Filed to story: Brace Face Betty Drama Story
“What the fuck is this?”
The sour, angry note to the voice at my right brings me crashing back down to earth. It’s Zen. And behind her, Kacey…
Both of them are wearing their cheerleading skirts, white socks pulled up to their knees, and matching expressions of disbelief. “Marcus?” Zen says sharply. “I thought after the other night, you and
I might be spending some time together.” She sounds reproving, like she’s telling him off. Marcus looks to me, eyebrows raised, like I might be able to explain why the fuck she’s speaking to him like that.
“Don’t look at me,” I say, laughing quietly. “This one’s all you.”
“Was I even speaking to you, slut?” Zen sneers.
In a heartbeat, Marcus’s back is straight, shoulders drawn back, anger flashing like liquid mercury in his eyes. “Watch your fucking mouth,” he growls. “Call her that again, and we’re gonna have issues.”
Zen’s mouth falls open. She looks stung. Hurt, even. “But…I’m sorry. I don’t get it.” She screws her eyes closed, shaking her head, curls bouncing. “Betty’s scum, Marcus. She’s a fucking nobody. Everyone at this school knows she’s poison. You can’t seriously want her over me.”
“I’d take just about anybody over you, but that’s beside the point. Betty’s fucking magnificent. She has more brain cells in her little finger than you spiteful, nasty little cunts have to squabble over between you. The fact that she’d even look at me twice makes me the luckiest bastard in the world. Now kindly fuck off. We’re bored of looking at your average, ordinary faces.”
Holy fucking shit. Marcus can’t know much about Kacey and the girls I used to call friends, but he couldn’t have thrown a better insult if he’d tried. Average?
Ordinary? Fuck me. Kacey’s spent every waking moment of her life doing everything in her considerable power to make sure everyone around her sees just how extraordinary she is. She glowers at Marcus over Zen’s shoulder, her fury twisting her features into a mask of hatred.
“You really shouldn’t have said that, Marcusandro. You’re a lowly piece of trash we decided to pick up off the side of the road out of the goodness of our hearts. Most guys at Ravenshire would have ripped their own right arm out of the socket to be given a front row seat at that show we put on for you.
You do not reject us.”
“Funny. I seem to recall rejecting you over…and over…and over…”
Kacey grabs Zen by the arm, digging her fingernails into her skin. She looks like she’s about to go nuclear. “You have no right to insult my friend.”
Marcus’s expression is blank, untroubled, as he steps forward and leans down, shoving his face into Kacey’s. His voice is frighteningly calm as he says, “The insult was for the both of you. That’s a nice act though, playing the good little friend. I’ve heard all about how you really stand up for the people around you. I thought you were more of a leave-’em-broken-and-bleeding-in-the-gutter-after-the-boy-you-like-raped-’em kinda girl.”
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no. I don’t want this. I won’t be able to handle this if he says one more thing about…
“I mean, what kind of lowlife does that?” he snarls. “Who’s jealous of a girl for being assaulted, for fuck’s sake? There must be something seriously wrong in that coked-out brain of yours, Winters. I almost feel sorry for you. I can only imagine the therapy bill…”
“You’re dead,” Kacey snaps. “Fucking dead. Jacob’s going to fucking murder you when he finds out what you just said to me.”
Marcus tuts under his breath. “You think I haven’t dealt with worse than you and Jacob Weaving, little girl? You people may have money. Your parents might be stuck up assholes who think they’re too good for the rest of this town, but do you honestly think you can beat me down with an empty threat? Jake isn’t gonna do shit to me. He’s going to end his campaign against Betty. He’s going to give her a wide berth if he knows what’s good for him. And while Betty’s deciding if she wants to change her mind and have me permanently disfigure him for what he did to her, you psychos are going to avert your eyes any time either one of us walks by you in the hallway.
Do…you…hear…me?”
Kacey blinks rapidly, shrinking back on herself. To be fair, she doesn’t look away, but the set jaw and her defiant sneer aren’t fooling anyone, least of all me. He’s obviously scared her. It’s a miracle that I’m even capable of such emotion, but…I feel sorry for her. Students have gathered around in fives and sixes, all watching the exchange, and no one has come to her aid. Some of my classmates are even laughing behind their hands, whispering to one another with smiles in their eyes.
This is what it’s like, Kacey. This is what humiliation feels like. Stings, doesn’t it?
Zen’s the one who pulls Kacey away. She spits and curses, shoving me out of the way, dragging Kace behind her. Kacey yells back at us, though, ever the one to get the last word in.
“You wouldn’t have dared to speak to me like in front of Jake. He’ll hear about this! You’re through! You’re gonna be locked up before nightfall, motherfucker!”
* * *
Jake hears about it all right. Sheriff Hainsworth shows up at Ravenshire just before lunch, along with a tall guy in a tailored suit, who climbs out of a flashy Maserati and storms toward Principle Darhower’s office wearing a face like thunder. Not long after that, I’m called to Darhower’s office myself. In a sour mood, Karen barks at me, ordering me to sit down and wait outside to be called.
When the door to Darhower’s office opens, Jake emerges first, looking like the smug piece of shit that he is, followed by Kacey. Her face is splotchy and red, her mascara smudged, and I know for a fact it was smeared with her fingertip in the girls’ bathrooms before she went in to put on her performance. She flips me off as she sails past, pretending to sniffle into Jake’s shoulder.
“Ms. Branson. Inside, please,” Darhower calls. Jake’s father’s still in with him, leaning against a bookcase filled with encyclopedias, looking like he owns the damn place. Sheriff Hainsworth’s standing at the window with his back to the room. Marcus is nowhere to be seen. “Sit,” Principle Darhower orders. I do so, dread spiking in my veins. “Some very grave accusations have been made against yourself and another student, Betty. It’s my duty to investigate the legitimacy of these accusations and act accordingly, based on their veracity. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about what happened this morning?”