Olivia

Fifteen years old

I’m in the bathroom at school, fixing my hair, when Althea and her minions, Kara and Amina, walk in. These girls have been on my neck since freshman year. All because they’re thirsty and want Kai for themselves.

Sometimes I look at him and wonder if he’s really all that cute for these girls to be trying so hard to steal him from me, but then I laugh at myself because I know he really is that cute, plus he’s perfect. So I get it, but they are trying my patience.

“Oh look, it’s O,” Althea teases. Her minions laugh though I don’t recall hearing a joke.

“Hi, ladies. Having a good day?” I ask, trying to kill them with kindness. Althea looks me up and down, a scowl forming on her lips. I guess she doesn’t like what she sees.

“I don’t understand what Papi Kai sees in you. You’re flat as a board on both sides and you talk like a white girl. You can’t even dance. I saw you trying with your friends the other day. Boring.”

Kara puts her finger in her mouth, pretending to gag. Jesus, are we sure we’re in high school?

“You keep calling him Papi Kai but you know he’s not Hispanic, right?” I ask, ignoring her comments about my shape. They don’t faze me.

She looks flustered, not used to not getting the reaction she wants out of people.

“Ugh, who cares? He’s still a papi.”

I roll my eyes.

“How’d you get him to date you anyway, O?” I hate this nickname. Who gave them the right to give me one? “Did you pay him?” Amina asks. Kara laughs but Althea just watches me closely.

“Sorry, how to get a boyfriend classes are full. Maybe try again next year.”

I head for the door, but of course Althea blocks my path. “You think you’re better than us?”

“I never said that.”

“But you thought it,” she insists.

“You don’t know what I think. You don’t know me. You thought that because I’m the quiet girl who minds her business that I was an easy target, but understand this—I eat bullies like you for breakfast. You ain’t saying nothing I haven’t heard before. I’m an Oreo because I can’t dance and I play soccer. I’m so skinny, why does Kai even want me? I’m a loser. When you come up with something original, I’ll be impressed. But right now, you bore me.” The girls look baffled that I blew up at them, but I stand my ground. The biggest bully I know calls me his daughter so I’m not afraid of these girls. I’ve grown tired of being nice.

I walk past Althea and out the door. Kai is standing a few feet away, talking to his friends. As if he senses my presence, he looks up and locks eyes with me, his smile wide. Until he sees Althea, Kara, and Amina walk out behind me and his eyes narrow.