Chapter 5 I gain a friend?

“Oh, honey, you’ll do whatever I want regardless,” Britney says as she takes a fistful of hair. She yanks my head closer to her. “You always think that you are so pretty. Fluffing out your red curls. You’re nothing but a slut trying to catch the eye of some boy.” She takes the razor from one of her lackeys.

“Red hair isn’t even that pretty,” Jessie sneers at me.

“No, please,” I beg again as the sound of the razor gets closer. Tears start to stream down my face. I love my curls; they make me look like my mother. I look in the mirror and remember her.

It touches my scalp when someone bangs on the door. “Hey, some of need the bathroom,” a female shouts on the other side of the door.

“The stalls are full,” Britney growls. Her fingers go to my face. Her nails dig into my cheeks as she hisses, “Keep silent if you know what’s good for you.”

If I keep silent, Britney is going to shave my head. If I speak up, she’ll make my life hell. Damn it. I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

Screw it.

“Hel-” I start before Britney slaps me across the face. My head is forced to the right, from the force of the slap.

She grabs my hair again and yanks me up. “Shut up,” she hisses.

Something slams against the door, trying to force it open. “Britney, who’s in there with you?” the female student growls.

“Just me and my friends,” Britney dismisses.

“Leave us alone Jennifer,” Jesse shouts.

Something slams against the door again and the hinges groan.

“Jeeze, are you trying to break down the door?” Kiley demands.

“Unlock the door, and we won’t have to,” Jennifer growls.

“If Jennifer is here, then so is Ben,” the girl I don’t know whispers.

“What are they going to do? I’m with Dustin,” Britney says. “Now, before they get in here and cause a scene.” Britney goes back to try and cut my hair.

But her lackeys are not sure anymore. I am able to wriggle away from them. I put a few inches between Britney and I.

“Hold her still!” Britney growls as she tries to grab my hair.

There’s one more slam before the door gives way. Ben goes flying into the bathroom from the momentum. Jennifer is hot on his heels as she enters the bathroom.

“Let her go,” Ben orders sharply.

Britney lets go but doesn’t back off.

Jennifer shoves her out of the way and kneels next to me. “Are you alright?” Jennifer asks me.

I stare at my savior with a dumbstruck look. I was just saved.

“How dare you interfere!” Britney screeches. “Do you understand who I am?”

“Enough,” Ben growls, silencing the head cheerleader.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Jennifer says as she assists me off the floor.

I glance around the room. This is all to good to be true. I’m a nobody and I was just saved?

“Ben will deal with them,” Jennifer assures me as she starts to guide me from the bathroom.

I can only nod dumbly as I let her guide me from the bathroom. I think I hear Ben state, “You are not Luna yet.” Who the heck is Luna? Or better yet, what is a Luna?

“She’s a bitch,” Jennifer mutters as she steers me away from the scene and towards a different bathroom. “I would say that this is a recent change in personality, but she’s always been a bitch. Her attitude has just gotten worse since she started dating Dustin.”

“You’re not going to try and tell me to get over it and ignore her, right?” I try not to scoff.

“Goddess no, hate away. Hell, I’ll even hate along with you,” the other girl laughs.

“Goddess?” I ask. It’s strange that she said goddess instead of God.

“Yeah, I’ve always been into mythology,” she tells me excitedly. “I love learning about all the ancient religions and myths.”

“Cool,” I say with a smile.

Jennifer steers me into the different bathroom.

I catch sight of my reflection. I look like a huge mess. My hair is a rat’s nest, my face is blotchy, and my eyes are puffy. My freckles stand out even more. I let out a sigh because there’s not a lot that I can do to fix myself.

I try to run my fingers through my hair, trying to tame my wild red hair. The curls are a mess and no longer ringlets. All I succeed in doing is making it frizzy. I lost my hair tie somewhere during the struggle. I glance over at Jennifer.

The girl in question is climbing on the sink and reaches up to the ceiling tiles. She pushes one up and attempts to grab something.

“What on Earth are you doing?” I ask. The girl has lost her mind.

“There should be an emergency kit up here. It should have hair products, makeup, and even clothes,” Jennifer says as she fumbles around until she finally finds what she is looking for. She tosses me a bag and goes back to searching.

“Okay, and what does that have to do with me?” I ask nervously as I catch the bag.

“Well, for starters, we’re going to fix your hair and apply some makeup,” she says as finds the next bag she is looking for. Jennifer hauls down a duffle bag. “Then, we’ll see if there is anything cute for you to wear in here.”

“Why?” I ask dumbly.

“Because you are to pretty to be hiding behind baggy clothes,” she laughs as she jumps to the floor.

“Why are you being nice and helping me? I don’t know you. You have no reason to be nice to me,” I point out.

“Because you could use a friend, and I believe that we are going to be great friends,” she says with a smile.