High School Blues - A Short Story

High School Blues

The feel of cold steel pressed against her temple as she leaned against the school fence. She could see Rani and Isabella making their way across the grass area to where she stood peering out between the black bars. There was no way out of this now. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
A quick scan around the playground showed two teachers on lunch duty, Miss Whittaker a new teacher this term who, new, stuff all about how things worked around here. And Mr Maran busy on his phone. They were no use to her. She shivered. What was she expecting anyway, that the girls would be blissfully sweet about it all and things would be as they were before yesterday happened.
If only, she thought as perspiration ran down between her shoulder blades and sweat beads formed across her forehead. She turned to face them, resolutely standing her ground.
Rani’s shoulder hit hard knocking her back violently, against the fence, her head reverberating on the metal. Rani was a bigger than average year 9 girl. Right now she looked monstrous.
A sharp slap across Josie's face brought tears to her eyes as Isabella then in one single motion grabbed her throat, squeezing tight, causing her to gasp. With a smirk on her face, she yanked her hair from behind her other hand forcing her head back into the steel.
Barring her teeth she spat out ‘ Two words for you, slut, ‘BACK OFF’

The gleam of hate in Isabella’ s eyes made Josie shit scared. Refusing to show fear though, she squinted her eyes, gathering as much courage as she could and glared back boldly. She shuddered, closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

It came with the full force she was expecting, one blow after the other. The sting so sharp it caused fresh tears to flow. Refusing to give in she clenched her eyes tight shut, willing the tears to stop.
‘ Had enough yet bitch? Isabella snarled raising her hand again.
Josie could taste fresh blood mixed with the salt of tears on her tongue. Her vision blurred she could just make out an approaching figure.
‘ Everything all right here girls?’ The voice asked coming closer.
‘ Bella, we’ve got to split, come on,’ Rani whispered horsely.
‘ Your lucky this time’ Isabella glared and planted a hard, sharp elbow into her chest, almost knocking Josie off her feet with pain.
They took off at lightning speed, laughing with one another, pretending they’d been chatting with Josie at the fence.
Distracting Miss Whitticker with chatter, the girls continued their pretense, pressing the teacher back toward the cement area.
Recovering as quickly as she could, Josie wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, mopping up the tears that still ran down her cheeks.
She had to get to the toilets to clean herself up without being noticed. Luckily she’d worn a scarf this morning and used it to cover her mouth.
As Josie rushed past the three of them, Isabella burst into laughter pointing in her direction. They were laughing at her, sharing the joke with Miss Whittaker who turned and smiled at Josie. The teacher hadn’t noticed a thing.
In the bathroom she washed her face examining the damage.Her bottom lip was cut in two places and it was hard to stop the blood flow.
The end of lunch bell blasted through the corridors, shaking the walls with its vibration. Not wanting to be late for class Josie turned to open the door.

They stood there arms folded menacingly.
‘ Well, well, if it isn’t the cry baby! Isabella snarled.
Josie didn’t stand a chance. A wave of nausea hit her stomach.
Suddenly the doors crashed open almost knocking Isabella off her feet as a group of girls from year 8 burst through.
Seeing her chance Josie shot out the door as fast as she could. Running blindly, she bumped smack into someone knocking her back against the wall.
She gasped astonished as she realized who it was.
‘Hey what’s the rush’ his arm steadying her fall.
Too edgy to smile she felt the warm trickle of fresh blood in the corner of her mouth.
‘So what’s this then’ he said eyes on her lip. Before she knew it, he held his hankie over the cut. Her eyes smarted with the sting from the pressure.
‘Easy, easy now’ he said, gently.
‘What happened?
She was about to lie, make up some kind of story, to tell him anything except the truth.
The silence was broken by an audible hiss sound .
Steady on her feet now, Jake released his hold turning toward the noise.
They stood there, Isabella working hard to stifle her anger.
‘There you are Jake, I’ve been looking for you everywhere and here you are helping out the needy again! That’s so sweet!
Still holding the cloth to Josie’s lip, he glanced at Isabella, then turned back to Josie and smiled.
“Well, we should all get to class then don’t you think’? Rani’s tone sounded like a teachers scolding voice.

Paying no attention to either of them, one hand now under Josie’s chin the other still pressed to her lip he murmured.
‘ That’s OK girls, you go to class, Josie needs to go to the office’
‘ Oh, we can take her Jake’ Isabella gushed pushing between us.
Noticing the look of terror on Josie’s face, Jake took Isabella by the shoulders moving her back behind him.
‘ It’s fine, Bella, I’ll take her’
Before she could speak again, he placed his hand behind Josie’s back steering her toward the office leaving both girls, staring, mouths opened and speechless.

Josie could hardly breathe. She’d seen the last video. It was shocking. She’d heard they held a party to watch it.
She was lucky, so far. The victim that time hadn’t escaped.
Seeing her body tremble uncontrollably Jake placed his arm around her shoulders for support.
Josie sighed, it wasn’t like she was trying to get his attention. He had just been there, both times. Yesterday at recess, behind her in the line for the canteen, seeing him she froze dropping the carton of milk she’d bought. As he bent to pick it up, the glare of Isabella’s eyes pierced through her. With his help today, her luck was about to run out.
The office nurses voice brought her back with a jolt.
‘Your lip will need medical care, Josie, you will need a doctor.’
Relieved she had a bit more time she laid down on the bed in sick bay.
Startled by a noise behind her she was surprised that he was still there.
Searching her face he asked,
‘You gonna be OK’
Josie nodded hurriedly desperate for him to leave.
What if Isabella were lurking outside the office.
‘That ball must have really hurt, huh?
Oh! Yeah! That’s what he meant. She remembered the incident report at the office. Hit by a ball, she said. There was a game of footy on the playground when the girls set on her. They were too far away but she had to make up something. It’s not like she could implicate Isabella with Jake standing right beside her. The whole grade knew Isabella had a crush on Jake, some thought he liked her too.
But he had to leave, now. She was in enough trouble.
Hoping he would take the hint she said,
‘Thanks so much for your help’ Looking down at his blood soaked cloth she added, ‘ah I’ll wash it and return it’
He smiled,
‘It’s cool you keep it’
Thankfully he left as the nurse came to collect her.

Hitting Facebook when she got home she knew what to expect. She’d seen it before. A party invitation in blatantly huge letters. This was no ordinary party. It was nobody’s birthday. Nothing to celebrate. But, everyone was invited. Multiple text messages were sent and crowds gathered instantly at allocated meeting places. A special Rave it was called it. With a reminder to Johno.
‘Be sure to film it Babe. VERY IMPORTANT, go figure, X X. Same place, same time’
This time everyone would come at Josie’s expense. She ran to the bathroom and threw up wishing she could spew her fear up as well.

Josie’s parents new there was something wrong, something more than she was saying, anyway. She overheard them talking when she came home.
‘Denise said she doubted that her lip was cut from a ball hitting it’ her mum whispered.
‘So what are you saying Sam? Her Dad asked quietly.
‘Honey you know what I’m thinking the evidence is there before us. The bruises, the scratches, the welts and now cuts. I’ve seen her come home with her face red raw and all she says is ‘it’s basketball and she has to play tough. She won’t say anything because she doesn’t want to be known as a coward’

Josie wanted to tell someone. But couldn’t. She’d seen what happened to others when they had reported incidents to teachers. It always got worse. Her best friend’s Ellie and Mattie knew everything. They knew how powerful Isabella and her side kick Rani were and how she influenced other’s at the click of her fingers. They were shit scared of her too. Josie had to come up with a plan before it was too late.
Idea’s spun around and around in her head until she fell asleep exhausted.

She woke to Ga Ga’s song on her phone alarm.
She knew instantly what to do.
Willing her computer to hurry she clicked on youTube.
Copying it to her usb stick she dressed hurriedly. Too stressed to eat she used her sore lip as an excuse, avoiding the inevitable questions from her parents. She didn't need any more pressure, not now, not today. She slipped out of the house quickly.
Mattie was driving her to school today. He was a brainiac IT guy and today she seriously needed his tech head help. He knew something was up as she got in the car.
‘This is a crazy Jo’s, are you sure you’ve got the right stuff downloaded, what if Sampson won’t cooperate, what then?

He was right, it was crazy, dangerous and a technically illegal plan. It could get us and Mr Sampson in serious trouble. But what choice did she have.
Sensing her fear he said,
‘It’s cool Josie, I’ll help with whatever you need to do. You’re worth it’ he smiled, ‘even if they kick us out, yeah’

The ‘party’ was scheduled at 3.30, in bush reserve at the back of the school. Perfect location, Josie thought, no one would find us.

Josie had to act quickly. She needed to get one of the teachers onside before assembly.
‘Jo’s, what if it doesn’t work’ Ellie grabbed her arm pulling her back against the wall, She looked terrified as they waited near the IT room. Mattie had gone to get Mr Sampson.
‘Are you sure there is no other way out of this?
Josie sighed. The plan could definitely fail but the alternative made her feel sick.
‘It’s OK Ellie, Mattie knows what he’s doing, he’s brilliant with this kind of stuff, if anyone can do it he can’
‘ But, what if Sampson won’t agree? she moaned.
‘He will I just know he will’ Josie knew Mr Sampson really well, he was a cool teacher, someone you could trust. He talked to her once about bullying like he knew.
She was sure she could convince him.
‘Mattie said you wanted to talk to me Josie’ Mr Sampson looked concerned as he approached. He glanced at Mattie and Ellie who waited for me to speak.
‘ Yes, sir, I, I need to talk to you about a problem I’m having’ Josie said hesitantly.
Scared now, but sure of her plan, she said quietly
“ Can we speak in private Sir?
Troubled by her nervousness he unlocked the door and let them in, closing it behind him.
‘ Oh my God, Josie, why didn’t you come to me earlier,’
The bruises almost covered both arms.
‘She did this to you?
Shaking his head in disbelief, his jaw clenched tight.
‘ What else has she done?
Turning around Josie lifted her hair at the back of her neck. The red welts and scabs left from the scratches dug into her flesh were unmissable. Mr Sampson gasped. Ellie cried, seeing it again.
‘I suppose the gash in your lip didn’t happen from a ball hit, right?
‘No Sir, it didn’t.
‘Josie, this is shocking, it’s, it’s a crime. We’ve got to report it, it’s a police matter.
She had one chance to convince him of her plan.
She turned and held out her hand. In it was the usb stick with the downloaded evidence.

The hall was in darkness in preparation for the powerpoint from the guest speaker.
Every class was expected to attend as the topic was an important one for most students. The Principal Mr Butler and Miss Logan the deputy head sat in the front row. Josie could see Isabella and Rani from where she hid behind the curtain, snarls on their faces from being made to attend. Their eyes glinted in the darkness causing a shiver down her spine.
Matties signal caught her breath.
The screen flashed ready and the youtube video started playing.
There was a collective gasp across the room. On screen chaos erupted before us, people were punching, slapping, shouting, the crack of breaking bone, an agonizing scream. Mattie zoomed in for a close up. The face of a snarling, grinning, glinted eyed monster standing over her victim. The face that I feared more than any other. It was ‘unmistakeable‘

We’d done our homework well.