Just Swimmingly

Chapter 8

Scott

"You can't just show up out of the blue, start caring about me, and act like that's normal, Scott."
"Why not?"
"Because that's just not how people are. People are selfish, and only in it for themselves." Her words broke my heart. What kind of people had she been subjected to?
"Oh, Jennifer." I really wanted to save her now. I wanted to show her that not everybody is a bad person. I felt like Aladdin showing Jasmine the world. "Listen, why don't we hang out this weekend or something?"
"Can't," she said simply, standing up. "I'm busy."

Jennifer

"Listen, why don't we hang out this weekend or something?"
"Can't," I stood up. I couldn't take it anymore. "I'm busy." I walked out of the cafeteria, and once I was out of his line of vision, I ran into the girls' bathroom. I sat in the biggest stall and let the tears fall as quietly as I could in case someone else came in.
"Why can't I let people in?" I whispered to myself once I felt the coast was clear. "Why do the ones I trust always end up hurting me?" Both of my brothers, my parents, my first true love, and then my mom came back and knocked me down again. Scott had to be next, especially because he hadn't even cracked the surface of how fucked up I was. He believed my fake smile, and that was dangerous. Oh well, I would scare him off eventually; it was simply inevitable. I wiped the tears away. No. I was tired of everybody hurting me all the time. I was tired of trusting all the wrong people that seemed so right in the beginning. Tired of being forsaken by the ones I loved. There had to be a way that they were wrong. Or that I was wrong. Maybe Ryan has honestly cared all these years. Maybe my dad has, too. Maybe my mom was kidding when.... No. Even she wasn't heartless enough to lie about something like that. I closed my eyes. I was so incredibly messed up.

Scott

I sat back down at the lunch table after Jennifer left, thinking about what else I could do. I tried getting her to talk about herself, I tried to make her laugh, and I complimented her on her music taste. What else did she want me to do? If I said I'd be there for her no matter what, she'd probably consider me a creeper and hide further behind her wall. I put my head in my hands. Maybe that dream was never supposed to mean anything.
"Why are my panties in the hallway?!" demanded a familiar voice. I looked up.
"Why were they in my locker?" She looked surprised.
"They were a sexy momento, you dumbass!"
"A momento of what?"
"You know...you taking my virginity." I laughed.
"You lost your virginity to Gregory Howard in the eighth grade!" Her face turned bright red.
"I did not!" I shrugged.
"Whatever."
"Oh, and I saw you over here with that frizzy-haired freak! You tell her to step off."
"No." Kinny looked shocked.
"What?"
"She's my friend." She smiled.
"That's not what it looks like in third period. She has her eyes all over John."
"John?" Kinny had to be kidding. John was a second string football player, and Jennifer had been expressing her feelings for them.
"Yeah. She like, screws him in class with her eyes." I shrugged. Kinny was definitely lying. I'd seen Jennifer, and if she was screwing anything with her eyes, it was the clock. "Ugh, whatever, Scott. Call me later."
"Haha, good one." I finished my lunch and walked out of the cafeteria.

Kinny

Whoever the hell this girl thought she was, she was totally wrong. Scott would always be mine. Period. I walked into the girl's bathroom, freshening up my make up and hair. Scott was so generous, donating his time to Basket Case. I didn't even know why I was getting so worked up over nothing. Scott wasn't stupid; he would choose the beautiful girl over the messed up one any day. He was just being kind, which was hot. I didn't even care if he put my underwear in the hallway. He'd see it on a daily basis now. But I'd make sure the next pair of thongs he sees would be on me. I heard whispering in the big stall.
"Why can't I let people in?" the voice whispered quietly. "Why do the ones I trust always end up hurting me?" There was complete silence after that. Was someone getting ready to throw up?
"Sweetie? Are...are you okay in there?" I asked cautiously. I hope some poor girl didn't hurt herself. "Did you fall down?" The bathroom was dead silent. "Are you conscious?" I walked over to the stall. "Sweetie?" Nothing. I crawled underneath the door. "Are you-" Once I saw who it was, my concern melted away. "Oh, it's you." The boyfriend stealer! She wiped her face, which was red and blotchy. She'd been crying and desperately needed make up and a better haircut.
"Yeah. Don't we have math together?"
"Yes," I said shortly.
"Okay...so why are you in here?"
"Uhm, excuse me little girl, but why are you in here? This is a bathroom. People relieve themselves in here. Go cry somewhere else." She looked up at me, and smiled.
"Hey guess what?"
"What?"
"You can go fuck yourself." What?!
"Excuse me?!"
"Go." She pointed to the door. "Fuck." She made a circle with her right pointer finger and thumb and put her left pointer finger in and out of the hole. "Yourself." She pointed at me.
"Okay, listen up, Little Miss Emo Bitch," I said. "You need to step off of my boyfriend's jock."
"Says who?"
"Says me." I got up in her face. "You don't wanna see what happens if you stick around."
"You mean like Scott didn't?" I gasped. Had he lied and said we were over? "Yeah, that's right. He told me he dumped your sorry ass in the right wing, and by the looks of it, I'd say he made a great decision." I took a deep breath. How many times did I have to explain this to people?!
"We're not broken up, we're in a fight!"
"Oh, a fight. I see," she said dryly.
"Okay you sarcastic little whore. You wanna see a fight?" I shoved her against the bathroom wall. "You get a front row seat." I heard footsteps.
"Uhm, why are there two people in a stall?" asked a hesitant voice. I walked out, dragging her with me.
"My friend was just getting a little morning sickness," I said sweetly. The girl gave me a weird look.
"But it's eleven thirty."
"Which still counts as morning because it's before noon," I growled, stomping out of the bathroom with the emo girl's arm still in my hand. When we were out of sight and earshot I looked at her.
"You've had your warning, so now back off or deal with the consequences." She didn't say anything. I smiled.
"Okay, but one question.... Were those your panties on the principal?"