“Let’s see. What else?” Rebecca asked.
Clara shook violently, an explosion hovering right on the edge of her skin, and she feared what she could do. She also welcomed it. It felt brave and sure and all of the things she usually wasn’t.
She wriggled out of one of the girl’s grasps and slapped her hard across the face. The friend howled in pain and backed away giving Clara the opportunity to pounce on Rebecca. And she did. She took her to the floor trying to wrestle her purse from Rebecca’s hands. Rebecca’s fingernails dug into her wrists, and she wrenched a hand free, wrapping it around Rebecca’s throat. She squeezed hard thinking she would kill her. She felt empowered for that second she saw terror in Rebecca’s eyes. It was short-lived, but it was glorious.
“Fucking bitch!” the other friend yelled grabbing Clara’s hair from behind. She pulled Clara backwards on to the tile floor. Clara cried out in pain and frustration. Her hands flew to her assailant’s trying to free her hair. Rebecca peeled herself off the floor, her face flushed with fury.
“I was just going to put your stupid wallet in the toilet, Clara!” Rebecca shouted. “But then you had to go and do that!”
Clara’s scalp screamed as the friend twisted her fingers harder in her hair. She jerked Clara’s head, forcing her to watch as Rebecca dropped her cell phone, sunglasses, car keys and lip gloss into the toilet bowl.
Rebecca threw Clara’s purse at her and bent low to address her. “I dare you to tell anyone about this. The principal. Your mom. Evan. You’d be wise to keep your fucking mouth shut.” Rebecca stood back up.
“She slapped me, Becky!” her friend said.
Rebecca looked annoyed. “Stand up, Clara.”
“Kiss my ass,” Clara said, then screamed when Rebecca’s friends hauled her off the floor.
Rebecca trapped Clara’s upper arm and addressed her friend Erin. “Well, here’s your chance. Hit her already.”
Erin slapped Clara across the face. It was so forceful that Clara saw white spots. She stood blinking trying to reorient herself to her surroundings, unaware that Rebecca had let go of her arm. Another swift slap but harder this time, and she grunted from the pain. Rebecca stood in front of Clara massaging her hand, looking satisfied and smug.
“Now you’ve paid up, bitch,” Rebecca said. She walked out of the bathroom with her friends following close behind.
Clara stood against the wall rubbing her offended cheek with one hand and her aching scalp with the other. She heard the door open again and tensed, balling her fists once more and readying herself for Round Two. She thought absurdly that she had lost the first round and needed to make up points in this one.
Florence rounded the corner and froze. “Clara?” She dropped her book bag and ran to Clara.
Clara relaxed and let Florence hug her then take an assessment of her.
“What happened to your cheek?” Florence asked.
“Nothing.”
“Bologna,” Florence said, and Clara winced at the word.
Bologna. Bologna sandwiches. That’s what got her into this mess to begin with. She wished she and Beatrice had never gone to that restaurant. Had never run into those girls. Had never engaged Rebecca in conversation forcing Beatrice to assault her with that fucking milkshake.
“Clara, tell me what’s going on,” Florence demanded.
Clara considered Florence. She thought she could trust her to keep a secret. Florence really didn’t talk to anyone at school except her anyway.
“Some girls were paying me back for something that happened,” Clara said. She walked into the stall and started the disgusting task of retrieving her personal belongings from the toilet.
“That’s all I get?” Florence asked. “That’s all you’re gonna tell me?” She watched Clara gingerly extract her dripping car keys and place them in the sink. “What the hell? Is your whole purse in there?”
“Just about,” Clara said, tossing her sunglasses and lip gloss in the trash.
“Clara,” Florence insisted.
“Florence, I will tell you,” Clara said patiently. “But you cannot tell anyone. And I mean it. If you so much as tell—”
“I won’t tell a soul!” Florence interrupted.
“Okay,” Clara said, then recounted the story at the burger restaurant and what just occurred in the bathroom while she cleaned her car keys, change, and license, ATM, and lunch cards with warm soapy water. She tossed her wallet and wrapped her ruined cell phone in a wad of paper towels. “I cannot believe I’m going to have to buy a new cell phone.”
“That’s what you’re upset about?” Florence asked, bewildered. “How about the fact that you were just assaulted?”
Clara shrugged.
“Clara, you can’t let those girls get away with that,” Florence insisted. She eyed Clara’s bright red cheek.
“Oh yes I can. And so will you. You promised, Florence,” Clara said sharply.
Florence sighed.
“It would be worse for me if I told, and you of all people should know that,” Clara said.
Florence bristled. “Yes, Clara. I know that nerds can’t stick up for themselves or it just comes back to bite them in the ass.”
“I didn’t mean to insinuate that you’re a nerd,” Clara said gently.
“Well, I am. And I don’t care. I was just thinking of you and how unjust it is. How unjust everything is,” Florence said. “I freaking hate high school.”
“Me too,” Clara said. She sighed as she dried her change with a paper towel.
“I won’t tell,” Florence said as she watched Clara gather her belongings. “But I hope you know that if Evan knew, he’d do something really awesome to defend your honor.”
“I don’t want him defending my honor,” Clara said wearily, opening the bathroom door for Florence.
“Clara, you’re a really smart girl and really stupid at the same time,” Florence said.
Clara thought she should be offended by the statement, but it made her smile instead. And then she winced when she smiled because her cheek still hurt.
“Who doesn’t want to be the princess that the handsome prince rescues?” Florence asked.
“I don’t know, Florence.”
Chapter 12