Authors Note: Thanks to Chief Hal for his proof reading.
Trigger warning. The mean girls aren't going to get any nicer. Some of what happens touched on some non-consensual situations.
Legal: All characters depicted in any sexual situation in this story are 18 years old or older.
"David, trust me. Just walk with me to chem after class, okay?" Andria whispered, as we sat in class Monday morning. "I know what happened and I think I know who did it. So, walk with me. I promise not to drag you off to a girls' bathroom, unless you want me to."
"I think I'm done with girls' bathrooms for a while," I whispered back.
"Mister Evers, do I need to send you to the office to shut you up this morning," the teacher asked?
"No ma'am," I answered, in embarrassment for getting called out in class.
When class was over Andria hung back until she could walk out with me. "I want to talk to you in private. No, I'm not setting you up. I want to help. But I also don't want to get caught at it, at least not yet."
"Get caught at what?"
"Helping you get back at the person that set you up at the prom."
"You think you know who it is?"
"I know who's been bragging about it, and who's been bragging, that she stuffed her panties in your mouth to shut you up. That good enough?"
"Okay. Good enough. Where do you want to talk?"
"You know that little park down the street? Meet me there after school. Go down the walking path. I'll meet you at the first rest bench. I'll be jogging, so just wait, I'll be there. I promise."
"Alright, I'll wait there," I answered, before we split apart to go to our separate classes.
---o---
"I thought I told you I didn't want you to go see her!" Erica said angrily, as we sat at lunch. "Yet you did it anyway."
"She said she knew who set me up, set us up. Erica. Listen. If they tie you in the boys locker room like they did me, you're not going to come out, the same as you went in."
"What do you mean by that. You mean I can't take care of myself?"
"Against a shower room full of boys? Not a chance."
"It's not like they'd do anything."
"yeah, right. Ricky would be more than happy to fuck you and then claim you begged him for it, and the rest of the guys will go along with it, because they're afraid of him. That what you want?"
"Well, no! But still. Can't we just drop it?"
"Not until I get them put away. One of the girls has a hardon for me. She wants me suspended. I don't know why, but she does. I think I know who it is. I know who did this, but I don't know for sure who the ringleader is. She's the one I need to get to. I need something on her, that I can use to make her stop."
"But it's not safe. If you guess wrong, think about what could happen to you!"
"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you."
"So worried about me that you'd spend the whole day at her house, probably fucking her silly. Is that how you show me you're worried about me?"
"Come on, it's just sex."
"No David! It's not just sex. I know her. I know what she wants. I know that she wants you. That she isn't going to stop trying, until she wins you. Is that what you want? To be with her? Or to be with me?"
"Well, you of course."
"No, not of course! I don't think you really know who or what you want. When you're with me, you love me and you want me. I know you love me. I can see it and feel it. But when you're with her, I'm afraid that you feel same for her. You can't have both of us. You can only love one of us. No love triangles. You decide you want me, or you let me go. That's the choice."
"Just let me get you safe first. Then I can worry about who I love and wanna be with."
"It doesn't work that way. You either let this go and be with me, or I'm not sure I can be with you. Do you understand me? I'm not joking. You choose. Now!"
"Erica, I love you. I have to protect you!"
"Fine." She said, as she stood up and climbed from the table bench. "I don't want to see you, until you can decide that what we said the other night is true. You want me for me, no holds, no reservations, no secrets. We're partners in everything. Until you can be that, I think we shouldn't spend time together."
"Erica!" I said, standing up to stop her.
"NO! I mean it!" she said, pushing me on the chest to make me sit back down. She walked away angrily. I wanted to follow but something held me back. Maybe letting her go this way, a public breakup, is a good way to keep her safe. If whoever is doing this thinks we're broken up, maybe, just maybe, she'll be safer.
"That was brutal," Chris said, from across the table.
"Oh, shut up!" I said, as I sat down.
"Come on man. Tell me that didn't hurt. You've been playing both ends of this for long enough. I wish I had one girl that cared for me, as much as she does, and you have two fighting over you. You need to decide who you want and what you want."
"What, now you're my shrink?"
"No man, just your friend. That girl loves you. I don't know about Lilly, but THAT girl loves you."
"And as long as she does, she's a target. I don't want her to be a target."
"And you're willing to lose her to try and keep her safe? I don't know if that's love or just plain stupid." He said, shaking his head. "As if things weren't confusing enough..." He said, as Lilly walked toward us.
"Can I sit down?"