6. The leech
1956 Words
"You ready?", I ask Harriet who's been freakishly staring at the high school building.
"Harriet? Come on, you don't want to be late on your first day now, do you?", I shake her and she finally looks at me and nods her head timidly.
"I am kinda scared", she finally confesses which she should have when I asked her about an hour ago.
"I know but this is going to be one of the best experiences ever, okay? You have nothing to worry, I will always be with you and so will the others who came to see you at the hospital, yeah?", I reassure her which calms her down a little bit.
Its been three weeks since she got the new thyroid. The surgery went really well and I couldn't be more proud of how far she has come. Harriet was not able to speak clearly for a week after surgery but with therapy she can now speak like a normal person just in a more hoarse tone. Dr. Greene said that this will improve with time and she can resume talking like she used to before.
On the day of the surgery, mom couldn't pick me up because she was stuck in the office with some urgent work. I had promised Harriet to be there before she wakes up so I tried to look for a bus but there were none. Leo and his friends were kind enough to give me and Ace a ride to the hospital. Because of them I could reach there in time so I asked them to come up and meet Harriet who was a little groggy but nonetheless happy to see some people other than me and her mom.
"Lets go Hazel", Ace calls out. I nod and he opens the door for us like a gentleman.
"Harriet come on", I climb out of the car and Harriet follows suit.
"Bye kids and good luck Harriet", dad calls out to us.
"Thanks uncle Rick. See you at home", dad nods and leaves.
"Hazel, Harriet over here", Priya hollers and we whip our heads towards her and all others who have been standing there looking at us and waving.
"Hey Ace", a guy calls Ace's name and he leaves after telling us to take care of ourselves.
"Hey Hazel", Leo greets me with a side hug which was kinda awkward. The boys were staring at us with a half smirk and the girls had there eyes on me.
"Hey Harriet. I hope you are feeling well now?", Leo asks her and she nods with a smile.
"Okay girls lets go to the homeroom but before that lets go to the washroom first. I need to retouch", Nina says and we all follow her.
"Harriet, I will collect your documents from the office and give them to you in the homeroom, okay", Jason tells her and she nods again and mouths a silent thank you yo him.
"Harriet you need to speak up alright? I know its difficult but these people won't judge you. They are our friends. They know what you have been through and support you throughout, okay?"
"I know", that's all she says.
We reach the washroom and Nina opens the door for us. As we go in she closes the door and locks it.
"Why did you lock it?"
"Because Hazel, we are going to interrogate you".
"What? Why?"
"Oh come on, do you think we are fools or blind even?", Linn asks and the confusion in my head increases three fold.
"What are you talking about?", Harriet asks and the girls turn, wide eyed towards her.
"Finally! I was dying to hear your voice and let me just say it is beautiful", Priya says and Harriet's cheeks take up the colour of tomatoes.
"So, back to the point. What's going on between you and Leo?", Nina asks with her hands on her hip and her eyes narrowed on me like a cat who was about to scratch someone.
"What?! Nothing is going on between us. We are friends just like us. Where the hell did this come from?"
"Come on Hazel, we know Leo. He behaves differently when you are around".
"No Nina. Its nothing like that. We are just friends".
"Okay fine. We believe you but if this escalates, you have to tell us, deal?"
"That is not going to happen but okay".
"Fine. Lets go to the homeroom then", Priya says and we finally leave the washroom and go to the homeroom where the boys are waiting for us. Jason hands Harriet all her documents and asks her to sit with him. She nods and sits to my left while Jason sits on her other side. Leo comes and sits next to me and makes small talk.
The teacher enters the room and starts with roll call and then He introduces Harriet and then starts teaching.
"Which is your next class?", I ask Harriet.
"Its Chemistry", she tells me but I see Jason's eyes light up.
"So is mine", Jason butts in and I try my best to hide the smile. Jason like Harriet and that is so obvious.
"I have History. I will see you in cafeteria. Jason, I hope you will take her with you?", I throw him a bone and he grabs it too. He nods, giving me the knowing smile. They both go to the opposite direction and immediately I turn towards Nina who winks at me and leaves with Mark. They both had a lecture off so they went to the cafeteria.
"Leo, its been a while", I turn around to see a blonde girl hugging Leo a little bit too tight. Leo's face looked like he had constipation and couldn't control my laughter. Priya, John and Linn were laughing too. I finally decided to save him from the leech and so I cleared my throat a little too loudly.
"You want something?", the leech asks me.
"Leo and I are getting late for the next class so we should leave".
"Oh is that so. Leo, baby, you wanna go with her?", the endearment used by her doesn't sit well with me for some reason.
"Stacy, I need to leave and do not call me that.", Leo says in a very calm voice and this bothers me a little.
"I am sorry, I don't think we have met. I am Stacy Larson, head cheerleader of the school and you are?"
"Hazel Campbell. I am new here", I say and she gives me a scrutinizing look.
"I can see that. How do you know Leo?"
"Stacy that's enough. This is none of your business. Leave us alone", Leo intervenes but she doesn't pay any heed to him.
"We are friends. Why do you ask?"
"Oh nothing hun. The girlfriend should know about her boyfriend's friends, right?", she says and I cannot help but feel a pit in my stomach.
"What the hell?! You are not my girlfriend Stacy. Just because our parents want us to be together for their own good doesn't mean we are a couple. I don't like you that way and I never would", Leo tells her but that doesn't change the way I am feeling right now. Stacy looks as though he just told her that her cat died.
"Let's talk about this when there are no people around, they can seriously cloud your judgement, okay baby?"
"Stop being so desperate Stacy, it doesn't suit you", Linn pipes in. Stacy turns to her and gives her a glare which doesn't affect Linn at all.
"Well, you better keep your trap shut Linn. I am not talking with you. Stay out of people's business".
"Oh I am so sorry, your highness but I don't give a damn about what you want", Linn says and smirks while Stacy's face turns red because of all the anger that is building inside her.
"Leo, aren't you gonna say anything to her?"
"Why would I? You just said that we should stay out of people's business, right?"
"I f*****g hate you people. Leo, we will talk about this over dinner at your house", then she turns to me.
"You better watch your back Hazel.See you around", saying so, she leaves with her two minions.
"Lets get to class, shall we?", with that Leo grabs my hand and literally drags me to the class but whatever happened a few minutes ago doesn't sit well with me.
"I am so sorry for that Hazel. Stacy's parents are close family friends and so it is impossible for me to avoid her. She was on some vacation for past few weeks and now she is back to being pain in my ass", Leo explains to me after class.
"Its okay Leo, you don't have to explain yourself to me".
"I just didn't want you to feel bad about it".
"Don't worry, I didn't", I reassure him with a smile even though from the inside I feel little weird. I cannot explain it but I don't like Stacy at all. I know it is wrong of me to judge her when I have met her only once but I got a pretty good idea of how she must be. Linn told me that Stacy is chasing Leo since past few years but he has never paid attention to her. She is a selfish b***h who cares only about her reputation, makeup and her freaking eyebrows. Their parents wanted something to happen between the both of them but Leo never felt that way about her. She always tries to sabotage Leo's friendship with any of the girls which is why I should be careful.
"There's Nina ad Mark", Jason points out. We approach the table and sit down.
"Nina, you know who we had the pleasure of meeting?", Linn asks excitedly while Nina just laughs.
"How would I know Linn? I wasn't there", Nina says while Linn just pouts.
"Come on, tell us already Linny", Jason says while ruffling Linn's hair. She slaps his hand away from her hair and smoothes the mess he made.
"We met the She Devil today".
"No way! I thought she was on a vacation or something", Nina exclaims.
"Yeah she was and is now back to attach like a leech on Leo" , Linn says and everyone laughs while Leo grunts and swears under his breath. I look up to see Stacy and her minions approaching us.
"Hey guys! I am sure you wouldn't mind if we join you, right?", Stacy says in her obnoxiously loud voice.
"Actually we do. We don't like when pests are anywhere near us", Nina mimics her voice and the whole cafeteria bursts out laughing. Stacy turns her back at us and looks at the others and immediately everyone shuts up.
"Who do you think you are? Just because you are dating Mark doesn't mean you have a value around here", Stacy mocks Nina and the anger can be seen on Nina's face clear as a day.
"Stacy, I am not like you hun. I don't need a guy to gain respect from others. They have respect for me because I am a good person unlike you. You are a selfish b***h who needs Leo as a support to "maintain" your so called reputation", she says this so calmly that I cannot help but stare at her i awe. I am so proud of her that I want to jump over the table and hug her tight.
"How dare you say that to me?! Just wait and watch b***h. I am going to make yours and your friends lives a living hell", with that she turns around to leave.
"Come at us b***h", Max screams and everyone else hollers while Stacy literally runs from the cafeteria. I hope that girl behaves herself or she going to have to deal with all of us which is not going to be good.
"Come on guys, lets go", Leo takes my hand in his and others follow suit.
I don't know what is going on in his mind but one thing I know is that he is stressed and angry as f**k.
- Writer
