As I left that class, Matt was waiting for me outside. We all had gym together last thing, and I was not looking forward to it. Changing in a room full of other girls was going to be tough for me, since nakedness was a trigger for me, especially in front of others. On top of that, one of my killer headaches, a side effect of the brain swelling I suffered, was taking root, and I was just exhausted. It was the longest, hardest day I had done since I was found on that highway, and I was just out of juice.
“How was it?” Matt asked as he swept me under his arm and held me in a half hug.
“Boring. It’s too easy, Matt. I can’t stay in that class. I’ll have to switch to something else.” I sighed.
“Talk to Grant, he’ll help you find something else.”
“I will.”
“What’s wrong? Are you tired?” We were walking down the busy hallways and the noise was splitting my already pounding headache.
“Yeah, it’s been a long, tense day.” I admitted.
“You’ve done so well, Cariña. We’re almost done now.” Matt kissed the top of my head as we stopped outside a door marked ‘ladies locker room’.
“I know.” I agreed. “I’m ok.” I reached up and pecked his lips, hoping it would lift me enough to get me through this last class, then turned and headed in.
Luckily in the locker room, I found three stalls for privacy when changing, and I dived straight into one, locking the door behind me. I was so relieved not to have to remove my clothes with others around me. I could do it with the guys, to some extent at least, because I trusted them, unquestioningly, but I knew having strangers around me as I did it, would set me off down a long pit of dark memories.
Once I had on the sweatpants and blue t-shirt, both stitched with the school emblem, I tied my hair back and pulled on my sneakers, then headed out. The locker room was chaos, girls everywhere stripping down with no embarrassment or worries, chatting, laughing and yelling to each other. Again my hands twitched with the need to cover my ears, but I fought it, and the pain shooting down the back of my skull, just trying to appear normal.
I bypassed the chaos and headed to the locker I had been assigned, storing my things and locking it up with the digital keypad.
“Whore.” The word was said loudly as I headed to the door out to the gymnasium, and was clearly aimed at me. Deciding ignoring it would make me look weak, I pasted on my best ‘take no shit’ face, learnt from Kyle, and looked around for who had spoken. Of course, it was May I found sat on a bench behind me, glaring. She had on tiny shorts, which I thought were supposed to be the school shorts I had too, but had been shortened more into hotpants. All she had on top was her lacy black bra, and she had no shyness as she stood, looking down on me. She wanted me to be scared, but she had no idea what monsters I had faced in my short life.
“What was that?” I asked, not once breaking eye contact with the bitch.
“I said, you’re a fucking whore!” She flicked her hair as she spoke, then turned behind her, making sure she had everyone’s attention. “I saw you kissing Cole in class, then just now, kissing Matt Garcia. You’re fucking both of them.” She looked smug, like she’d worked out some big secret.
“I’m in a relationship with both of them.” I corrected with a shrug. “And?” I added, looking bored.
“I knew it! Does Cole even know you’re messing around with his brother?” She spat. Her four lookalike friends were coming to her side, backing her up with equally smug looks on their heavily made up faces.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes he does. Me Cole, and all of his brothers are in a very happy, committed relationship.” I said, this time it was me who felt pretty smug. “Call me a whore all you like. We both know you’re just bitter because I got all four of them, while Cole turned you down flat.” I left them all gawking and whispering, turned on my heel and walked out of there. Screw them!
***
Gym class had been fun, not! The majority of the girls, who clearly thought my admission made me a whore, made me their only target during the three games of dodgeball we were forced to play. The guys, who luckily were both on my team, caught on quickly to the fact I was getting an unusually high number of balls to the face, and abandoned playing, focussing solely on trying to protect me and hit back at the bitches targeting me.
By the time class was over, the guys were really pissed, and I just wanted to curl up and cry for a while. The several balls I had taken to the head, had not helped my already splitting head, and I was completely and utterly drained, mentally and physically. It took everything in me not to sink into Cole’s arms when he walked me to the locker room, to go change, but I knew I couldn't. These girls needed to see they couldn't break me,
