‘Love, why don’t you call Johnathon to come over. He always cheers you up.’

‘Dad, we broke up a week ago – he’s dating Marcie now.’ She had to bite back the tears.

‘Marcie from your grade?’ Olivia nodded. ‘She’s bad news, bit of a bully so I’ve heard,’ he continued. That was her opening, and he looked at her, but when she said nothing he turned away. If only she could tell him.

The bullying followed her everywhere. She shut down her social media accounts, not that she used them much anyway. There was a website put up about her being a slut. Funny thing was, she was still a virgin. She knew that Marcie was behind it: the ultimate mean girl.

It was a bad day. Marcie had been merciless. ‘You know I’m fucking him, right?’ Marcie laughed. ‘He said it was about time that he got some. He said that I was the best he’s ever had.’ Marcie was in Oliva’s personal space, invading what little room she had left. Olivia ignored her.

‘He said that you were a frigid bitch who only let him kiss you. Who does that?’ She sneered.

Olivia continued to walk down the concrete path.

‘He said you confided in him about your dead mother and he couldn’t have cared less. He was texting me at the same time.’ A little bit of Oliva’s heart broke hearing that. It was the last straw.

She spun on her heel, catching Marcie off guard, and slapped her across the cheek as hard as she could. It felt amazing. Marcie stumbled back into her friend’s arms, her hand flying to her face as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened, but Olivia had had enough.

‘You fucking bitch!’ Marcie screamed, lurching forward to grab Olivia by the front of her dress. She punched Olivia in the face, much harder that Olivia’s slap. She felt her eye swell up immediately.

‘Bitch fight!’ someone yelled, as Marcie circled around her.

‘Break it up!’ yelled a familiar voice as her dad stormed through the crowd to reach the warring teenagers.

‘What the hell is going on?’ He looked startled to see Olivia as one of the troublemakers. His face registered surprise before his principal mask fell into place. ‘Both of you, my office. Now.’

Olivia followed her dad into his office.

‘Sit,’ he demanded. ‘Now, what’s going on?’

Neither of them spoke.

‘Olivia, what happened?’

‘Nothing, Principal Holmes.’

Marcie snickered.

‘Marcie,’ Principal Holmes said, drilling her with a stare, ‘care to illuminate?’

‘No, sir,’ she said, staring him down.

‘OK, lunchtime detention, both of you, two weeks.’

Marcie groaned, throwing Olivia a dirty look.

‘Want to make it three?’ Principal Holmes countered.

‘No, sir,’ she mumbled.

Both girls stood up. ‘Olivia, stay back please.’