I walked into the computer lab and sat down at the furthest computer in the corner after that mess at lunch. 

 

How did this happen?

 

They're not as good of friends as we thought they were.

 

I wanted to argue that, but I couldn't. If they were going to act like I was the bully when Kendall was sitting right next to me, then fuck them.

 

We're sorry this happened, but we held back on doing what we could to beat her senseless. It's time we stop holding back.

 

…What did you have in mind?

 

Text Trish. Tell her and Zach to meet us by that alleyway Kendall brings us to after school.

 

I took out my phone.

 

To Trish:

12:24 PM: Hey Tirsh. It's Robbie. Sorry I'm just texting you now. It was a very busy weekend, but I need yours and Zach's help if he's out. Kendall is trying to steal my friends and it's working. They think I'm some kind of fucking bully and that she's the good guy! I know we only just met, but I need help and I have no one else to ask.

 

You're right. I'm done being nice to her. I don't care if I get in trouble like Sophie did when she sent Kendall to the hospital.

 

Looking up, I saw Sophie and Holly walk in. I covered my face and hoped they wouldn't see me, but they both walked over and sat down.

"Hey…" Sophie said, "I don't know what's going on in your head, but everyone's still your friend."

"And I only invited her over because I seriously think she's trying to change," Holly followed up, "I wasn't trying to make you feel like I was picking her over you. I'm sorry…"

Pern and I sat there. His vines wrapped around me as we tried to figure out how we were feeling.

 

Even if we want to say 'that's fine,' there's too much going on in our head right now to say it without feeling wrong. Because it's not fine. It's bullshit. But we can at least get their help to go after Kendall.

 

How do you plan to do that?

 

One of Pern's vines hovered around Holly's pocket.

 

Holly carries pepper spray.  Get it from her and be ready to use it on Kendall.

 

…Okay. What about Sophie?

 

Have her come along. If we provoke Kendall enough into attacking us, which is going to be easy since it's Kendall, then Sophie can see for herself that we were right about her. And Holly will realize how fucked Kendall is and will stop being her friend.

 

"…Holly, can I talk to you alone real quick?" And turning to Sophie, "I want to talk to you after her, too."

Sophie clearly looked confused, but she got up, "Alright. Just let me know when you wanna talk." She walked over to the other side of the room and sat down.

Holly sat there and stared at the ground, only occasionally poking her eyes up to meet mine as I spoke. "I don't want to get into another fight, but whatever you think about Kendall is wrong. She's not nice and she's trying to use you for something."

She shifted in her seat. "Why would she help me with Malisa then?"

"Because she's spent the entire time we've known each other trying to ruin everything for me. That's all she fucking does. She doesn't talk to anyone else, and she doesn't care about anything. Do you even know how many times she's forgotten Sophie's name? They get into fights all the time and she didn't even know her name. But me? She apparently fucking knows my full name by heart. Every single time I see her, she's mocking me, and when she isn't? Then she's doing nothing. Just sitting there. It's like she's not even alive unless she's trying to hurt me, and this is no different. She's only being nice to you to try and get us to fight so she can ruin stuff between me and you guys."

I took a deep breath from that long winded speech and slid down my seat.

"I don't really know what to say…" Holly rubbed her hands together. "I told her I wanted to know why she did all that to you, or she had to leave, but she got really emotional and almost walked out herself."

"Emotional like angry?"

"No. Like she was gonna cry."

 

Holly's probably misunderstanding something then.

 

"Kendall crying? Are you sure you're not getting mixed up?"

"I know what I saw. Can you please stop making things out to be my fault or that I don't know what I'm talking about?"

"...Alright. Fine. So did she tell you why then?"

"She just told me that I don't get to know and tried to leave, but I said if it was that big a deal, then she didn't need to tell me."

 

I don't know what to think about that…

 

Same.

 

"Why did you start dating Sophie?" She asked and almost caught me off guard.

"Easy. Because she's super nice to me, we get along really well, and I love her energy. I love how she looks and just everything about her."

"That's how I feel about Kendall. She's the first person besides you two that's tried to be my friend. Not only that, but we get along really well. She doesn't push me to talk, and she's quiet like me. And we just work really well together. Even when I pulled out my spray when she tried to talk to me the first time, she still offered to help with Malisa. And she actually got her to stop."

"What exactly are you saying? Because it sounds like you're saying you have a thing for her."

"And what if I do?"

If there was any way to give me whiplash, then this was it. I couldn't even pretend to know what to say to that. 

 

…Holly has a crush on Kendall. Holly. Has a crush. On Kendall.

 

Falling for her is stupid, but it explains a lot. If she wants to put herself in that position, then fine. Just get the pepper spray and move on.

 

"You're serious about liking her, aren't you?" 

"Yes I am." Through the years I've known her, I don't think I ever heard her with as much confidence in her voice as just now.

 

Holly isn't the type to just fall for someone.

 

It's not like she can pick and choose who shows her any interest. She'll take what she can get. And we bet it's one sided anyway. Now get the spray so we can try and finally put an end to all this.

 

Yeah, but in a week? Kendall's a really good liar, but she's fucking terrible with people. What if doing this would kill that chance for Holly?

 

So what? What about that 'fuck them' bit from before? Don't get distracted. We're not going to let some bullshit feelings make us forget that Holly picked Kendall over us back there.

 

They're not bullshit. Yeah I got pissed at everyone and said some things about them I really shouldn't have, but I don't want to screw them over. They're my friends…

 

We haven't changed at all. Our 'friends' side with our bully, and we just let it happen. We're still letting people walk over us. We deserve to be bullied if we're really this weak. 

 

"But again," Holly kept going, "I know that doesn't make up for all the stuff she did to you. It was shitty for her to do and I'm not saying to forgive her. And I'm not saying I forgive her either. Just…She's the first person I ever really clicked with like that. And if I just sat there and let her eat that fry…I wouldn't feel right with myself."

 

Don't fucking call me weak. I'm just trying to keep everything from breaking.

 

Then do what we need to, and stop the person that's breaking everything.

 

…Fine. But we're not going to go that far with her. We're going to show her we can kick her ass any time, and that's it. Scare her shitless, but don't actually hurt her. And Sophie was right about one thing. After she gets the idea, then we leave her be.

 

If we're going to go the pussy route, then at least still get the pepper spray just in case. 

 

"If you don't need your spray anymore, then can I have it? Because I know Kendall's not done yet and I want something to protect myself."

"Uhh…" She kept rubbing her hands together as she looked at me. "I don't want you using it on her."

"And what if I'm right? What if she decides to seriously try to hurt me again?"

"It's not that I'm trusting her over you, but you've been going on about how she's really bad every time she's brought up. I think there's something else going on with her…"

"Then I won't need to use it if she doesn't attack me. I promise I'll only use it if it comes to that. I just want something to protect myself."

There was silence between us for a minute or two, before she finally spoke up. "Promise me you'll only use it if she tries to seriously attack you."

"I promise."

"Alright," she said as she took it out of her pocket and handed it to me.

"Thank you. I gotta talk with Sophie now." I stuffed it into my pocket and stood up. "And you really shouldn't get feelings for her. It's only going to get you hurt."

 

We need to keep that promise. No using it unless we absolutely have to.

 

As long as Kendall gets the point.

 

Without responding to Pern, I walked over to Sophie and sat down next to her. "I want you to come with me after school with Kendall."

"To do what?"

"I know you think Kendall's all nice now, but I need to make sure she knows not to mess with me anymore. I want you to come with me so we can scare her straight."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I don't know what I'm going to do, but I just want to scare her. I just don't know how yet, so can you please come with me. Having you there would make it a lot easier."

She tapped her hands on the desk. "As long as it's not you just trying to attack her again when you should be leaving her alone, then okay."

Giving her a hug, "Thank you."

The bell rang, and the three of us slowly made our way out of the computer lab.

"Are things okay between you and everyone?" Sophie asked as we got to the door.

"I just need some time."

 

We're pissed that they made us look terrible in front of Kendall, and we expected them to have our back. They didn't.

 

I know I'm pissed off, but once we do this, then everything will be fixed.

 

We don't even know what 'this' is because you decided to throw away our original plan of kicking her ass.

 

I split off from them and walked down to shop class for the last period of the day.

 

We can figure that out as it happens. Besides, right now I want to talk to Mr. Roland and ask him why the hell he woke up Kendall's anima.

 

 My phone went off on the way there.

 

From Trish:

2:14 PM: Sure! As long as it doesn't break out into a fight. Zach doesn't want to hurt her. What did you need us to do?

 

To Trish:

2:15 PM: Meet me at the alleyway on 29 Birchwood Street right across the pet store. I don't want to hurt her, but I want to show her that if she keeps messing with me that I could hurt her. Wait there until I text you.

 

With that set, Pern and I entered the classroom and immediately saw we had a substitute. As annoying as it was, I set down my stuff and went up to his desk. "Excuse me, but why isn't Mr. Roland here today?"

"I don't know the details, but they're busy talking with the authorities over something."

 

Sounds like he was found out.

 

If he was, then they'd be checking Kendall out to see if her having an anima is safe.

 

He already woke one anima up, maybe he woke up more and he got found out by that?

 

I don't know, but I guess it doesn't really matter. We're stopping Kendall today even if Mr. Roland's here or not. 

"Alright, thanks." I went back to my seat, and after a quick run down by the teacher, apparently we were able to make whatever we wanted. I had no clue, and I wasn't in any mood to work on stuff when Kendall was on the other side of the room.

 

She's leaving us alone.

 

Only because she's trying to keep up her game.

 

I know.

 

I spent most of the day just trying to decide what to work on, but I didn't have the energy to decide on anything. Not like it really mattered, anyway.

When the bell rang, I grabbed my things and rushed out of class to wait for her. Just like she used to wait for me. The moment she stepped out, I walked in front of her. "You're going to come with me."

"I think after everything, I should just go home…" She tried to walk past me, but I kept up with her.

"I wasn't fucking asking. You're going to come with me." But she didn't stop.

"And do what? Cause more trouble for you? I shouldn't have sat at your table because that only made things worse, so please just leave me alone and spend time with your friends or something."

I again cut her off as Sophie walked up to us and stood next to me.

"If you're actually serious about being nice. Then you're coming with me."

She looked at Sophie for a moment. "Fine. Lead the way I guess." She took out her phone and typed something as she followed us outside.