"Vivian! Oh my-"

"Don't you dare start with me again, Jess." I attempt to say sternly, except the words come out mumbled beneath my sleepy voice.

Without warning, the earth beneath me starts shaking before a gush of cold air sweeps over me. Startled, my body springs to the fetal position as my right arm attempts to grab any material fit for warmth. Soon there's a poke in my rib cage before someone yells, "You're going to be late for school, get up!"

What?

"Oh no". I jump straight out of bed heading for the bathroom to finish up, the blanket ripped from me mere seconds ago now decorating the floor.

"Sorry, mom! I thought you were Jess!" I yell before closing the door.

She finds humor in my confusion as light laughter escapes her before saying that she'll take me to school. Which means I have exactly twenty minutes or it's all shits and storms of back and forth arguments.

After a precise ten minutes, I exit the bathroom to find an outfit sprawled across my bed. Mom seriously has great taste. I get dressed, grab my backpack and head downstairs. Dad already left for work, his daily morning note plastered against the refrigerator reminding us to 'have a lovely day my sweethearts', a sweet gesture. So I lock up and walk over to mom waiting for me in the car. Once I'm seated and buckled up, the wheels start spinning and we take off.

"How are things at school?" she begins.

I inform her that they're going well and end up telling her about the pranks. She bursts with laughter, not at the fact that we pulled pranks, but more so that I had the willing courage to throw laxative in the soup.

"Of course he's going to punish everyone, Viv," she says through her laughter.

"I know. But hey, at least we made things interesting again. These past few weeks have been sort of bland and the place felt more like a prison." I reply with my head resting on my palm while staring out the window.

It's strange. I see these streets every day, yet somehow the minor details always seem to fascinate me.

"Even though I find this funny," mom begins, snapping me out of my trance, "You do know that I would've beaten your ass if you got caught!" Her facial expression dead serious.

"But since you hadn't, let's tell dad when he gets home." she finishes and we both end up in a fit of laughter.

The school building soon comes into view as we make a right turn at the stop street.

"So how are things with you and Nick? He hasn't visited in a while." mom questions out of the blue and I squirm in my seat.

She's rather inquisitive, but the Lord himself knows I cannot tell her what happened yesterday, she'll be furious. So instead I go from 'Honest Daughter of the Year' to 'Oh hey guess what. Nothing cause I can't tell you shit'.

I realize that I hadn't answered her yet when she looks over to me with great concern. "What? Oh, no it's great." Well, what else can I say really?

We finally pull up at school. I kiss her on the cheek and climb out the car.

"Bye honey, I love you!"

"Bye mom, I love you too. I'll see you later," I say closing the door.

"Laxative... This child... Can you believe it..." She mutters to herself, laughing as she drives away.

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"Vivian Harper Maldonado!" startled to death, I jump straight up when my name registers in the only part of my brain that seems to be functioning today.

"Yes, mam?" I ask Mrs. Brimstone while taming my tousled hair.

"Your desk is not your secluded nap center! Do they look like they're made to sleep on or is this subject boring you?" I don't reply, "Would you like a coffee to-go as well?"

The sarcasm in her tone hovers above me like flies on a shit pile.

"Actually a coffee doesn't sound too bad. These desks are equally as uncomfortable as your presence and I think that would do just the trick."

I decide to go along with the sarcasm in the room, fully aware that I would get sent to detention. Which I don't mind as I could simply take a nap there and avoid this maths. My brain is going to develop a rare type of cancer if I stay in this room any longer. I usually don't back chat or disrespect my educators, it's just that this particular human being knew how to tick me off.

"Detention! Now!"

Well, I saw that coming. Her face holds an expression of harassed fatigue.

Mom would be so bitter right now should I have gotten a detention from any other educator. Since it's maths, she won't bother batting an eye. She knows about the conflict Mrs. Brimstone and I share. It's a thin line between love and hate.

While packing my bag I can feel the dumbstruck stares and shocked expressions on me. Even Jessica, Nick, and Lucas are inarticulate. Turning to leave the class, I head to the detention room.

The reason for my exhaustion is completely Nick's fault.

I couldn't sleep last night replaying yesterday's encounter in my head like a broken record. I know that we agreed with everything being fine after, but why have the gall to ask me in the first place. Especially since I made it so clear at the beginning of our relationship that I don't want to do it.

Is he really that desperate? Is it an overwhelming desirable craving to him, like pickles covered in chocolate sauce are to pregnant woman? Am I depriving him of his boyish needs? For how long can he contain himself? .. For how long can I?

Once I arrive at detention, I hand in the slip Mrs. Brimstone gave to me.

"Here you go, Mr. Chicken. Sorry! I mean Mr. Hiccken."

He shoots me the deepest darkest most vicious glare one could ever possibly imagine. Talk about having your defenses up, I made one small mistake, relax KFC. I pick a seat in the corner of the classroom, place my bag on the desk to use as a pillow and hello to the land of milk and honey.

-₹៛₹៛¤៛₹៛₹-

"What on earth were you thinking!?" I swear my friendship with Jessica is based on her yelling at me.

"I was tired and she was annoying," I reply.

"That was badass!" Lucas yells as he walks with his tray of food towards us.

Is it just me or does everyone seem to be yelling today? What happened to using ones inside voice? Lucas takes a seat and Nick arrives soon after. We talk for a while then decide to eat in peace, which is nothing new.

Suddenly Kate shows up. A one of a kind floozy, harlot, milk tart, heck lady of the freaking tramp, call it whatever you want to, but this girl.. Is the Queen of Whoreville. Let's just say that she would be perfect for any sex offender, as she wouldn't complain or lay charges, but would rather prefer a phone number. This hussy decides to sit at our table. Next to Nick to be precise.

"Well, yesterday was fun..." She says reaching for his pants.

"Round 2 later?" She asks with a mischievous lusty grin.

He pushes her away from him. She gets up, winks then walk away. We all stare at him baffled for a brief moment before I decide to speak up, "What was that all about?"

"Yeah dude, what the hell?" Lucas chirps in.

I can see wheels running marathons in Jessica's head as she stares straight into Nick's soul.

"I need to talk to you," he says before getting up and grabbing my wrist to walk me outside.

Jessica, however, stops him by placing her hand on top of his and gives him a look as if to say 'you can talk right here'. He let's go then sits next to me instead and no longer opposite me next to Lucas.

"What was that about?" I ask again.

He slides his hand down his face while sighing and has a look of defeat once his arm rests on the table.

"I was an idiot okay. Yesterday after you rejected me I got upset and even though we kind of resolved it I was still mad. After you left, I turned to my car and Kate was there. She overheard our conversation and told me how she could give me what I wanted. Of course I said no, but once she came onto me, well I'm a guy, who can say no really?.." He explains.

"Dude, that's the worst fucking excuse ever! I've heard a toddler give a better explanation of why he ate sand. He blamed the sandman saying it was the only way he could get better dreams." Lucas interrupts, clearly frustrated and furious.

"Can you shut the fuck up! This is why I wanted to talk to her alone!" He shouts at Lucas.

I can't speak. I'm too stunned to.

"You not going anywhere with her! So you better continue." Jessica speaks up.

"Can you jus- fine... So after a while, we heard a car coming our way and immediately stopped. Then she grabbed my keys, unlocked the door and said she would drive. And since we kinda already started something, my hormonal side couldn't resist. So I got in the car and she drove to her place. We went up to her room and then... You know..." He trails off.

"No, we don't! Care to enlighten our curious minds? Before I shove my foot up your a-", "Let him speak, Jess." I interrupt with the only words able to escape my thoughts.

"We had sex okay." He continues.

"For how long?" I swear Jessica better shut up now.

"That's messed up," Lucas comments soon after.

Nick simply glares at them then continues. "I really didn't plan on it happening, but since it did there's nothing I can do to change it. What happened, happened. And I do regret it even though a part of me doesn't."

I look at him confused and he seems to notice it. "If you weren't so religious and stuck up, and just let loose and had fun with me, this wouldn't have happened." He says it like I was in the wrong with this damn situation.

"Is your ass getting jealous of all the shit you're talking to me right now!?" I finally have enough and anger breaks out.

"I think we should break up." Is his reply while he stands up.

"What!? So you cheat on me, then want to dump me for your irresponsible manslut behavior!?" I yell as I rise to my feet, looking him square in the face.

Anger fumes throughout my entire body and I struggle to contain myself from punching him. Especially since everyone in the cafeteria is staring at us.

"Vivian, we're done! You-" before he's able to continue, I knee him right between the legs full force and watch him drop to the ground. Jessica and Lucas hurry to their feet and come straight towards us. Even though Lucas is pissed, Nick is still his best friend.

"You're such a fucking retard bro. Why the hell- She's such a great person... Why go ruin something good." He says while helping Nick back onto his feet. That's when Jessica comes into view. She stares at me with deep concern, her thumbs rubbing across my face.

Only then did I realize that I was crying. Only then did I realize how heartbroken I was. Only then did I feel myself shattering to pieces, like a sledgehammer smashing into a large mirror. Only then did I regret not telling my mom the truth when she wanted to know how Nick and I were doing. Only then did I feel the need to run, the need to escape. To not see his face anymore.

Jessica embraces me in a much appreciated long and needed hug. "I'm so sorry Vi. I truly am. You don't deserve this." She says as we pull apart. Tears flood my eyes, creating a waterfall on my face.

One glance over to Lucas and Nick causes me to feel nauseous. I grab my backpack off the seat and take off running. As soon as I am off school property I begin to walk. Running is an activity I barely ever did, because I hate having to struggle to grab the oxygen around me.

While walking I notice a vehicle in the distance, not thinking much of it I walked on. Suddenly the vehicle stops only a few meters away from me.