We spent almost all day at Holly's playing different games. So long that it actually started to get dark out again.

 

We should get home now before it gets too dark.

 

Yeah, you're probably right.

 

"Hey guys, it's getting late so I think I'm gonna head home."

"Yeah," Sophie agreed as she stretched out, "My dad's gonna get mad if I stay out too late before school. Thanks for letting us stay so long." Sophie patted Holly on the back, causing her to flinch, but she gave a polite smile and kept playing.

"It was nice having you here for so long. And it's good to see you again, Robbie."

"Good to see you again too." Sophie and I got up, stretched, gathered our things and headed out the door. "Cya at school," I said to Holly.

Her attention was right back on the game. "Bye."

Sophie, Pern and I walked down the stairs together.

 

We seriously can't imagine how that could've been a date. She barely took her eyes off the screen the entire time. Hell, if she did go on a date, then it'd be with the TV.

 

Why are you being so mean to her? She didn't do anything bad to us, and I'm sure Holly can get a date if she tried to. She just doesn't seem interested right now is all.

 

We're not being mean. We're just explaining our thoughts. Besides, who cares if she's on a date or not?

 

You seem to since you keep bringing it up.

 

We're just confirming what we thought. And it would have been nice if Holly paid a little more attention to us than a game. That's all.

 

That's just how Holly is, and I'm not going to pressure her into changing.

 

Of course we're not going to.

 

Sophie and I walked out the house. "I hope you had fun, but I should get home now." She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and walked off in the other direction.

"Cya at School!" I called out.

She turned around and waved me off. "Love you!"

"Love you too!" I watched her go for a bit before turning around and heading back home.

 

She did give us an amazing weekend, but now we need to prepare for whatever can happen tomorrow.

 

I've done all the preparing I can. I'll just have to see how it goes.

 

On my way home, my phone went off. 

 

From Vanessa:

8:34 PM: "Hi Robbie! Or Sophie. Sorry I didn't see this before. Mark and I are on a trip to visit some family. We won't be back until late tonight. But it's great to hear from you! How are you doing?

 

That's good to hear. We hope they're having a good time.

 

To Vanessa: 

8:37 PM: That's fine. Thank you! I'm doing well. Spend all day playing games with Holly and Sophie. Looking forward to seeing you guys at school!

 

Yeah. And it'll make Monday even better.

 

I walked all the way home in silence, and even when I made it back, I went straight to bed.

 

###

 

My eyes opened as the sun beamed into them. Not the best way to start the morning, but hopefully it wouldn't set the mood for the day.

 

The sooner we get to school the sooner we can find out how this will all play out.

 

Yeah. Guess I'm going in early then.

 

I rolled out of bed and got dressed, cleaned up and ate breakfast before heading out to school.

When I got there, I got a few 'welcome backs' from people I knew and talked with a bit, but it started mostly like every other day. That was until gym class came. On my way to change, Kendall walked up next to me, and Pern immediately hovered over us with his vines outstretched towards her.

"Hey…" she said. I turned to her and stared up into her eyes. "I just wanted to say it's good to see you're safe."

 

More of her lies.

 

This is either going to piss her off, or show that what we talked about worked, and that she'll do what I say.

 

I walked off without a word, and to my surprise, she didn't try to stop me. Pern quickly broke down into a laughing mess, and when I walked into the changing room, I was right behind him.

 

No trying to intimidate us. Not trying to make us listen. She didn't even say anything! If we can walk away from her without her doing anything, then it had to have seriously worked! Just imagine all the stuff we can make her do!

 

I walked into the changing room and got ready.

 

Let's start where she left off. Getting her to eat a disgusting fry and do everything she did to it!

 

Today might actually be the best school day ever.

 

Once we did our stretches, we went out to the track, and Kendall didn't even try to talk to me! I could just run with Sophie in peace.

"So…how's your day going?" Sophie asked.

My face lit up. "Really good."

"So Kendall's leaving you alone?"

"Yeah. She tried to tell me it's good to see me safe or some crap like that."

Sophie's mood skyrocketed along with mine as we both jogged together. Not long after, Kendall passed by us without even looking.

"See? She isn't doing anything. What's even more funny is I'm making her buy me lunch."

"She offered to do that?"

With a huge amount of pride, "I'm making her."

"...Uh, what do you mean you're making her?"

"When she came to visit me in the hospital, I told her she's going to do what I say or I'll tell her parents everything she did to me. And it got her scared enough to stop doing everything."

"Oh…"

"Is something wrong?" I asked, slowing down slightly.

"No. She kinda deserves it, but don't you think you're better than that? She's done with you so I think it'd be best if we just forget about her."

"I'm not going to let her get off that easy."

"...Alright, if you say so."

We both stopped talking and focused on running for now as Pern ran up from behind me.

 

She's gotten really quiet. We bet she doesn't approve. 

 

Still. Kendall deserves what's coming to her.

 

"Hey, I kinda want to get some energy out. Is it okay if I rush ahead?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Thanks," she said as she pulled ahead.

 

We can make it up to Sophie if she gets bent out of shape over teaching Kendall a lesson.

 

She'll understand.

 

Kendall passed by me again, and at first I didn't pay much attention to her, but soon enough I looked over at Sophie. She was running side by side together and my heart jumped.

 

What does Kendall think she's doing?

 

I don't know, but Sophie can handle her.

 

 Run up to them and find out.

 

I picked up my pace to try and catch up, and eventually I did. Even if I had to tire myself out. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Sophie said as Kendall sped up.

 

She's acting strange again. First at Holly's house and now here.

 

"It's never nothing with her. Seriously, what's going on?"

"She just wanted to ask me how to make it up to you."

"..."

 

We're at a loss for what Kendall's even trying to do anymore. Does it have anything to do with Sophie acting weird?

 

Anyone would be awkward if Kendall asked that out of the blue.

 

True, but that doesn't help us with figuring this out.

 

I know…

 

It wasn't long after that until class ended and we went back inside, where Kendall kept ignoring me until I walked up to her at lunch. "You're still buying my food."

She took the five out of her pocket and held it up. "I didn't forget."

I tried to grab it, but she pulled it out of reach. "Just give me one chance to talk to you at your table about everything that's happened."

 

This is the perfect chance to mess with her food! Tell her she's sitting with us today.

 

"I was going to make you sit there anyway," I said with a big smile. "Come on then." I walked her to the lunch line "And give me the money."

She handed me the five as I got my food. We didn't talk to each other the entire time until we got to my table. Once we got there though, I pulled one of the chairs from another table over and sat it next to mine. "Come on then. Sit down right here." I said, patting the seat next to mine. She hesitated, but she did what I told her to.

"I wanted to talk to you about-"

"Shut up and wait for everyone to get here," I cut in as I stared at her, which made her sit there in silence.

 

Holy shit this feels amazing.

 

Pern watched from over my shoulder and kept slapping Kendall's head with his vines.

 

Damn right it does.

 

She went to eat, but I grabbed her wrist. "I said to wait for everyone to get here."

"Uhh…Alright?" 

 

And it worked again!

 

Soon enough, everyone came to sit down. Everyone acted how I thought they would. Ben didn't seem to care, Mark and Vanessa were confused, Holly was freaking out and Sophie just stood there.

"Robbie?" Sophie said, "What's going on?"

"I got something I've been wanting to do."

She sat down next to me. "Right…" 

 

Let's do more than just the fry thing. Take her food, too.

 

I reached over to Kendall's tray and grabbed my hamburger. "Thanks for the burger."

"I already got you lunch," she said as she tried to stare me down.

 

Give it to Sophie.

 

"This isn't for me." I put it on Sophie's tray. "Here you go. It's the least I can do after you gave me a great weekend."

"You don't need to," she said with a beautiful smile.

I put my arm around her. "Yes I do, because I can't tell you how happy I am to have you."

 

Kendall still has food on her tray.

 

I reached over to grab my fries next and tossed them onto Holly's tray. "And thank you for letting us stay at your place for the night."

"Thanks…" she said without looking up.

 

Putting her in the spotlight might not have been a good idea. We really should have given it to Ben.

 

Holly deserves a treat though.

 

"So you're not going to let me eat? I already bought food for you and I'm hungry."

 

Kendall went to grab my milk, but I took that from her as well.

 

—

Kendall tossing a milk at me when we first met and starting all this shit.

—

 

This is only the start. I'm going to make her life fucking hell. Just like she did to me. And we'll keep pushing it until it's her turn to stay in a psych ward.

 

I knew that was a messed up thing to say, but she'd deserve it.

"Robbie?" Mark asked, "You doing alright there?"

I didn't say anything, but Pern's idea was growing on me by the second, so I set the milk down and looked at Kendall. "Oh wow. You're already done with your food? Here, you can have one of my fries." I made sure to keep eye contact as I grabbed a fry and put it in my mouth. Once it was covered in slobber, I spat it back out.

 

Dropping it onto the floor, cleaning it with our shoe and putting it in the trash.

 

I went to hand her the fry, but accidentally dropped it onto the ground. I picked it up and still made sure to keep eye contact the entire time until she looked away.

"Sorry about that. Let me clean it off for you." I lifted up my shoe and ran it up and down the sole, making sure to get all the crud on there as I could. Everyone was silent, but I was only paying attention to Kendall at this point.

"There. All clean now. But you remember what else you did?" I asked as she kept looking away. "I don't want to get up and go to the trash, so I'll use the garbage here." I took the fry and rubbed it against Kendall's cheek. She went to slap my hand away, but I pulled it back in time. Now she was getting pissed. I wasn't done though.

I tossed it onto the middle of her empty tray and scooted closer to her. Leaning forward, "Go on and eat it."

She took a deep breath as she looked at me. "I did a lot of messed up stuff to you, so if this will help you feel better, then fine. But I'm not doing this because you're making me. I'm doing it because I want to make it up to you." She looked down at the fry.

 

She's actually going to eat it! And even trying to make up a bullshit excuse to go along with it!

 

This is amazing! We really can make her do anything we want!

 

My heart pounded like mad as she went to grab it, but stopped dead when Holly took it instead.

 

What!? Why would she do that?

 

"Holly," I said, trying to hold back Pern with a smile, "What are you doing? That's for Kendall."

Holly put it next to her tray and handed the fries back to Kendall. "I know you're mad. But don't you think you're being a little mean?"

My smile disappeared.

 

Kendall did this exact thing to us! If she didn't want it to happen to her, then she shouldn't have done it to us.

 

"She did the exact same thing to me. So give her back her fry, and if you don't want yours then-" I grabbed the bag of fries again and stood up to give them to Vanessa.

"I know she did," Holly said, "But Kendall's trying to be nice to you now."

 

No she's not! She's bullshiting everything! And why the fuck is Holly defending her anyway!?

 

I looked into Holly's eyes, "And you think that makes everything all better? You of all people know Kendall deserves this. So give her back the fry."

"Robbie," Sophie said as she put a hand on my shoulder, "This is getting kind of…This isn't like you. I think Kendall should just take her food and leave," Sophie said as she grabbed the burger and fries and put them both on Kendall's tray. "Go eat somewhere else."

Pern and I turned to stare at Sophie.

 

Now Sophie's defending her. Why- What? But…But she's supposed to be on our side!

 

"Why the fuck are you trying to be nice to her? You know how much I've wanted to do something like this."

"Because Holly's right. If she's serious about wanting to leave you alone, then have her leave you alone. You don't need to go this low."

 

Even Sophie's falling for it…

 

Why would Sophie of all people fall for it?

 

What if it has to do with what they talked about during gym?

 

My mouth hung open. "Hold on. What were you two talking about at gym today?"

"Nothing." She went back to eating her food and looked away from me. "I was just telling her to leave you alone."

 

That doesn't explain why though! What the hell is she keeping from us!?

 

"...You're lying…"

"Robbie, please stop. Just let Kendall go sit somewhere else."

"No. What were you two talking about?" But she just ignored me and looked at her food until Kendall cut in.

"I went up to talk to her about you. I'm trying to make it up to you and I was asking Sophie how to do that, but she was confused about why I was acting so nice. She didn't want to tell you just now because you're already freaking out and she didn't want to make things worse for you."

 

Everything Kendall says is a lie.

 

Looking at Kendall, "I don't believe you. You're doing something and I don't know why the fuck everyone's trying to treat you nice, but I'm not going to buy this bullshit."

"It's not bullshit," Holly said as she picked at her food.

"And how would you know? I never once saw you talk to her."

"I just know, alright? Can we please drop this…"

 

And now Holly? They've never talked until this happened.

 

…Unless they've been talking since we were in the hospital. Who was at her house anyway?

 

I looked over at Mark, Vanessa and Ben.

 

—

She's not a girlfriend.

—

 

Vanessa was with Mark visiting family. That's the only girl besides Kendall we ever see her get near. 

 

I looked back at Holly "...Who was over at your house on Saturday before we got there?"

Holly jumped in her seat. "Why does that matter?"

 

Why wouldn't she flat out deny it if it wasn't true?

 

"Because the only people I ever see you talk to are the people at this table, and you're being really friendly to Kendall. So I want to know who was over at your house."

She doesn't need to tell you if she doesn't want to," Kendall said as she leaned forward and blocked me from looking at Holly, "She's trying to help and you're jumping on her for no reason."

My heart rate spiked, "I'm not jumping on her. And don't make me out to be a bad guy. Nobody's buying it."

Ben spoke up, "No one's saying you're a bad guy, but you don't need to be so hard on Holly."

 

What the fuck is going on here!? Sophie, Holly and now Ben?

 

"I'm not, I'm just asking if Kendall was at her house."

"I don't even know where she lives," she said.

"I wasn't asking you." I stood up to lean forward and look at Holly, who was busy hiding behind Kendall. "Tell me who was at your house."

 

Holly is using Kendall to hide from us. She feels more comfortable with her right now. We thought we were Holly's friend. She's supposed to understand the kind of person Kendall is more than anyone else here thanks to Malisa...

 

"Stop it," Sophie said, "I'm trying to be on your side but it's hard when you try to pressure Holly like that for doing nothing."

I turned to face her. My hands began to sweat as I tried to keep it together, "Getting friendly with Kendall isn't nothing."

Ben chimed in. "Even if Kendall was over there, it's Holly's choice who she hangs out with."

"Can we please talk about something else?" Holly asked.

"No we can't. I know you guys are keeping something from me and I know it has to do with Kendall, so why the fuck aren't you guys telling me?"

"Because it has nothing to do with you," Kendall whispered.

"Yes it does! Everything you do is to screw with me. And somehow you pulled my friends into it!"

Holly looked at me. "Can we please stop fighting…"

"I haven't done one mean thing to you the entire day," Kendall said, like that was supposed to mean anything.

"So what!? You're probably just waiting until the end of the day. You've already done something like that!"

"Guys…" Holly muttered.

"No I'm not. I'm taking the bus today and leaving you alone."

"You probably think I'm stupid enough to believe that. Fucking bitch."

"Stop it!" Holly said, completely catching me by surprise. Everyone put their attention on her. "Yes I invited Kendall over. She got Malisa to stop bullying me and I'm thankful to her for that."

Pern and I zoned out as whatever was left of his anger vanished, and was replaced with complete shock as Pern wrapped his vines around me in a hug.

 

…So this was her plan. She was trying to steal our friends.

 

I didn't know why, but I started to smile.

 

'Hey Holly, I was in the hospital. How'd you spend your week?'

'I invited the person that almost made you kill yourself over to my house to play games with them.'

 

That smile turned into a laugh.

 

'Why would you do that?'

'Because I don't care about what she did to you. She's nice now, so you should just let her be. Or else you're the asshole.'

 

"Thankful?" The laughing and smile stopped on the spot. I glared down at Holly as she slid down in her seat. "You thought I was still in the hospital, and you still invited the person who put me there to your house to play games? I actually thought you gave a shit about me."

 

Guess the fucking joke's on me for thinking they wouldn't want to be friends with her after everything she did. Who else just forgot the last few years? Ben? Mark?

 

Sophie grabbed my shoulder and tugged me close to her. "I don't know what's going on with them, but that's taking it way too far. Don't make Holly feel guilty about having more friends."

 

Sophie.

 

I looked at Sophie as my mouth slowly hung open. "Are you seriously not going to be on my side with this…?"

She narrowed her eyes and let go of me. "I've been on your side this entire time, but I'm not going to let you bully Holly."

"Bully!? That's not bullying." I pointed at Kendall. "What she did was bullying. I'm not doing anything like her."

 

And now they think we're the bully?...

 

"That's what I thought when I was bullying you as well," Kendall said. Already pissed, I sat there as every word she said made me want to beat the shit out of her. "I didn't realize it until sometime after I heard you were in the hospital. Just because it's not as bad as what people do to you doesn't mean it's not bullying."

I grabbed her shirt collar and pulled her towards me. "If you ever say I'm a bully again I'll make you regret it."

She looked at me with not a shred of emotion. "Then ask everyone else here if you're being a bully or not."

Letting go, I looked at Ben. He wouldn't think something that stupid.

I thought that, but he looked down at his food without saying anything. More of Pern's vines wrapped around me.

I moved onto Mark. Mark was reasonable and wouldn't think I'm a bully for getting mad at this. 

But he looked away. Pern's vines hugged me tighter.

Vanessa had to understand. I knew she would have to. She knew how much of a bitch Kendall is and she's really smart.

She looked away.

Pern's bulb hovered right over me as he brought every vine in to hug me.

"I think we just need to calm down for a bit," Sophie said, "Kendall. Go sit at your own table."

Kendall stood up, but I forced myself to talk.

"This is what you wanted…" I said, completely drained of energy, "You already took everything else from me. Why wouldn't you try to take my friends as well?"

 

She never stopped trying to hurt me. Even when I thought I found something that worked, she's been working on this. And it fucking worked…

 

Even Sophie is acting like we're the bad guys here.

 

I slumped down in my seat and looked at Sophie. "You said I didn't have to worry about her anymore. Are you friends with her too? Is that why I don't have to worry about her? Because you like her now and think she's done?"

"Of course not. And she's not taking anyone from you. We're all still your friends."

"Yeah right. That's why you guys are getting close to the person who put me through hell for years." I picked up my food and went to throw it out.

 

Let's go to the computer lab.

 

Without a word, I walked off to the computer lab to get away from everyone.