack, Ryan and Collin wish me good luck. I follow Brooke to Ms. Beau's room. She immediately closes the door once we're in the classroom, turning to me.

"What the hell do you want, Brooke?" I ask, rather impatient, as a few brown strands of hair fall in my brown eyes. I tuck the curls behind my ear as I wait for her answer.

"You can't keep writing about Kora and me. That's my last warning. Oh, and you can't date Collin either, nor can you he-" she starts complaining.

"No, Brooke; you're wrong. Him and I weren't dating, never were. But even if we were, you wouldn't get a say in it. It's Collin's decision to make."

The ends of her lips curl into an evil grin, replying, "Sounds like you like him."

"No," I say, ending the conversation. She rolls her eyes. I begin to pick up the notes, scraps, and lost pens and pencils in the room.

"As I was saying, if you dare help Kora with her trail, I will fuc-"

I interrupt her again, this time by throwing a pen that I had found on the ground at her face. It hit her right on her forehead. As she yelps, I let out a quick laugh, but I quickly regret throwing the pen. She's done worse to me, though. She deserves it.

"Oh, bitch, it's on," she hisses. The line itself was so laughable, however, I knew I was now on her imaginable 'to destroy' list that only one other person was on. Kora. Leaving me to clean the room, she exits Ms. Beau's classroom, texting furiously. A frustrated breath leaves my mouth.



I knock three times on a red door, belonging to the one and only Kora Deys house. A tall, blond woman answers the door. Her eyes a bright blue and I notice she wears six inch heels.

"Yes?" she says rudely, glaring at me.

"I'm here for Kora. Kora Deys. Is this the right place?"

The stern looking woman turns around. For a second, I expect her to slam the door in my face, but instead she calls Kora. Seconds later, the black haired girl with the same bright blue eyes as the woman thunders down the stairs. Kora.

"Oh, hey, Rena. Or do you prefer Ren?"

I shrug, not caring as smile politely. Is it just me or does Kora seem...nice? I take off my shoes, hang my coat, and follow Kora as she beckons me to her room. Her room is small, with two beds packed in. A dresser, a desk, and a laptop. I sit on one of the beds and wait for Kora to fill me in.

"Well, I really appreciate you helping me and all."

I roll my eyes, "Kora, you can cut the crap. Ryan told me you use people. I'm here to make sure Brooke doesn't get away with what she did. I don't care if she did it to you, or me, or some random guy. It's not right; I'm want to fix that."

"I-uh...wha-what?" she falters. "You talked to Ryan?"

"Well, duh," I reply simply.

"Damn him. He and I dated. I broke up with him. He's hated me since."

"Sure, whatever."

"What?" she asks, angered. "You don't know me at all, and you're listening to Captain Douche about what he has to say about me? That's not fair, Rena, and I thought you were the type of person who isn't that low."

"Please, Kora," I plead. I don't want her to manipulate me. "He's my friend. Besides, it's irrelevant. Your trial, remember?"

"Speaking of that," she replies. "There is no trial. It's just investigations. I told them about Brooke. But I wanted to see if I could have your back."

"You lied to me? Is that how you want to become 'friends'?"

"No. I...I know what people say about me. I know what I do. But do you see me hurting anyone else? It's just Brooke. She is out of control." She sighs. "Besides, I still need help writing details. You know how it works, with your dad and all."

I sigh. "Well, I've been here a little over a month. You're right, though, I don't know anything about you, or Brooke for that matter. Find someone else to help you." I get up, dialing up my brother.

"Fine. I will, but can I ask one thing?"

"What, Kora?" I say, rather impatient now.

"Can you give me a second chance? I haven't done anything to you, and I want to be your friend."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, please? We could stop Brooke."

I laugh. "You make it sound like she has some evil plan to destroy the world."

"Shut up!" she replies, laughing. "You don't want to be on her bad side. But I heard, just as you came here, that you already are."

"Crap. Forgot about that," I reply. I look at my phone and decide to wait on calling my brother.

"How about an alliance?" she proposes.

I nod slightly, "Lets start with a non-aggression pact. If things go well, maybe we can become friends. You have to earn my trust first."

"Alright. Sounds like a plan."

Then, we worked on the reports. Once we finished, I decided to do some homework with her. Homework from the classes we're in together that is. We talked, laughed, and I began to realize that maybe Ryan did lie. Finally as it's 9:00, I call my brother to pick me up, but with no answer. I resort to Elly, who actually answers. However, her family car is getting repaired.

I kick my backpack in frustration and Kora laughs, telling me she would take me home, but her older sister has it for the night. So, that leaves me with Collin or Ryan. For some reason, I call Collin. We're closer. He answers.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Hi," he laughs into the phone. "What's up?"

"Uh, I...can you...er...can you maybe" I stutter. What the hell is going on with me? Kora laughs as she finishes her homework. She mumbles something about me and being obvious.

"What? I...er...I...uh...don't understand," he mocks me. Ugh.

"No, shut up. Can-"

"No."

"Collin."

"Rena."

"Listen, I need you to pick me up."

"Shit. Did Brooke-"

"No, I'm at Kora's. She is at the opposite side of town from my house."

"What the hell are you doing at Kora's?" he asks, angered. My eyes go wide. He'll be pissed if he knows I'm here to get his own sister arrested.

"Say we have project," Kora replies, obviously eavesdropping on our conversation.

"Um, we were partners for a project."

"Oh. That sucks. I'll be their in fifteen."

"Great." The line clicks dead. I look at Kora. She rolls her eyes at me.



I pull open the door to his car. Exhausted, I slump in the seat, throwing my backpack in the back seat. I mutter a thanks to Collin as he starts the car and leaves.

"No problem," he answers. "So what project? Or would you like to tell me why you were actually at Kora's?"

"The police investigations for the drugs in her locker. That's it though." I lie. I think we could be friends. She's nice and surprisingly understanding and bubbly.

"Rena, why the hell did you get involved?" His voice is cold as he scolds me.

"I-"

"Forget it."

I snap, "Why do you care? I thought you hated your sister. I thought that I should give Kora a chance. I thought that this is all some blown-up, out-of-proportion fight that needs to stop."

"By adding fuel to the fire? No. Do what everyone else does. Stay out of their way."

"Why do you think I'm so weak? Why do you want me to be like everyone?" I glare at him. He has no right to boss me around. He pulls the car over.

"Because I care about you."

"Fuck," I say, knowing that all I said was bad. I know that him liking me is bad. I can't like Collin.

"What?"

"I...you don't know me, Collin. You can't like me."

"Besides Elly, I know you better than anyone else at school."

"No, stop."

"You don't care about what others say. You bounce right back up from a fall. You're completely naive, oblivious, and clumsy. You take things too seriously."

"Well, that's reassuring," I interrupt.

"Shut up. You don't care about popularity or looks or whatever. It's nice; to know an actual human being, not some wound-up, bratty barbie doll." He then continues to drive me home.

"Collin, you can't do this. Not now, not yet."

"Why?"

"Because of everything. I'm still new, getting used to things. My father is in jail and i just moved. I can't trust anyone at this school. I don't even trust my own friends. So how could I possibly trust that you wouldn't be...some fake or douche or manhole?"

"Give me a chance," he says.

"N-"

"Go out with me, Rena; I like you."

"I want to say the same, but-"

"For god's sake, Rena, just say yes. What's going to happen? What are you scared of?"

My eyebrows knit together. "Nothing. I'm not scared of anything. Just now is not the time. There is way too much going on for me to be dating." He turns on to my street, pulling into my brother's driveway.

Collin sighs. "Yes or no?"

"I'm sorry-"

"Oh, don't lie," he grumbles. I want to scream. He's being so frustrating. I can't handle it.

"Stop. You're being childish. If you want me to like you, Collin, respect that I said no." For now.

"Any other girl in the school would say yes-"

"But, again, Collin, that's where you're wrong. I'm not like any other girl."

"You didn't let me finish. Any other girl would say yes to me, but you...you're different, I should have known I'd be rejected."

I lean in slightly, and peck him on the cheek. My lips linger close to his face for a second before I turn away, grabbing my bag. I mumble a sorry and a thanks, exiting the car. I feel awful now, but I'm not ready to be dating.

I pull open the door. I hear the TV on, and walk to the living room. I see Josh...and a woman about his age, slim and with fiery red hair. Is my brother seeing somebody?

"Uh...Josh, who is this?" I blurt.

"Kara Bromley," the woman replies.

"My," he looks at her with a smile, "girlfriend."

"What?!" I'm not mad nor excited. I'm surprised.

Josh's smile disappears. Kara turns off the TV with the remote, and Josh grabs Kara's hand as they both stare at me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm...well, I wasn't expecting it." I grin. "I mean, come on, she's totally out of your league, Josh."

"I know," he turns and kisses her on her lips. She kisses him back.

"Hello...still here"

They break apart, and turn to me once again.

"How long? How long have you guys been together."

"We were good friends in high school. We kept in touch, but it wasn't until last year that Josh asked me out."

"A y-year?" I ask. He kept this from me for a year?

"Actually, a year and a half," Josh says.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh, don't start there, Rena. We were both out of touch. You never called me. I never called you."

"Oh, but you kept in touch with some high school friend?!" My voice's volume grows louder. I take a breathe, knowing I should calm down.

"I should go," Kara says getting up.

"No, stay. I'm done here," I hiss. I direct mainly at Josh. What else has he not told me? I bound up the steps to my room.

I slam my door. I sit at my desk with my laptop. I grab my iPod, blaring music. I love the noise in my ears, drowning out anything else, so I can barely think. My phone buzzes in my pocket.

Pulling it out, I see Elly sent a text to me: "Don't forget the party at the Harris's tomorrow!" i text back an okay and a smiley face. I don't want to talk to Brooke or Collin. But I'll have Elly, Ryan, and maybe even Kora. Then, I write for the Bitch War.

As I start to write, I realize something horrible happened today. I'm now part of it, the Bitch War. I have a pact with Kora, but I'm enemies with Brooke. I recall her voice, declaring war with me:

"Oh, bitch, it's on."