Long chapter ahead dedicated to the tenth anniversary of One Direction!!!!!!
Ps. Who's excited about tonight?
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"Kiara," Luca says. "This is getting out of our hands. I get the Ashton one, but that wasn't that big of an issue, at least not like this one."
I read the column of the Week of the School.
'Cheer Queen or Hooker Queen
Miles Stewards
Cora Clerk, our head cheerleader is not only what we thought of her, is she? Her reputation does precede her, but this is a total new level. Queen Cheer just proved all the rumors about her true.
Use the link below to watch the full video: http//:***************'
There's a picture attached below the column. It looks like a screenshot from a video. The picture was dark and blurry. But that isn't what caught me off guard.
In the picture Cora is only in her underwear, kneeling in front of-
I jerk the paper away and close my eyes tight. No this can't be true. Cora and I might not be best friends anymore but she can't do porn videos. This has to be photoshopped.
"Kiara, did you see?" Miles comes running to me. His face is full of-tears?
"Miles are you okay?" I ask.
"I-I swear I have nothing to do with it," he says. "I didn't submit it. You know that, don't you?" He looks at the three of us.
I hold him by his shoulder, he's trembling. "It's okay Miles, we know you didn't. We still have the draft don't we?"
"I don't get it," Payton says. "We submitted the draft ourselves to the printing guy. How can it be swept again? Unless-"
"We can't blame him like that Payton," Jason says, joining us. "I feel like it's my fault. I should've stayed until all the prints came out."
After the meeting, Mrs. Roth left and told us to wrap up everything. Jason and I talked to Mr. Avery, the printing guy. I left with Miles and Grace after that. It was only Jason who stayed with him till the end.
"Don't blame yourself, Jason, you did all that you could've done within your power," I assure him. "And this can be fake. I mean this has to be-"
"No, it's not," Luca says. "It's not fake."
"Luca?" Payton asks her boyfriend. Betray is written all over her face.
They've been dating for three years and they seem to be the sweetest couple I've met so far. They never kept any secrets from each other, not until now.
Luca looks at Payton, "I'm sorry baby, I should've told you about it before but I couldn't find the courage or the perfect time. Also, I didn't think this would ever come up." Then he looks at the rest of us. "Yes I saw this video before. I- I didn't mean to. This text came up in my Messenger from an unknown id last August, a few weeks before school started. It said to check the link below. I click it out of curiosity and my-" he pauses.
"It's not just him," Miles says, catching our attention. "I saw it too. Almost all the boys from our school who have Messenger or WhatsApp got this message."
I look at Jason. "Did you get this message too?"
Jason shakes his head. "I don't have either Messenger or WhatsApp."
"That explains it," Luca says and looks at Payton. "I'm sorry babe, I should've told you about it."
Payton shrugs. "It's okay. I'm a bit shocked that you kept it away from me."
Luca hangs his head low. "I'm sorry. I just thought you'd hate me for checking-"
"I wouldn't," Payton takes his hand in hers. "Please don't do this ever again."
Luca smiles a little. "I won't, I promise." And he kisses her.
Well, this is awkward. I look at Jason and Miles, they look as uneasy as I am.
Payton is the first one who pulls back and looks at us.
"But I was thinking," her voice as smooth as steel, as if she wasn't making out with her boyfriend seconds ago. "How humiliating it must be for Cora right now."
I was wondering that too. It's the most horrible thing that can ever happen with a girl, even if that girl is Cora.
"Does she even know that this video got viral long before this news came out today?" Jason asks.
"Ask the victim that question yourself," Grace says from behind him.
I furrow my brows.
"What'd you-"
Before I can finish, someone shoves me against the locker behind me and my head hits its surface.
I groan and turn around. Cora's long nails are digging in my shoulder.
"You! You bitch! You did it, didn't you?" Her nostrils flare as she chokes out each word. "You were seeking revenge after what happened on Friday. You did this to me!"
"Cora I know you're mad but let's-" Jason pauses when she turns towards him.
"Stay out of it. It's between her and me," then she looks back at me. "Say you did! You wrote that column and then blame your poor innocent friend."
Miles is anything but poor and innocent.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I have nothing to do with it. I didn't even know you did-"
Then she does something very unexpected and childlike. She slaps me. I hear gasps from around us.
I stare at her with wide eyes. Is she fuckin nuts? Before I know what I'm doing, I slap her back and she falls back on the ground. Then she tries to reach for me. This time I'm ready. I'm not taking any more chances of getting humiliated.
She tries to grab me but someone holds her back. "Are you two finished being middle schoolers?" Ashton asks. Cora tries to get out of his grip but he holds her tightly. "Stop fighting me Cora," he says and looks at me. "I didn't expect it from you."
My cheeks burn. Who's he to say when he's the one who picks up fights from the first chance he gets?
Instead, I say, "She was the one who started it!"
Ashton rolls his eyes. "Yeah and now if a dog bites you, you'll bite her back?"
Cora turns around in his grip. "Whom are you calling a dog now?"
"He meant bitch," Grace pipes. I look around and find a small crowd gathering around us. Great, just what we needed.
"What I was saying is," Ashton takes a deep breath. Then he flashes a smile. "Baby I know you're hurt and I'm so sorry that you had to go through this."
Cora wraps her hands around his neck and he wraps his arms around her. I hear a few 'aww's from the crowd while I gawk. I mean what is cute about this? And can't nobody see how fake it is?
Ashton pries her arms off from around him. "Are you feeling okay now?" Cora nods.
"Good, now let's solve the problem like soon-to-be-adults." He looks at me. Something flashes in his eyes but I cannot say what.
Ashton Fellan is genuinely weird.
"You better stay away from where it concerns my girlfriend," someone says. Derek makes his way through the crowd. He comes and wraps an arm around me.
I look over this shoulder and find his wingmen, his best friend Emery, and the Garrett twins, standing behind him with their arms crossed.
"You okay?" Derek asks, still glaring at Ashton. I nod.
From the corner of my eyes, I see Ashton rolling his eyes. "Sure then where were you when these two were choking each other to death and I had to cut in?"
I roll my eyes. He's exaggerating now.
"I was-" Derek pauses. "I was with the coach."
Owen snorts behind Ashton while Nyako simply crosses his arms and smirks. Ashton looks at his friends and then turns back to us. "Oh sure," he says mockingly, the corner of his lips turns up. "I wonder-"
"Who's being middle schoolers now?" I cut in before these two can pick up a fight. "Let's deal with this matter like some soon-to-be-adults?" I quote Ashton, holding his gaze as he stares down at me amusedly.
Ashton, realizing the mockery too, sends a wink in my way, too fast for anyone else to notice.
I roll my eyes and turn to Cora, "I'm so sorry for what happened but I or anyone from the committee has nothing to do with it."
Cora rolls her eyes as she gets out of Ashton's arms. "I don't trust you."
"Sure, don't trust me, but believe me," I say and sigh. "And we'll look into the matter."
The intercom turns on right at that moment. "Cora Clerk report in the Principal's office right now!" The voice says. "I repeat, Cora Clerk report in The Principal's office right now."
Oh, fuckety fuck! The news has traveled to the Principal already. Everyone's eyes fall on Cora who shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath.
"Too late for that," she looks at me and points her finger at my face. "Remember I'll get back to you for this. All of you."
She tugs Ashton with her towards the Principal's office. The crowd parts as they walk away.
Ashton looks a bit irritated. When he catches me staring, he rolls his eyes and mouths 'we'll talk later'.
I nod. The bell rings as the crowd around us starts to leave.
I feel a tug on my sleeve. I look up and see Derek staring at me. "Let's get you to your class. This whole thing can be a little traumatic."
Grace and Miles hold my gaze. I gave them a small nod and let Derek lead me to Mrs. G's class.
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