Tell Me More Lies

Chapter 5: Sierra

There are two types of people on a Monday. The early rising maniacs who are always giddy for no reason, and the type to rush to their classroom from the parking lot after the five-minute warning bell. I was the latter. 

Hence, my rush against the five-minute bell. Though I don't need to since all I have to do is get my schedule from Mr.—Principal—Schofield and he'd have someone show me to my classes. But the crowd of bodies are preventing me from doing just that.

Finally, I make my way to the Principal's office. An old lady greets me with an all too familiar practiced smile. She points to the adjoining door. Someone bumps into me making the strap of my bag fall to my elbows.

I expect him to move but he stares at me like I had slapped him. For a moment I think he could smell the hair dye on my head from when I colored it last night and somehow found it foul. Not that I should care. He bumped into me.

"Watch where you're going," I said, hoping he wouldn't press the issue further.

And thankfully, he didn't. He smiled at me and quickly left. 

Weird, Ridgewood High students normally aren't this friendly.

I knock on the door before entering. Principal Schofield was pretty much the same, with an added few wrinkles here and there accentuated by old age. He looks up from the paper he's holding and gives me a warm smile. 

"And Dorothy returns to the Land of Oz. Come in." He leaves his chair and goes to close the door behind me. I return his smile. "Good to have you back, Miss Pierce. Sit."

I take a seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk. Medals and picture frames surround the room. A small trophy case sits at the corner displaying his Teacher of the Year awards. "I see you've been busy. Principal Schofield, has a nice ring to it."

He laughs. "Ah, one that is well deserved, wouldn't you say?"

Indeed it was. The man could balance being a barista and a football player all on his spare time while still caring about his students. I know, I was one of those students.

He shuffles through a pile of papers, looking for my schedule. "So, what made you come back to Ridgewood High? I know it's not for the company."

You don't say? 

I guess he heard about all the rumors.

"Trust me, it wasn't my first choice."

"I understand. Considering your background I just want to know if you're okay. Are you okay?"

No, I want to puncture one of Meredith's boobs. Again. "I am."

"Let me rephrase, are we going to have a problem?"

You wouldn't try to burst out and start another fire under my care if the slightest thing pisses you off? I think that's what he meant.

"It's always the sad and tiresome days that makes us realize to what extent our willpower expands," I repeat his mantra.

His gives me a comically big smile. "Good to see our sessions paid off after all. Here is your schedule. Miss Lux will show you to your first class." I go to grab the paper from his hands but he pulls back. "Sierra, I give you the utmost warm welcome. But I am acting Principal now and whatever you do reflects back on my school."

I furrow my eyebrows. I know that. 

"You don't have to worry. I'm not going to do anything."

He leans into his desk looking serious all of a sudden. "Your uncle told me about your father and I don't want you acting out, not on my school."

I keep silent. "I'm not that kid anymore, Doc."

"I better hope not. I hate to have to see you in here again."

He looked like he wants to say more but decides against it. I snatch the piece of paper from is hand and thank him before heading out the door.

"Oh, and Sierra." I peak my head back in. "If you ever need something, anything, you can come to me. Throw all this nonsense title out of the door, I am still your friend." I don't know about that.

I nod my head then head out to greet Miss Lux.

As far as I was concerned, I don't have friends here anymore.

========

It all went by a blur and the next thing I knew it was lunch. All I kept thinking throughout the day was not once did I see Julian anywhere. 

Where was he? 

Despite not talking to him in years, I needed to talk to him.

What I'm going to say, I don't know, yet. Is he still mad at me? 

Of course he was still mad. He made it pretty clear in the text.

I walk through the busy cafeteria occasionally craning my neck in hopes to see the familiar chocolate brown eyes. My heart strums in rhythmic beats as sweat covers my face. I don't know why I'm so nervous. We grew up. Things changed. I changed. I just hope he didn't change that much. 

Craning my neck for the last time before finally giving up, I see him. I nearly fell over a crowded table, unable to stop my knees from buckling. 

Oh, God. Is that him? He wasn't that lanky boy who was locked out of his house from the first time I met him. He wasn't defiant of the cold anymore seeing a black jacket around his shoulders while his blazer sits on the table.

Julian was here. And he was beautiful, with his brown hair neatly cut and I have the sudden urge to run my hand through it. That used to be my Julian.

Not anymore.

He sits around a table with three other people, one of them is Ayla.

Ayla knew Julian? This ought to be interesting.

I slowly approach him, my heart beating erratically that I had the sudden urge to turn back and leave Ridgewood again. For good. 

I keep telling myself I wasn't ready to face him but when would that time come? When I'm forty and he'd be at the Bahamas with his young wife and children? He wouldn't even know me anymore by then. Truth was, there won't always be a good time. 

One foot right after the other, I stood in front of their table. They didn't see me at first and I stood there for a few seconds debating if this was a wrong idea. I was about to speak when Julian turns his head in my direction.

I stopped breathing. If he looked beautiful from afar, up close couldn't compare. Then he smiled and I nearly melted. He looked just like how I remembered him but more . . . mature. He looks so handsome that it hurts. 

I open my mouth, until I felt someone brush past me. He looked young, younger than Julian but had the same eyes. He glanced at me for a brief second then slaps Julian on the shoulder before taking a seat.

"Where the hell have you been?" said a guy sitting beside Ayla.

The young kid plucks a soda from a tray. "Believe it or not I have other friends besides you guys."

He makes a face. "What more do you want when you have us, little brother?"

"That's why you two alternate STD's, big brother," he said pointing toward another man beside him. 

I don't see who chucked the first fry because I was too busy looking at Julian who seemed tense than he was earlier. 

"Julian," I call, forcing my voice to hold firm. He ignored me like I was passing air and pulls out his phone. "Julian, can I talk to you in private?"

He doesn't budge. I feel multiple pairs of eyes on us.

"I need to talk to you." Nothing. He keeps himself busy with his phone. 

Oh, for f**k's sake we're not children anymore. "Look, you don't have to talk. All I ask if for you to listen. Ju—"

"Jesus, desperate much?" Ayla said with malice. "Go line up with the rest of the bitches vying for his attention and he'll get to you eventually."

Finally, Julian looks at me. "Julian, just—"

"You're still here? Don't you see it's clear he doesn't want anything to do with you? I almost feel sorry for your desperate ass."

I narrow my eyes at Ayla. This is a conversation most likely to be brought up at the dinner table tonight. Great. 

I don't care if I seemed too desperate, but I need this. I need to talk to him. 

Annoyance ambles down my lungs and I resist the urge to just grab him and pull him out the double doors. But I doubt he'll let me lead him considering his body build was three times bigger than mine.

"I know you," the kid said. I snap my head towards him. "Sierra, was it? You're my brother's childhood friend."

Then it hits me. Levi? Oh my God, I should have recognized him. And that must be Elio sitting beside Ayla. The other one I don't know.

The Pavlov brothers were so much taller and bigger now. Where I developed weight, they filled muscles. They could pummel me like a pulp.

Julian stares at me passively like he didn't know who I was. I bite my tongue hard.

"I was. But he doesn't seem to remember me," I say.

He pushes off the chair in a fluid motion. "No, I remember you. How are you, friend?" His tone was laced with animosity that was enough to run me out of town.

The unknown man blows out a whistle. "Damn, the air just went cold. I'll be praying for your soul, girlie. Julian's a ruthless sonovabitch when he ain't like you."

I went from acting all nervous approaching Julian to staring at him with blocks for feet as we try to burn each other down with a stare. I don't want this. 

I take a step back.

"Better calm down, Julian. She might snitch on you for sneezing," Ayla comments. "I don't think it's a Michigan thing, either. I think it's a her problem."

That ticked me off.

"You know what? Eat s**t, Ayla."

She forcefully stands up making the chair scrape on the tiled floor. "Drop dead, convict spawn."

I freeze, silently hoping I could freeze time along with me. Everyone in the room had started to stare at the table. At me. 

The rumors about me right after I left spread around like wildfire, but I rest easy knowing it wasn't the truth. That they don't know my truth. 

But this, this was something I never wanted anyone to gossip about. This was one of my truths that I didn't like the idea of sharing with the rest of the school. 

"That's right, daddy dearest had the life but f****d it all up for the big greens," she taunts but this time louder for everyone's benefit. "Didn't think much about you before he signed his life away for a few more bucks, huh?"

That's not true. It was not his fault. But I'm not going to tell her that. 

"You're a b***h," I whisper. 

She rolls her eyes. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Of course, only she would think it to be a good thing. I didn't come here for her, I came here for Julian and I silently curse at his company for not giving us space.

Being suddenly aware of the drastic turn of the atmosphere inside the cafeteria, I clench my fist so hard I could feel my nails digging into my skin. I had no right talking about Ayla and her mom the same way she didn’t have the right to talk about my dad. 

“Did I hit a nerve?” Ayla taunts. She rolls her eyes and picks up her tray. “God, I’m bored already.” 

She leaves the table and the other guys don’t hesitate to follow her. 

The guy next to Elio shrugs at me, pursing his lips, and leaves while Elio gives me the cold shoulder. He swipes his shoulder length hair to the side making sure his elbow jab me at my back lightly shoving me toward Julian. 

Levi gives me an apologetic smile before he leaves. He's always been the nicer brother among them. 

Julian couldn’t even look at me right now. He picks up his school blazer and flings it over his shoulder never sparing me a glance as he walks away. 

I stand there alone gripping the hem of my skirt. I fight away my tears. I should call Charlie to pick me up.

No, this is what they want. To see me crumble beneath their touch. I’m much more than a subject of mockery. I should see this through to the end of the day. 

Just get through the day, that’s it. 

How bad could it be?