Bibi

All persons in this work of fiction are figments of my imagination and as such, are over the age of 18, the age of consent for figments.

Born into a family of wealth and privilege, she was the third and last child of Emerson and Maitlyn Lasiter. They named her Bailey Brea. The silver spoon that should have been in her mouth was, instead, lodged firmly in her tiny ass. She was taught from the beginning that with wealth and power came responsibility. Her siblings embraced the concept and treated their peers as equals and tried to make the world around them a little better than it had been. Not so with Bailey. She was the princess and expected to be treated as such, not just from her peers but from her family as well. Try as they might, her parents never quite removed this elitist attitude from their petulant daughter. School was a turbulent time for Bailey. At home, she would toe the line, behave properly or incur the wrath of her parents, especially her mother, who had little tolerance of her daughter's snobbish attitude. Away from home was a different story. Surrounded by like minded classmates, she became the stereotypical 'mean girl' and by Junior High had a reputation as a bully and a total bitch. Jock or geek, cheerleader or girl-next-door, all ran before her, scattering like leaves in the wind. She and her clique of friends, euphemistically called the 'cunt club' cut a wide swath through her school.

Then I showed up.

Who am I? My name is James Thomas Redding, JT to my friends. My family and I moved here between my Sophomore and Junior year. My father had just retired from the Marines and was looking for somewhere for he and a group of his military buddies to start full service security and safety company. Weapons training, self-defense, home security systems and the bread and butter, commercial security, both electronic and on-site.

Being a military brat, this was not the first time I found myself in a new school, knowing nobody and having no friends, but, thankfully, it would be the last, well at least until college anyway. Several weeks into the school year, I had made a few friends, I never seemed to have trouble in that area. I'd also noticed the cunt club. Nathan, my first friend here and on the fast track to being my best friend, warned me about them.

"Dude." He whispered, looking around, lest one of them overhear. "Stay away from them, especially the queen of mean, Bailey. They're all bad news, but she's just brutal."

I'd seen her type before. If she expected me to fall at her feet and worship her, well let's just say, that's not happening. I wouldn't look for trouble, but I would stand my ground.

I'd made it nearly to Christmas break before my first run in with the cunt club. Sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch, alone, they swarmed me.

"You're sitting at our table asshole." One of them spat. "Leave."

Looking up, I saw four of them. "This is a six person table." I observed. "Feel free to join me."

The one who originally spoke stepped back as Bailey came forward. "Maybe you didn't understand." She seethed. "This is OUR table. We don't want you here. Leave now, or..."

It certainly wasn't hard to see she was the queen bee. Dressed just slightly better than the others and exuding that unmistakable air of utter superiority, she attempted to intimidate me. This wasn't going to go well... at least for her, anyway.

"No." I said, flatly.

"WHAT!?" She hissed.

"You heard me, no." I repeated. "I have just as much right to sit here as you. You can join me or find somewhere to sit. Those are the options, pick one."

Bailey turned about fifty shades of pissed and slammed her tray down on the table. "YOU. GO. NOW!"

I smiled up at her and continued eating.

Bailey was beyond angry, nobody, but nobody defied her. Who did this jerk think he was?

I had pretty much figured out what her next move would be. My dad, being a Marine, specializing in hand-to-hand combat and small arms, had been training me for years. She was a 17 year old girl, of course she telegraphed her intention. She drew back her right hand to deliver a slap to my left cheek. Without even interrupting the bite I was taking of my lunch, I grabbed her wrist with my left hand, just before contact.

I held her in my grip as I swallowed my food. "That wasn't very nice." I chided, then I released her.

"You assaulted me." She screamed, rubbing her wrist. "I'll make sure you're expelled."

I chuckled, causing Bailey to turn even deeper red. "Look around." I said. "I see at least 10 people with their phones out recording this. It'll be on social media before the school day is over. Go ahead and report this, your ass is hanging further out than mine."

"AHHHHH!!!" She shrieked, spinning and walking away at a rather exaggerated pace, the rest of the cunt club following suit. "This isn't over!" She spat just before exiting the cafeteria.

More than a few students that witnessed the altercation offered me copies of the videos they'd shot. "Hold on to them, just in case." I instructed. "Thanks for the back up." After lunch, I did visit the assistant principal to let her know what had occurred.

"Son, you must have a death wish." She shook her head. "Sooner or later that girl will get her revenge. I hope you know what you just stepped in."

Overnight, I achieved legendary status among the other students. Seldom had anyone stood up to Bailey and her bitches and none had done it quite so spectacularly.

Nothing came of the incident, at least not immediately, but any time I saw or passed one of the club members, I got a world class stink eye, sometimes a snarky comment. And here I thought High School was about maturing and growing up. Guess they didn't get the memo.

Little things started happening, strange things. My clothes disappeared one day during gym. Thankfully, I always carried extras in my truck. My locker was super glued closed. That required some rather serious work. My project for art class was vandalized. I knew who was behind it, but I was determined to deny them the satisfaction of seeing it get to me. In fact, it really didn't. Petty, juvenile BS, I had no time for it.

Not long after that, I went to the parking lot to go home and all four tires were flat on my truck. Bailey's work, no doubt. A quick check confirmed they let the air out, the tires hadn't been cut. I had a small battery powered air compressor locked in the tool box in the bed, so I aired them up, flipped a 360 degree bird (I assumed she, or at least one of her crew were watching) and drove home. I could almost hear her scream.

After that, I installed cameras in my truck. I was sure this was going to escalate. People like her don't usually give up. Sure enough, a couple weeks later someone smashed my windshield. I got a very clear image of the perpetrator, none other than the quarterback of the football team, Ryan Knowles, Bailey's boyfriend. Camera in hand, I returned to the school. Since my first interaction had been with the assistant principal, I sought her out.

"You need something Mr. Redding?" She asked.

"JT please, Ms. Leeds." I instructed. I keyed the camera and handed it to her. "Watch."

She watched the video, her eyes widening as it unfolded. "Oh, this isn't good." She frowned. "Not good at all. I thought he was smarter than that."

"What's the usual punishment for something like this?" I asked.

"At least suspension, he'll be lucky not to be expelled." She answered. "Either way, it won't go well."

"Can I suggest an alternative?" I inquired.

"I'm listening." She said.

"I don't want to ruin Ryan's life." I explained. "Hormones make people, especially young male people, do dumb things in the name of 'love'. You and I both know Bailey put him up to this, or at least pissed him off enough that he did it on his own. Punishing him doesn't solve anything, ultimately she still gets what she wants. He's a pawn, she'll throw him away and find someone to replace him. I doubt she even cares. If he'll agree to fix my truck, I'll let it go."

"That's very...mature of you, JT." She smiled. "Honestly, I'd like this to go away as well. Ryan has a bright future ahead of him. I'd hate for him to lose it over something so stupid. Especially since he got played."

"Can you arrange a meeting between Ryan and me?" I asked. "I'd really like to handle this in person. I don't like others fighting my battles for me."

"Tomorrow after school work? I'll be sitting in, of course." She smiled.

"See you then." I nodded.

The next day, as I walked to her office I heard Ryan. "Why am I here, Ms. Leeds?"

As I walked in, I held up my phone, playing the video from the day before. "Because of this."

Ryan slumped in his chair watching his future evaporate. "I..."

"I think you should listen VERY closely to what Mr. Redding has to say to you, Ryan." She said, cutting him off.

He looked at me, a mixture of fear and anger in his eyes.

"Ryan, I know this isn't something between us, I barely know you." I started. "You did it for someone else, I won't make you say who. I'm going to make you this offer. Fix my truck and assure me nothing like this ever happens again and I will pretend this never happened. Deal?"

Ryan was dumbstruck. "I'm not going to be suspended and kicked off the team?"

"As long as you do as Mr. Redding has asked, then no." Ms. Leeds said. "I will need to make a note of it in your record, but it shouldn't be a problem, as long as it ends here. Got me Mr. Knowles?"

Ryan nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Why? Why would you do this for me, JT?" He sputtered, turning to face me.

I shrugged. "I've done dumb things too."

"Yes, I accept, of course, I'll do whatever it takes." Ryan babbled. "Thank you JT, I'll never forget this."

Ryan was as good as his word and my truck was fixed within a few days. He even had it detailed. Nice touch!

About a week later, I heard Bailey as I was leaving a class.

"I don't know, he just broke up with me." She whined. "He won't tell me why."

I stood off to the side, grinning widely. Bailey noticed and wheeled to confront me.

"What are you so happy about assface?" She spat.

"Trouble in paradise?" I asked.

Anger flashed in her eyes, but she managed to hold her temper.

As she turned to walk away I said, just loud enough for her to hear. "Maybe he didn't like being used."

She spun for a second, shooting daggers at me with her eyes, then huffed up and walked away.

Ryan and I actually became friends, at least in passing, after that. Bailey was none to happy with that. The cunt club actually had to attend prom as a group. After word of the 'Ryan incident' got out, they couldn't get dates to save their lives. Sure, a brave soul or two would ask them out, but they were fishing for pussy not looking for a relationship. They were far too dangerous to be around for very long.

Senior year was pretty much a repeat of the previous one with one notable exception, the cunt club disbanded. Not immediately, of course, but over the span of a month or so after school started, infighting became more and more prevalent. Bailey kicked out several members who were, in her words 'no longer fit to be seen with'. Down to three, Bailey and two others, those who were once high and mighty had fallen, reduced to a pitiful shadow of their former selves. Even that didn't last long as the remaining two members split after Bailey asked them to retaliate against another former member. From what I could piece together, it was a poorly planned exercise in petty revenge that would fail, probably very spectacularly, leaving the involved parties vulnerable, while Bailey sat above it all, unscathed. Seems the risk of suspension or expulsion was too much to ask for this late in the game. Loyalty had its limits. Now alone and miserable, Bailey lashed out at everyone in general and me in particular.

"You did this to me!" She screeched as I once again tried to eat lunch. "I had it all, then you just had to fuck it all up!" She flopped into a chair, sobbing. "I hate you!"

"What happened you did to yourself, Bailey." I asserted calmly. "Thinking you're better than others is what got you where you're at. Do you even understand how many people's lives you nearly ruined because of this juvenile tirade? It's over, grow up and deal with it."

"Fuck you." She sniffled. "I am better than you. You'll never be rich, you'll never be anybody."

"Nope." I said. "Don't want to be if it means being like you. I will however be happy. Can you say that?"

I let her think for a bit. "I see you don't understand. Do you think those girls you hung out with liked you for you, or did they just like what you could do for them? Seems once you lost your influence, they dumped you pretty fast. I on the other hand have friends that like me, not for what I can do for them, but for what we get from each other, companionship, support, mutual respect. We spend our time building each other up not tearing others down like you and those so-called friends of yours. Money cannot buy friendship, not real, lasting friendship and it most definitely cannot buy love. I'll take those over money any day. At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself one question. 'Do I like me?' It's the only question that matters. If you don't like yourself, no one else will. If you do, it won't matter what anyone else thinks. Let me know when you have your answer."

I finished my lunch, then stood. "See you around Bailey."

A couple weeks later, I saw her in the cafeteria eating lunch, alone. "Mind if I sit here?" I asked.

"Go away." She groaned. "I'm miserable enough as it it, I don't need you to make it worse."

"I'm not here to hurt you, Bailey." I assured. "I just thought you might like some company. Nobody deserves to be alone."

She looked up at me. "Even after what I've done to you?"

"If you expect me to lash out or whatever, that's just not me." I chuckled. "I don't hate you Bailey. I don't hate anyone."

I sat down and we started talking.

"I've thought a lot about what you said about money and friends." She sighed. "You were right. They didn't like me and if I'm being honest, I didn't like them either. We used each other to feel better about ourselves. We...I hurt people just because I could, because I mistakenly thought I was better than them. No wonder nobody likes me. I don't like me. I'm not even sure why you're here."

"Like I said." I smiled. "Nobody deserves to be alone. Besides, My dad was a Marine, he taught me you don't leave anyone behind, no matter what."

"I think that meant the wounded." She smiled weakly.

"Tell me you're not and I'll leave you alone." I said, looking into her eyes.

A single tear slid down her face, but she never asked me to go.

The rest of the year went well. Bailey actually made a few real friends, myself included. She apologized to Ryan for nearly ruining his life, something I'm sure he never expected. The funny thing was, after Bailey the bitch disappeared, she was replaced with Bibi (her initials). She coined the new name to celebrate her newfound outlook on life. She was funny, caring and loyal with a wicked sense of humor. Increasingly, I was enjoying her company. It wasn't an easy transition and she did backslide a couple times, but she dealt with it in an honest and adult manner and moved forward.

As the year wound down, the Senior prom approached. Bibi had not been her usual self for a week or two, so one day I asked her what was up.

"Nobody has asked me to prom." She stated dejectedly. "I kinda hoped I'd redeemed myself enough that someone would ask."

"Bibi would you go to prom with me?" I asked smiling.

"Be serious JT." She frowned.

"I am." I said.

She sat, stunned for a moment. "Why?"

"I like who you are becoming." I answered. "Everyone deserves a second chance. I want to show you all that hard work has been appreciated, at least by me. I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend, but I'd like to take you."

"I-I'd like that." She stuttered, blushing.

We didn't actively hide it, but it was blatantly obvious that few knew we would show up together as the room nearly fell silent as we entered.

We hadn't even told our parents, just saying we were going with friends. Bibi had gone with her girlfriends last year, so she thought nothing was suspected. Her parents were just a bit smarter than that though. They'd seen the drastic change in their daughter. The loss of her 'friends', ranting about some boy destroying her life and the insistence that they call her Bibi. She was changing, for the better, and they were thankful. Whatever was going on was having a positive effect. If she wasn't comfortable talking about it yet, they could wait.

I told mine that it was my only chance and even if I went alone, I still wanted to. Much like Bibi's family, mine weren't fooled either, but they had always respected my privacy and I'd never given them a reason not to.

A collective gasp greeted us as we made our way inside. Nathan and Ryan both made their way over and said their hellos along with their respective dates. A few other friends, hers, mine or both, also said hi.

"You and Bailey huh?" Nathan grinned.

"She prefers Bibi, now." I chided. "And it's not like that. We're not dating, just wanted the experience."

"Sure, sure." He chuckled. "Whatever man, happy for you both."

"Dickhead." I laughed. "Don't you have a date to grope?"

"I certainly do." He grinned. "Later."

There were a few murmurs, thankfully out of ear shot. When I went to get drinks, I did hear a couple rather unkind things being said, but Bailey had hurt a lot of people. As long as they didn't bother her, they could talk all they wanted.

Bibi was surprised that I was such a good dancer. She'd had private lessons as a child and felt I kept up well. Must be dumb luck as I'd never danced before that night.

The last dance of the evening was a slow one. I held Bibi in my arms and we danced, her head on my shoulder as the evening was coming to an end.

"JT?" She whispered in my ear.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening." She sighed. "I'll never forget it or what you did for me so I could be here, as I am now and not who I was." Then she looked into my eyes and kissed me. More than a peck, it surprised me.

"Wow!" I gasped. Shaking my head, I continued. "You deserve to be here. I know a lot of people here may not forgive you, but you'll get a fresh start this fall in college, and the new you is going to make a big impression, just wait and see."

"I hope so." She sighed.

"I KNOW so." I assured.

The afterprom party was quite the event. Games, prizes, food. Ditching our formal wear, everyone was in jeans and such, throwing darts, shooting hoops and tossing rings. I managed to win a huge stuffed animal, not sure if it was a hippo or a pig and being neon green didn't help in determining its identity. I gave it to Bibi. She gave me another quick kiss before she headed for her car, then I went home.

Summer passed in a relative eye blink. Even though I'd managed a hefty scholarship, I worked as much as I could for money to pay for books and other expenses. I didn't see much of Bibi. Even though her parents would be paying for her college, they wanted her to get a job for the summer. Good experience they said. We managed to meet for mini golf or a movie a few times, but anything beyond that just wasn't possible.

We were attending the same college, so I offered to drive her there. My truck would easily hold all our stuff, including one very large green stuffed animal and it would save her family the trip (a six hour drive).

We ended up in the same dorm on different floors. I helped carry her stuff up and she returned the favor. By the end of the day, our new homes-away-from-home looked presentable.