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“Nothing you could ever do would make me cry in front of you or anyone in this school,” I say as I look forward at the front of the class. “You all are nothing to me. I may be no one to you, but you will never be anything to me.”
“Challenge accepted, Spitfire.” When I look back at him, Dax turns back towards the front and takes out his phone.
Great. I just poked the goddamn bear.Good move, Nix.
We are almost done with class when my phone goes off. I pick it up out of my back and unlock it.
Liz: Hey, I don’t want to alarm you, but there’s a picture of you floating around on Instagram.
Me: What the hell are you talking about? What picture?
Liz: One from the party Friday night.
Me: Okay? I’m not sure I understand. Who took a picture?
Liz: I don’t know. It’s under a fake account. @The_woods_have_eyes
Liz: Meet me at the tree and we can have lunch together. We can figure this out.
I close out my messaging app and open up my Instagram to search out that account. There it is, the only picture there on the app. I pull up the picture and see that it’s of me standing on the deck knocking back the drink. The picture is grainy and blurry, but with my hair you can definitely tell that it’s me. I look down at the caption:
Little Birdie getting so drunk that three kings get to have their way with her.
Then I realize that it’s a series of pictures in that post. I scroll and see that there’s a picture of them carrying me through the house and then putting me in the car. I’m completely passed out. The last pic is me in the back of an SUV with my head on Mason’s shoulder with his arm wrapped around me.
My fist clenches around my phone, and I clench my teeth. I’m not even that mad about the pictures. I could give a shit, but that name in the caption. My parents called me their little bird. I feel my heart squeeze at the thought. That was their nickname for me.
I push the emotion back, closing my eyes and refocusing myself. I take a deep breath and push through to the end of class.
When class finally does let out, I rush out trying to get out of that room as fast as I can. I burst out the doors and take in a deep breath as I walk towards the meeting spot where Liz and I meet for lunch. It’s an old tree that stands outside the dining hall. I rest against it, crossing my arms over my chest.
Fuck, today has been a shit day since I woke up. I close my eyes momentarily when I hear footsteps come up to me. Opening, I see they are not the person I wanted to see.
“Hey, Phoenix.” Chad stands there, towering over me. “How are you doing?”
“Fine.”
“Um, listen, sorry about the party. I was actually looking for you. And by the time I got back, I had heard the three assholes took you.”
“Yeah, did you drug me?” I spit out.
“What?” His face pales, and his mouth drops open.
“Yeah, they carried me out of there because someone drugged me.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“No. Phoenix, I didn’t. Fuck! I’m so sorry. I should have kept you closer, not let you go to the bathroom alone,” he starts to mumble.
“Whatever. Look, I know it wasn’t you. I never actually drank the beer you got me. So, don’t worry. I just thought I would ask.” I shrug.
In a weird move, Chad looks at me and then walks away. Says nothing. Just turns and walks away.
Okay.
I may have dodged a bullet with that one.
I look around me and can feel the stares. Eyes still pierce through me, and I know from the looks that they are indeed talking about me, but I just smile and wave with my middle finger. Fuck this school.
“Hey, you all right?” Liz comes up behind me.