Chapter 18: Sophie to the Mud 3

"I'm going to get back at Alyssa, mark my words. She will pay for every single embarrassment I received today", Sophie groaned.
Stepping closer to meet her friends, "did you see how fucked up I felt", she said while pushing her hair that was ruffled from frustration, backward.
"Yeah we did and we have been watching you pace around", one of her friends, Cassandra said sniffily, "so tell us, what did you come up with?"
Raising a brow, "I told you guys to think, now you are asking me what I came up with. Are your brains not working?", Sophie said disdainfully.
"We should think for you?", Cassandra scoffed, "you think we don't have important things to do with our brains?"
"Just shut the fuck up if you don't know what to say", Sophie yelled.
Cassandra just rolled her eyes, not so noticeably at Sophie. It was obvious the two girls were at cold wars with each other, even as they paraded themselves about as friends. Cassandra wanted to lead the group, as to her Sophie was not fit, she felt Sophie always took unwise decisions to the detriment of the name she thought they had built. Personally, Cassandra just wanted to lead for her selfish reasons and not necessarily because of Sophie's foolishness, as she will put it.
"I don't think if we continue arguing, we will be able to think of something", Hazel, another person among the crew said, trying to ease the tension that was already setting in.
"What do you think I should do?", Sophie queried, dropping herself to a seat. No idea was coming through, but certainly, she had to get back at Alyssa.
"And I think I have an idea", Hazel popped in, smirking.
Jessie walked with Luciana down the hallway with Alyssa tagging along, they were making their way to the Chemistry lab, discussing,
"Jessie, I thought you were in the hall and before I noticed your absence, Mr. Hills was in already. I'm sorry I couldn't call you", Luciana pleaded.
"It's fine, it's really not your fault", Jessie comforted.
"Where did you even go to? It was strange that you almost missed a test", Luciana asked with genuine concern.
"Ummm... it's nothing, something just came up", Jessie stated.
"You are sure it's not something I should know?"
"Lol, really it's nothing", Jessie assured her. Alyssa walked with the girls taking measured steps, her eye bags a little bit swollen and darkly colored like she was going through some stress, with her tote bags draped across her left shoulder.
Jessie turned to see Alyssa who had stopped in her motion and was two steps behind, that was when she noticed Alyssa was putting on a lemon-colored turtle neck shirt and a flair floral pattern skirt that went down to her knees with sneakers which she wore lemon socks to complement. Lemon was one of Jessie's favorite colors and she had almost the same floral pattern skirt.
Smiling at Alyssa, "you are stealing my heart already", Jessie beamed to Alyssa who had left Jessie's world already. Not getting any response, she followed Alyssa's trail of vision and saw Raymond standing some distance away from them, staring back at her. Alyssa's glare was unwavering, Jessie could not help but wonder what was going on in her mind.
Luciana who had no idea of what was going on, stopped in her tracks when she noticed that they weren't walking with her. Looking back she saw Jessie staring at Alyssa and just when she was about to ask what the problem was, she heard Alyssa say, " tell him to not come close to me".
"Alyssa I'm really sorry. I'm sorry you have to go through all Sophie's rubbish because of me", Raymond said pleadingly. Moving closer to her, he took her hands,
" Just leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you ", as his hands still held hers, Alyssa shoved it away which took him unaware.
" Alyssa, I said I am...",
"Let's go, Jessie ", Alyssa said walking away. Murmuring a low "sorry" to Raymond, Jesse and Luciana walked away.
"What just happened now?", Luciana said as she tried catching up with Alyssa.
" Please I don't want to talk about it", Alyssa blurted out.
"Just tell me....", Jessie gave Luciana a glare which shut her up in her speech abruptly. Smiling to Luciana, " I'll tell you later", Jessie mumbled.
Surviving at Chelan college was hard for the weak people, the characters of people at Chelan college ranged from the tough to the weak, the bullies to the bullied, and the rich to the not-so-rich. And Alyssa, unfortunately, found herself on the weak list as the gist of the embarrassment Sophie caused her was trending. She did not know if she was supposed to feel happy as Sophie was also trending because of the slap Raymond gave her, she just didn't like the spot her name was as she was receiving unending stares from people.
The anger that built inside of her coupled with the fact that she had told Raymond to stay away from her earlier, as she didn't like the gossip that was spreading at a certain time about her and Sophie dragging Raymond, which he refused to adhere to. What happened earlier that day made everything worse, considering the possibility of her missing Mr. Hills' test, Alyssa just couldn't control herself from shoving away Raymond's hands which she was regretting already.
The girls continued their journey to the Chemistry lab and got there on time as the lab instructor came in immediately they took their seats.
Sassy snitches crew walked in about thirty minutes later with a wide smile plastered across their faces which gave Jessie a shrilling vibe, and black lipsticks masked ludicrously on their lips.
The lab attendant had gotten used to their attitude which was so disrespecting, he just chose to ignore it as it was obvious the girls carried trouble always. Alyssa's chest heaved with emotions on seeing them, taking a deep breath, she resolved that she was never going to be intimated by Sophie.
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"Are you serious? Sophie did that.", Luciana asked Jessie who gave her the gist about what happened at school. Jessie replied with a nod showing that she meant every single thing she said.
"I wish I was there", Luciana voiced out in regret.
"Lol..., what will you have done?", Jessie questioned Luciana who sat in her room watching her arrange the clothes she had scattered earlier while rushing to school.
"I'd have been the one to give the slap instead of Raymond", Luciana beamed.
"I hear! I can only imagine", Jessie replied while laughing.
"Who knows what Alyssa will have gone through?", Luciana murmured.
"She felt terrible", Jessie chimed in, " I met her at the Janitor's closet while I was walking to the restroom, in tears".
"Hahh.. she must have been so broken"
"Mmhmm, she was, that was why we came late for the test. We're just lucky Charles saved us".
"I couldn't help but wonder why you were not inside, because the.....", Luciana's voice trailed off as she realized what she heard,
" Wow.., Charles saved you. Is he not such a darling?"
"Tell me, tell me everything that happened. When did you call him to help? Where did you meet him? How did you know he could help?", Luciana persuaded in a hurry.
"That's too much question", Jessie beamed, forcing back a smile. Tucking in her hair and smiling internally, Jessie picked up another cloth to fold, not answering Luciana.
Luciana stretched out her hand and dragged Jessie making her fall back on the bed. "Luci....", Jessie stuttered as she was pulled unaware.
"Tell me now please", Luciana pouted.
"Okay, okay. As I rushed down the hallway to the lecture hall with Alyssa, I accidentally bumped into Charles", Jessie started.
"Gosh, his scent was so appealing and it almost dazed me out", she added, giggling, "after I got myself and realized it was him, he started a conversation with us ... It went on and on till he decided to help us. He went to talk to Mr. Hills"
"I think that's exactly why you entered inside, not long after he did. Wow! He's so good", Luciana beamed.
"You are coming to the same conclusion again", Jessie said as her face fell just before she finished her statement.
Luciana who was smiling, thinking about how awesome Charles was, noticed Jessie's change of mood and called her attention,
"Jessie, what's it?", She asked.
"It's nothing, I just remembered something"
"And you won't want to share it with me?"
"The thing is... ", Jessie drew in a deep breath before continuing, "Charles's exact words after helping me were 'there's a price for this good work of mine. I don't pleasure in doing things for free, and I can't help but think of what he means", Jessie voiced out wrapping her palms with Luciana's, "I have racked my brain and nothing is coming through".
"You should take it easy, maybe you are just overthinking things", Luciana implored lifting Jessie's fallen face to hers.