Lies Whispered From the Past

Nikki tried to push Aimee out of her brain. She tried to push Byron out of her brain. She tried to push her entire high school life out of her brain. She didn't feel like being bombarded with people's complements, or the looks of scorn dorks like Hector were flying at her. She didn't feel like seeing Tristan, and she sure as hell didn't feel like answering to Byron. She just wanted to be left alone.

But we don't always get what we want.

" Okay, what's wrong?" Chelsea Raven asked when she met up with Nikki and Kiki in the student parking lot. Nikki decided to drive her younger cousin and her posse to the school today.
" Nothing. God, can I just be tired?" Nikki hissed. She stared at Kiki's friends. They were all very pretty. Especially her new one. What was her name again? She don't know how she could let it slip. The freshmen and sophomore guys kept asking Nikki if she has personal information on the girl, but Nikki didn't have a chance to get to know her.
" Cassie, you look so nice today." Kiki gushed, taking in her yellow short sleeved sweat jacket with red stripes across the front, with a matching red tube top, jean shorts and yellow wedges.
Cassandra. Cassie. Her name was Cassie. Nikki suddenly understood how so many guys could fall hard over the girl. It wasn't just her looks. She dressed the part and seemed confident with herself. From her cool smile to the sparkle in her eyes, she reminded Nikki of her ninth and tenth grade self.
" Thanks Kiki. Not looking so bad yourself." Kiki beamed at Cassie's back complement, something Nikki noticed, considering it was highly unusual. Kiki never needed anyone's approval. What made the girl so different?
" Hey babe." Chelsea's latest boyfriend, their long time friend Lucas Hamilton, made his way over to them.
" Hey cutie." Chelsea gave him a passionate lip lock. Lucas looked like he had something very juicy to say.
" Did you gals hear?"
" About the seniors peaking through Mrs. Lewis' office and seeing her laugh at Aimee Bowers' 'documentary'?" Chanel piped up.
" Nope."
" What about the latest couple getting caught having sex in that abandoned teacher's lounge?" Tanya tried.
" Nope."
There was a brief pause.
" There's a lot of news today. First off, I can't believe you guys. How'd you release the tape?" Their other friend Chris Buckley appeared.
" What tape?" Kiki asked, without any trace of genuine interest.
" Aimee's torch tapes. The local news outlet ran them this morning."
The whole group's face either paled, reddened or fell. Nikki, Lucas and Kiki looked horrified. Cassie and Chanel looked saddened. Tanya and Chelsea looked confused.
" What tapes?" Chelsea inquired.
" How could this happen?!" Nikki wailed.
" Am I missing something here?" Tanya stared at Chris.
" This makes the whole school look bad." Cassie said to Kiki.
As everyone rambled their thoughts and questions to each other, the outside speakers crackled to life.
" Hello, everyone. This is your principal Oscar Jones speaking."
Lucas, Chris, Chelsea and Nikki already knew this was a bad sign. The only time Principal Jones ever appeared, much less spoken, was when something serious was about to go down.
" Concerning the events of the past few weeks, I'd like to call an emergency assembly that is to take place in thirty minutes. This assembly is required for all grade levels to take part in. The campus is secured and on lock down. No one is allowed to exit. Off-campus lunch is suspended. All extra-curricular activities are cancelled. Anything non-academically related is cancelled until further notice. That is all." The speakers died, and for five goods seconds, everything was quiet. Everyone tried to process it. Then everything turned into a spit-fire uproar, with students lashing out.
" What the hell? The Cross Cheer Showdown is in four weeks!" A chestnut blonde shrieked, her bangs swishing in the process.
" Basketball conditioning starts soon." Lucas gave Chris a grave look.
" Forget basketball. Homecoming!" Chelsea was on the verge of actual tears. " I already purchased the most expensive dress!"
In the midst of the verbal chaos, the bell rang. Nikki, Chelsea, Lucas and Chris departed to their homerooms. Kiki and Cassie did the same. Chanel and Tanya disappeared in the middle of the spectacle.
" Do you think this is about Aimee?" Kiki asked nervously.
" As much as I pray it isn't, it probably is."
" This is bad. This is really bad."
" How did it leak on the news?" Cassie slid into her usual seat, wedged between Kiki and Hector.
" How did what leak on the news?" Hector hopped in on the conversation.
" Aimee's YouTube 'documentary'." Kiki whispered sorely.
" Last time I checked, the vid only had 3000 hits." Cassie replied.
" While I'm checking it now, it has over 3.4 million hits." Hector said, waving his phone in the girls's faces Both looked stunned.
" Chris said it only made local news." Kiki whimpered.
" Yeah, do you know how many people live in Malibu?" Hector said coldly.
" You know the funeral is tomorrow." Cassie chimed in.
" Are you going?" Hector adjusted his glasses.
" I'm going to wear my sexy black slip dress from Saks."
" Oh Kiki, only you would use a funeral as the perfect opportunity to wear a sexy black dress too hot for California weather."
" Guys, stop it."
" Geez, Hector Deflector, I figured your mother would do the same." Kiki said playfully.
" You bitch! Take that back!" Hector screeched, seething in rage. His outburst caused a scene.
" Hector, calm down." Cassie tried to sit him down, but he ignored her.
" You wanna be a tough guy now? How bought you come and make me?"
Hector shot up from his desk and sped his way toward Kiki. He was so angry, he reached out and shoved Kiki with all his might. She staggered backward, hitting a boy's sneaker with the back of her head in the process. A tiny pool of blood seeped onto the floor, causing Kiki to have a panic attack.

Now the teacher decided to arrive.