“I cannot believe that they are dating,” Jenny said as she was crossing the quad.
“It’s disgusting isn’t it,” Gale said, her face crinkled up. “It makes me sick.”
“I know,” Jenny said and then opened her mouth and stuck her finger into her mouth imitating someone puking.
Both girls were shaking their head as they walked past the couple sitting at the park bench. It was lunch at Roosevelt Middle School, and it was a sunny beautiful day. The grass that the girls walked on was a rich green, the trees scattered around the grassy area providing shade with their leaves completely grown. It was the height of spring and a time when love was in the air.
“What really burns me is that I thought Barbara was arranging a double date with her boyfriend and Tommy and me,” Jenny said. “Next weekend we were supposed to see that new movie that was coming out, the romance story.”
“Yeah, well looks like that’s a big FAT FAIL,” Gale said. “Those two look like -,” Gale paused as she was looking over her shoulder at the couple. “Yep, there it is,” Gale said with a squeal. “They’re swapping some spit.” Gale looked over at her friend and saw the disappointment. “I’m sorry Jenny,” Gale said sincerely. Jenny seemed unmoved.
“I hate that bitch.” Jenny’s voice was filled with the hatred that only a teenage girl spurned could display.
“I know,” Gale said sympathetically. “I know.”
“How can she steal my Tommy.” Jenny said, her voice changing to sadness. “We were supposed to be forever.”
“You didn’t even date.” Gale said, and realized she shouldn’t have said that at the look she received from Jenny.
“So, he knew I was interested.” Jenny said matter a factly. “It’s not like he hadn’t heard that I liked him.” Jenny went on. “He should have asked me out, he must have known.”
“It’s okay,” Gale said. “Of course your right. He should have known.”
Gale looked over her shoulder and couldn’t help but be shocked and disappointed at what she saw.
“I can’t believe it.” Jenny said. “I would have thought that he would have better taste than that, that foreigner.”
“I know,” said Gale. “I’m pretty sure that slut is the one who has been chasing Jimmy too.” Gale’s voice was filled with anger and hatred. “We were supposed to spend all night on the phone last night but when I called him he didn’t answer.”
“No way,” Jenny said. “I don’t think that’s enough to think that he’s cheating with that hootsie tootsie Rachel.” Jenny paused. “OMG, they’re kissing again.”
Gale looked over at the couple.
“Tommy could do so much better,” Gale said as she tsk tsked, tossed her hand sideways to her side in exaggeration as she focused on Jenny. “Like you, of course.” “So after I called Jimmy’s house I talked to his little brother who told me that Jimmy was on the phone with some girl whose name began with an R.”
“No way,” Jenny said her face shocked.
“And so I tried calling Rachel to check, and when I did it said her cell phone was busy,” Gale said. “I can’t believe Rachel is trying to steal Jimmy. I’m going to make sure she regrets that.”
“Cell phones don’t get busy,” Jenny said, trying to calm her friend down.
“Yes they do,” Gale paused. “But only if they’re on a three way call.”
“You mean that hootsie tootsie was on the phone with Jimmy and somebody else,” Jenny asked.
“That’s exactly what I mean,” Gale said. “She probably had someone listening to the phone call as she seduced my boyfriend.”
“B**ch,” Jenny said in a dark voice. “We have got to do something about her.”
“Don’t get yourself all worked up Jenny,” Gale said as she patted Jenny on the back. “I have a plan that will get us both what we want. Her mind had been working all night and day on finding some way to get revenge.
***
The couple sitting at the bench were average looking in most respects. Tommy, with his blond hair contrasted nicely with the young girl he was kissing. Rachel’s jet black hair and Mediterranean skin color accented the young man’s fair features. Her pokeadot dress reached down to just above her knees as she sat. His khaki shorts with loose fitting polo shirt along with her comfortable outfit made the couple not only seem comfortable with each other, but comfortable in their own skin. Next to the word cute in the dictionary was a picture of this couple holding kittens. From the inside of their bubble, the world was perfect. Ideal even. They had a beautiful day and were enjoying each other’s company.
As they pulled away from each other from their first kiss they both had a smile. Both looked away shyly. The boy’s braces could just be made out from the rest of his face. For the most part they were difficult to see because of the model used by the orthodontists, invisilingn.
“I think you are awesome,” Rachel said.
“Thanks,” Tommy said back. “I think you’re pretty awesome too. And I do mean Pretty.” He smiled that way someone does who has braces and has forgotten that they’re wearing them, yet shy.
Rachel reached up and stroked the side of his cheek, not caring to notice the braces.
“That was very nice of you last night,” Rachel said. “Jimmy and I really needed the help with the math.”
“Thanks, but you were the one who had three way calling.” Tommy said. “And I think you were the one who had the formula memorized not me.”
The bell rang signaling the end of lunch. At Roosevelt only the eighth graders were aloud out on the quad after they ate their lunch. It was one of the only perks they had as the eldest students on campus. The group of eighth graders on the small field headed into the building; Tommy and Rachel were still holding hands.
***
“As you all know in two days we will be going to the Observatory and if you haven’t handed in your paperwork you will not be able to come,” Mr. Braker said. “Which means that you will have to stay here and do some other work that I warn you will be very unpleasant.”
The science room had the science islands with the drawers for storing supplies and high stools allowing the students to see the top of the black toped islands. There was a faucet in the center of each island. Along the walls were cabinets with glass fronts, allowing students to see the instruments and other items stored there.
Mr. Braker was a small man who had big thick glasses. He had the look of a man who was continually angry at the world, no matter who you were he hated you. He was handing out a set of worksheets and talked as he walked around the room, scanning and looking at students and what they were doing. The worst thing about Mr. Hiram Baker wasn’t his thick glasses or angry looks. Nor was it the nauseating nasal voice that he inflicted his student with. The worst thing about Mr. Baker was his breath. And he liked to talk. While he was roaming the room he would lean over your shoulder to ask you a question. As bad as that was, the day got worse if he did lecture notes. It made it almost unbearable, unbearable enough to NOT want to go to the Observatory and get out of the school. Almost.
“This sheet will prepare you for the field trip,” he looked down at Jimmy who was sitting towards the back. “So, I expect everyone to hand this in, even you Jimmy.”
“Yes sir,” Jimmy said automatically. Jimmy had already run afoul of Mr. Braker and didn’t want to upset the old man again. He was already in trouble for something that was written on his chair that Mr. Braker blamed on him. Mr. Braker had no problem determining the kind of person one of his students were. Once he “figured out” that the kid was a “bad seed”, it was a life sentence. A sentence of targeting, distrust and teacher bullying. Of course, the opposite was true. A student who was a hard-worker, determined and clearly superior were the ones that showed Mr. Braker the deference that he deserved. Of course Jimmy and his friend Tommy had a unique kind of relationship with Mr. Braker.
“Just because your friend’s father is a member of the Town Council doesn’t mean that you are exempt from facing consequences,” Mr. Braker, who had run for Town Council and lost to Tommy’s dad the year before. It had been a very tight contentious race for town council. Knowing that Jimmy was friends with Tommy had made Jimmy a target in this science class like Tommy was in another one of the science classes that Mr. Braker taught. “In fact, I should hold you to a higher calling.”
Jimmy had heard the diatribe before. He had even spoken up against it, publicly disagreed with Mr. Braker in class. “Why should he be held accountable for what his father did. Just because he beat the pants off of you in a fair election. Why is that my fault?” Each detention at the school was two and a half hours long. The three detentions he had taught Jimmy that it was better to keep his mouth shut than to say anything and get in trouble.
On the opposite side of the room, off Mr. Braker’s radar Gale, in her PINK shirt and sweatpants, was was sitting in the front row, oblivious beyond the smell to Mr. Braker’s lecture on the evils of student activities and the human biological/Gene connection. Gale and Jenny were passing notes as if they were Western Union, fast and furiously. The notes were filled with entertaining material about the latest gossip running around the school. At least that’s what everyone else thought. In reality the notes simply said, “I’m bored” double underlined, or “Did you see the eyebrows on this guy,” or “Braker – it’s more like WEIRDO” complimented with, “Tommy probably has some disease from kissing that ho bag!” or “Don’t remind me that the B**ch was kissing the guy I like.” As middle schoolers go, the conversation was almost tame, the cutting and biting was as common as breathing and more common than showering for most. The prohibition of foul language was meaningless meaningless to anyone over the age of twelve. Putting her plan into action Gale was also passing similar style notes to Cassie who was sitting next to her.
Unbeknownst by the girls passing notes, they were getting some helpful assistance from Jimmy as the whole time Mr. Braker was walking around the room he was so focused on Jimmy and everything he did wrong that Mr. Braker never noticed the note passing from the student who he thought was his best and brightest.
The bell rang singaling for most that it was time to change periods, but today was lab day. The students broke into pairs to work on the gene project and write up their analysis. Believing that the two were his brightest students and not wanting them to be slowed down by slower students like Jimmy, Mr. Braker put Cassie and Gale together as partners. Knowing that they would keep an eye on him, he put Jimmy next to the pair with his partner Stephen.
“Hey, aren’t you going to be on the student council or something.” asked as Gale pulled out the pencil for the lab. She stopped in mid search to look at Cassie. “Something about that dork Delbert moving or something?”
“Yeah, Mr. Fuddles told me that Rachel, as the class president and him decided that I was going to replace Delbert as the class vice president,” Cassie said as she handed over the beaker of water to get heated. Cassie was the student that everyone seemed to like. If Rory from Gilmore Girls was loved by everyone, then Cassie of Roosevelt Middle School was loved the same way. She always had a smile and was willing to help people. She had dropped out of the race for Vice President because she didn’t want to hurt Delbert’s feelings.
“Congratulations,” Gale said. “Do you think that Rachel will actually let you do anything?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t she,” Cassie asked, her face tilted in that unsure way.
“It’s really not my place to say,” Gale said, trying to act innocent and getting away with it as Cassie’s face showed a look of interest with a touch of concern.
“No, I want to know,” Cassie said, mixed with concern and curiosity. “You can’t say that and not explain.”
“As long as you remember that you asked,” Gale said, her voice and posture filled with contrition. “Otherwise I would never have said anything.” Gale looked seriously at Cassie. “You know, you are so nice and I’ve seen how everyone, including me,” Gale had leaned in and winked at Cassie. “Think you are so kind and generous with yourself. I hate that you’re in this position to be,” she shrugged slightly. “You know, used this way.”
“GO ahead already,” Cassie said, turning the heat up on the beaker.
“Well, I overheard Rachel and Mr. Fuddles talking about how they wanted you because they figured you wouldn’t fight them as much as your competition would.” Gale had heard no such thing; she would rather stick hot needles in her eyes than listen to those two talk. To Gale, in his yearbook Mr. Fuddles was most likely voted the most likely to be a loser. Seriously, look at him. He’s working in a school. He couldn’t even get a real job. However, saying she had heard them would make Cassie think that she was helping her out, and it could create so much potential entertainment to see Cassie squirm.
She only knew about Cassie’s appointment because she heard a couple of teachers talking about it in the hallway on the way to class. Teachers talk like that all the time, thinking the students in the hallway can’t hear them. It struck her immediately that it would be a great way to get some attention if she just changed the story around a bit, and it would go well with her plan.
“Really,” Cassie said, in that voice that was both haughty and concerned. “So who did they mean by my ‘competition’.”
Gale looked and noticed Mr. Braker helping a student with the lab, his back was to them. She leaned towards Jimmy.
“Hey, what’s the answer to number one.” Gale asked.
“Come on,” Jimmy said. “I don’t want to get in trouble. Don’t you think I get enough crap already?”
“To make up for not calling me last night dweeb.” Gale said. “And because your my boyfriend.”
Jimmy looked at her and then looked at Mr. Braker. He slid his paper over so Gale could see the answers. She quickly jotted down the answers. Gale only had an A because Jimmy helped her with the science. Most of her work was copied from his homework. She would then go through his and change his answers, giving him the wrong answer so it wouldn’t look like they were sharing the same answers. She knew why Jimmy allowed it to continue. Jimmy lived in fear of her breaking up with him. He had been no one before coming to middle school. When he got there, he was even worse off than when he was in elementary school. Sixth grade was the worst. Somehow, fate figured out how to make seventh grade worse.
Gale’s mom had made the school find a tutor for Gale The person with the highest grade in science seventh grade was Jimmy. His tutoring her had turned into them dating, at first unofficially. In middle school, unofficial is really official after you mention it to a friend. Almost a year later, Jimmy was called lazy and forgetful while Gale was lauded by her teachers. But, Jimmy was popular because he had a girlfriend. At least that’s what he ascribed it to. He also felt confident about his position socially, while he still lived in fear of losing it all. It had all changed when he started to “go out” with Gale and now he was afraid he’d lose it all if they broke up.
And she knew it. Jimmy had made the mistake of confiding in her and she used that power over him shamelessly. Just like she used everything else. Gale nodded towards his paper. Jimmy would show her the rest when
“You don’t know,” Gale asked forgetting Jimmy’s contribution to her grade. Gale looked both ways as if she was checking for anyone to overhear. Cassie, unsure what was going on did the same in a halfhearted way. Moving close to Cassie so that there was no air between them, she took her thumb and pointed to the table behind them. “It was Jenny, she so wanted the job. All she’s been talking about since she heard Dillie was leaving was that she wanted the job.” This wasn’t a lie, Jenny had wanted the vice-president job last year when she had lost the election. This year, she decided she didn’t even want to try. She had become “too cool” for something like that. This was the best way to tell a lie. Tell a partial truth so that whoever you’re talking to believes the whole lie.
Cassie turned her head and looked at the lab table behind her; it was a cold calculated look.
***
Jenny and Gale walked close whispering to each other, keeping their voices low enough so that only they could hear.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Jenny said. “You are some type of genius, but aren’t you worried about Fuddles?” Gale hadn’t told Jenny about the conversation with Gale, keeping it simple, as a backup plan or just some good fun after everything was done.
Mr. Fuddles was the vice principal, an elderly man who been with the school since it was built nearly thirty years before. If paper was made by Gucci, then his hair would be the equivalent. It was a startlingly bright white that was so decorative that you thought he spent most of his day combing his hair.
“That old idiot,” Gale said. “My dad describes him as the guy whose about as sharp as a dull pencil. This plan is fool proof, guaranteed to work.”
“Good, cause the day of the trip to the observatory is coming up and that would be the best place to make our plan work.”
“I agree, but let’s see if we can create a bit of stir tomorrow at lunch,” Gale explained.
“Cool,” Jenny said. “I can’t wait.”
***
The plan was set, the trap was ready. What will happen next.
Comment below. Please feel free to provide constructive criticisms. REMEMBER, this is an UNPROOFED draft and while I am sure there are a bunch of errors, It hasn’t been run through any editorial review.
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