Moments
Chapter 16: Learn Your Place
Chapter 16: Learn Your Place (Tori’s P.O.V.)
I was so glad that this week was over. I didn’t like how I had to ask for a ride home today. Of course, my car would quit on a Friday. Natalie had offered to take me home, but she had to leave early so she couldn’t. Cody rides the bus most days, today being one of them. And Amber, she didn’t drive and she had a doctor’s appointment so she wasn’t even at school. My mom had to work, so I knew not to ask and that left me with one other option. I was forced to text and ask Zayn if one of the guys could pick me up. Lucky, they were free this afternoon and could.
I couldn’t wait for this day to end. I would get to see the guys and no one would have bothered me about that little snapshot in the magazine. I just hoped that it stayed that way.
“Sorry, I couldn’t take you home, Tori,” Cody apologized again.
I just shook my head at him, “It’s okay.”
“Well,” Cody waved, “I’ll see you Monday.”
“See you,” I waved back as I turned to leave. I figured the guys would be here soon and didn’t want to make them wait. And I couldn’t wait to hang out with them today.
“Tori.”
I stopped and turned to see who had called my name. My eyes landed on Lacy Wilson, one of the main popular girls in my grade. Her friends Shelby and Rose were with her as she stood looking at me with her hands on her hips.
“We need to talk,” Lacy said.
“I have to leave,” I said as I turned to leave. I did not want to talk to her at all. Our conversations never ended well.
“No,” she said as a hand grabbed my arm. “We talk now.”
I turned to look at her as I yanked my arm away from her. I glared at her and saw the look that she was giving me back. There was no way that she was going to take no for an answer.
“What do you want?” I asked.
That was when it happened. She held up something with that glare in her eyes. I looked over to see the magazine with my face on the cover with the guys. Mystery girl, what’s her direction? the headline read. I would have admitted that it was catchy if it hadn’t been about me.
“We know this is you,” Lacy spat as she pointed at my picture, “You need to learn your place.”
I raised an eyebrow at her, “What do you mean learn my place? What I do is none of your business.”
This made her mad, “You are just a little nobody! You don’t deserve to hang with celebrities!” She was in my face as she yelled. It was intimidating, but I didn’t like her being in my face like that.
“That is none of your business!” I spat back, “I can hang out with whoever I want to!”
That wasn’t my greatest idea. Lacy pulled back and smacked me across the face. I felt her nails run along my cheek as my face turned and I lost my balance. I stumbled backward before I fell to the floor. I looked up at her.
“You will learn your place,” she said, “Or I will make your life a living hell, you little whore.”
And just like that, she turned and left with Shelby and Rose on her tail as they headed off for cheerleading practice. I just sat there for a while, thinking it all over. Who did she think she was? That was when I started to think about everything again and the stress came flying back. I could fell the tears beginning to swell in my eyes.
I pushed myself to my feet, telling myself that I needed to get over it. Lacy didn’t matter, and if I was going to be a singer someday I needed to get used to people’s ridicule.
Then my phone went off.
We’re almost there :)
I looked down at Zayn’s message. I thought about Lacy. I didn’t care what she said, but I didn’t want them to see me like this.
It ok, gonna walk
I hoped he would think nothing of it as I headed for the doors. He didn’t buy it though.
Too late. We’re here :)
I didn’t want them to see me, and I wasn’t going to. I would just sneak through the crowd of kids and get passed them. It wouldn’t be that hard.
“Tori!” I heard his familiar British accent call.
I panicked and did the first thing that came to my mind. I ran.
I was so glad that this week was over. I didn’t like how I had to ask for a ride home today. Of course, my car would quit on a Friday. Natalie had offered to take me home, but she had to leave early so she couldn’t. Cody rides the bus most days, today being one of them. And Amber, she didn’t drive and she had a doctor’s appointment so she wasn’t even at school. My mom had to work, so I knew not to ask and that left me with one other option. I was forced to text and ask Zayn if one of the guys could pick me up. Lucky, they were free this afternoon and could.
I couldn’t wait for this day to end. I would get to see the guys and no one would have bothered me about that little snapshot in the magazine. I just hoped that it stayed that way.
“Sorry, I couldn’t take you home, Tori,” Cody apologized again.
I just shook my head at him, “It’s okay.”
“Well,” Cody waved, “I’ll see you Monday.”
“See you,” I waved back as I turned to leave. I figured the guys would be here soon and didn’t want to make them wait. And I couldn’t wait to hang out with them today.
“Tori.”
I stopped and turned to see who had called my name. My eyes landed on Lacy Wilson, one of the main popular girls in my grade. Her friends Shelby and Rose were with her as she stood looking at me with her hands on her hips.
“We need to talk,” Lacy said.
“I have to leave,” I said as I turned to leave. I did not want to talk to her at all. Our conversations never ended well.
“No,” she said as a hand grabbed my arm. “We talk now.”
I turned to look at her as I yanked my arm away from her. I glared at her and saw the look that she was giving me back. There was no way that she was going to take no for an answer.
“What do you want?” I asked.
That was when it happened. She held up something with that glare in her eyes. I looked over to see the magazine with my face on the cover with the guys. Mystery girl, what’s her direction? the headline read. I would have admitted that it was catchy if it hadn’t been about me.
“We know this is you,” Lacy spat as she pointed at my picture, “You need to learn your place.”
I raised an eyebrow at her, “What do you mean learn my place? What I do is none of your business.”
This made her mad, “You are just a little nobody! You don’t deserve to hang with celebrities!” She was in my face as she yelled. It was intimidating, but I didn’t like her being in my face like that.
“That is none of your business!” I spat back, “I can hang out with whoever I want to!”
That wasn’t my greatest idea. Lacy pulled back and smacked me across the face. I felt her nails run along my cheek as my face turned and I lost my balance. I stumbled backward before I fell to the floor. I looked up at her.
“You will learn your place,” she said, “Or I will make your life a living hell, you little whore.”
And just like that, she turned and left with Shelby and Rose on her tail as they headed off for cheerleading practice. I just sat there for a while, thinking it all over. Who did she think she was? That was when I started to think about everything again and the stress came flying back. I could fell the tears beginning to swell in my eyes.
I pushed myself to my feet, telling myself that I needed to get over it. Lacy didn’t matter, and if I was going to be a singer someday I needed to get used to people’s ridicule.
Then my phone went off.
We’re almost there :)
I looked down at Zayn’s message. I thought about Lacy. I didn’t care what she said, but I didn’t want them to see me like this.
It ok, gonna walk
I hoped he would think nothing of it as I headed for the doors. He didn’t buy it though.
Too late. We’re here :)
I didn’t want them to see me, and I wasn’t going to. I would just sneak through the crowd of kids and get passed them. It wouldn’t be that hard.
“Tori!” I heard his familiar British accent call.
I panicked and did the first thing that came to my mind. I ran.
I am honored to hear that, thank you bunches. :)
11/25/13