Mean Girls of Maplewood Ch. 20

"Uhm, yeah sure."

"So, I'll see you at Happy's parking lot around two and we can have our farewell fuck. We can be together like a real man and woman before it's over."

April left the room stomping down the stairs. His front door slammed loudly moments later. April crossed the street just under his window looking ragged in the face and not from the beating she'd taken at the hands of Leslie.

*

Something was off and she knew it the moment she entered her bedroom. Red chaffed inside wondering if Leslie and her father had gone so far as to fuck on her bed. The redhead impulsively snatched the comforter and blankets from her bed tossing them aside. She crawled onto the mattress running her hand over it searching for evidence of what was bugging her, pressing against her temple. Red crawled backwards onto the floor righting herself as she found something underfoot that made her bristle inside. Her favorite shirt, one of her prized possessions which she snapped up finding the material stretched and strained between her fingers.

A charge pulsed through her battered body as she realized Leslie had been wearing the t-shirt while fucking her father. There was this odor lingering about all corners of the house that wouldn't go away. I was sweet and sweaty, a mixture of innocence and lust traded freely and taboo between two people close to her. Red's mind reeled traveling backward to the first moments she'd noticed a change in her father before going even further to an unforgivable act. The theater of her mind's eye saw her best friend lying nude in the shower of the boy's locker room. She was mouthing something inaudible eventually screaming hysterically.

"One more person, to fuck."

Red whispered realizing her former best friend's meaning as she glanced over finding everything scattered on her vanity table, all of the drawers partially opened and rummaged through. Leslie hadn't cared enough to hide what she was doing.

"BITCH!!"

Red's arms swiped all of the errant clothing and makeup off her table before she noticed her own reflection in the mirror. The beautiful redhead's features told the tale of the epic battle she'd won by the skin of her teeth, still throbbing from the fight with Chelsea.

It felt like she couldn't breathe as her mouth hung open drawing in huge gulps of oxygen, the trauma taking her places she never wanted to go. She thought of the expression on her peers face as she'd been discovered crouching over Chelsea pummeling the defiant ex-cheerleader's face to mush. The visible horror and revulsion which would forever more strip away the thin veneer of an applied humanity that she wasn't sure existed herself.

No matter where she tried to force her thoughts, nothing could push away the look on countless peers faces as she scurried injured down the hallway in a vain attempt to escape her own guilt. She'd been outed as the monster she was but didn't care because Maplewood High was her kingdom. She would always be its Queen, and nothing would ever be able to top her. She wasn't a loser, didn't care who knew what she'd done and was okay with all of the blood on her hands.

"You're gonna die, Leslie." Red confessed her intent to her own reflection realizing the futility of it all. She knew that she's be fitted with an ankle bracelet soon enough.

Red felt something nudge against her finger looking down to find a tiny bottle of the same stuff she'd used to drug Brad Tucker the night he'd won the big game. She'd forgotten about it in the weeks that followed remembering how she'd mentored April beforehand while Leslie watched approvingly. It was a day or so after both girls made a fateful trip to relieve her of a burden created when Brad attacked a childhood friend. She wanted retribution for being cheated on, hell bent on driving April out of town if nothing else. But things changed that night between the girls, all three.

The following morning, April was so animated and gleeful recounting every horrible thing she'd done to Brad Tucker as Leslie listened intently cutting in every now and then about Humbert Jenkins which sparked the ire just beneath her skin. Her boyfriend was damaged goods now and likely forever refusing to talk about what happened to him even though people knew. She'd even lied to her father's face when asked about the incident. She'd revealed his infidelity citing it as the reason for not visiting Brad in the hospital. Red made sure to keep April's name out of things fearing her personal boot lick would be more than happy to claim responsibility for the obscene act.

This necessitated keeping April close most of the time which resulted in the girls becoming incidental lovers over time. Their first time sleeping together had been an act designed to demoralize and humiliate the chubby girl with things blossoming from there as April demanded more and more of her time and attention. Initially a pet project, April had come into her own getting more hostile verbally towards Leslie over time. Things came to a head after she continually asked and chided Red into action against her best friend for using her name to gain an advantage over Humbert.

She tried to let things blow over not wanting to really rock the boat considering pummeling Leslie instead of what happened later. April kept prodding and recounting that wrong asking if she considered the attractive brunette better than her. Nothing would dissuade April, not even violence which seemed to mean less and less to the chubby, blonde misanthrope. Red wished she'd thought of something else instead of what happened, but she had to prove to herself that she was number one. Allowing Leslie any bit of give was unacceptable according to her upbringing from a man she now knew to be a base hypocrite. Destroying Leslie had far reaching effects. But maybe, just maybe it had started earlier when they conspired to rape Humbert Jenkins.

"I'm gonna get you Leslie."

Red stripped off her clothing staring at the visible bruises on her body and face. Most of the blemishes would fade with time, but she bristled at the thought of being challenged wondering what was going on at school. The shower provided a bit of relief but also highlighted her injuries sparking little flecks of pain across her perfect figure. Red just wanted to wash away everything she'd done over the last few weeks knowing it was futile. Even now she thought that her newly minted mortal enemy was sitting among the other cheerleaders running her down, laughing about what she'd done.

That possible inclination made the redheaded narcissist twist into a knot on the inside. There was no way Leslie was getting away with making a fool out of the Apex Predator of Maplewood High. Red rolled the tiny bottle between her fingers, thinking.

*

"Uhm, am I in trouble, Ms. Branding?"

"Well, that depends on you Betty Joe; are you comfortable talking with me without your parents present?"

"I-I guess so ma'am." The remaining cheerleaders sans Red, Leslie and Patty were gathered into the front office for questioning.

Some members of the jocks had been gathered as well after a custodian came forward with April's stolen brassiere removed from its wall perch in the weight room. The gravity of things began to dawn as Betty Joe observed the mounting chaos of students, teachers and parents clogging up the front office. Patty's parents were making a scene at the front desk. Betty Joe knew Patty's mother was an entrenched member of the PTA and part of the administrative committee at their local church. Patty's father appeared disheveled and stressed out, his features flushed a combination of rage and desperation.

"Betty Joe are you aware of clips that were sent out via email this morning concerning your teammate, Patricia Clark?" The assistant principal's face was beyond stern, etched in granite.

"Huh?"

"Patricia Clark, someone leaked disturbing footage of this girl all over town this morning. Do you know anything about it, Betty Joe?" It felt like she was becoming smaller and smaller as the assistant principal leaned forward pressing the issue.

"Uhm, uh..." The shocked teen found that she couldn't look away from Ms. Branding's face, particularly the wrinkled mouth asking the questions.

"Betty Joe, are you alright?"

"I GOTTA PEE!" She blurted out already in the process of wetting herself. Patty's parents were talking heatedly with a female Sheriff's deputy.

*

Both of them sat watching silently, staring through the windshield at the football field. He was habitually drawn to the area because it was the last place he'd found happiness before his world went to shit. He could still faintly hear the cheers of the crowd in the breeze which bought with it a latent sense of calm. She sat there watching for altogether different reasons, recalling the bad idea that ended up with her karmically being returned to the same football field that was ultimately, her undoing. Even now, she could perceive ghostly visions of her and her best friend as they walked the perimeter of that field hatching a plan for an afternoon of wild sex and debauchery with the town hero. She'd convinced her reluctant best friend to go along with her plan and now, both of them had been caught up and burned alive by the phoenix fire of the apex-predator of Maplewood High.

"I hate you." Patty declared, still looking out at the football field.

"Okay." Brad Tucker replied without emotion, prompting her to turn in his direction.

"I'm ruined and it's because of your girlfriend that I can't go back to school anymore. It's because of your girlfriend, that my best friend in life, the only sister I've ever known, is in the hospital and all you can sit there and say, is "Okay", huh Brad?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Her hand pancaked his cheek loudly, followed by three more slaps as he remained motionless still staring out onto that football field. Patty favored her hand after a few seconds, following his gaze out onto the stadium green.

"What're you looking at, out there?"

"Nothing Patty; I'm just looking." She stared examining his face for many moments, glancing out onto the field.

"They did this to me; messed everything up because I fucked you that day. They tricked me and I hate myself for not seeing it coming. That's a lie, too Brad. I knew she was onto me, but I just couldn't get out of her way."

"Nobody can get out of her way; that's how it is with Red."

"I wish I'd never had sex with you; then I would still be stupid." Patty admitted.

"Me too."

"I guess we agree on something."

"No, I mean I wish I'd never had sex with April." His words hung in the air as the revelation and meaning hit Patty square in the face.

"Did you make her, that way?"

"Yeah." He swallowed hard, fighting back any emotion as Patty tugged at a strand of her blonde hair.

"Brad, she helped Red do this to me. They got me drunk and beat me before...".

"No." He reached over taking her hand for a few seconds, before she pulled away.

"They did stuff to me, both of them all night long; drugged me and then blackmailed me to do-other stuff." She was huffing through her mouth, doing her best not to scream.

"Don't tell me; I know what kind of monster Red is, Patty. I want to say I'm sorry, I want to do something to help you with all my heart; but I'm scared she's gonna do it again. I'm scared that she's gonna take me back to that place again, and let April have me." He was breathing through his mouth too, trying not to lose it.

"What about Chelsea? Don't you give a fuck, Brad?"

"She's better off without me."

"Then, why were you there this morning?"

"Seemed like the right thing to do; but Patty, I'm scared. I'm scared every day that I open my eyes, it's like everything's moving in slow motion around me and I don't know what to do about it. Every time I close my eyes, she's there with me in the darkness. I keep seeing those crystal blue eyes of hers with all that dark makeup shit around them, keep hearing that fucking laugh! Sounds like a little kid or something while she's-FUCKING ME!! I never stop remembering all the pain and the smell of horse shit around me, while April...". The ripped, jock was breaking down as he spoke, starting to go into a panic attack.

"Hey, it's okay Brad; I'm here." Patty covered his hand with her own, rubbing it to reassure the distressed football player.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Patty." They continued staring out the window, glancing at one another every now and then.

The football field was occupied by some kids having an innocent game of football from a nearby grade school. There were two teachers struggling to keep the rampant little boys in line and organized. Brad's eyes watered remembering his love of the game.

"You okay?" Patty asked also staring out at the field.

"No, no I'm not."

"Me too; I'm never gonna be okay again."

"I know." He replied serenely, almost somnambulistic.

Her ratty, blonde hair was itching something fierce as she scratched her scalp wincing when her nails raked across the cuts there. Patty found blood on her fingertips panicking as she tried to flick it off before going for the glove compartment looking for wipes.

"DON'T GO IN THERE!!" He was too late as she found his stash.

"Oh now it all makes sense; drugging it up, huh Brad?" He snatched the bag stuffing it down the other side of the passenger seat. He looked around as Patty tried to reach across his body for the stash before being shoved back in her seat.

"Stop, you don't understand what it's like dealing with this shit."

"Oh really; are you fucking serious? LOOK-AT-MY FACE BRAD!!" Patty snatched at his collar only to have her hand batted away.

"It was just supposed to take the edge off." Was the only explanation he could think to offer as she sat there staring.

Brad was still the same outside for the most part, but when you took a good moment to really look in his face, it was plain as day. Things were different now because she understood Brad Tucker on an intimate level only a fellow victim could. Both of them had been dragged along the edge of a razor blade, nearly shorn in two. She'd only wanted to be with him before after a perceived slight that should have warned her off interacting with the quarterback. It was her idea, her plan to secret him away to her father's cabin for an afternoon of sex in a threesome with her best friend who was now laid up in the hospital. She whimpered a bit recalling how she'd talked Chelsea into things that led to her nearly beaten to death. Karma had visited upon her a swift and exacting vengeance when she sought to coerce Brad into silence.

"Hey, I'm not judging Brad; I just wanna take the edge off too."

"Huh?"

"We, can do it together, okay? I need an escape from all of this shit."

"No Patty, that would be wrong."

"Wrong for me, but okay for you, huh Brad?" He glanced over finding the lithe blonde curled up on the seat. She was already fried beyond belief after running head first into Red and April. It was common sense that he was the only one minutely capable of understanding her pain.

"Okay, we'll do it." Her eyes lit up as he shook his head acquiescing to her wishes.

Patty unconsciously shook her head mimicking his actions as he bought out the baggie.

The loud chirp and accompanying siren of a patrol car suddenly interrupted the troubled teens. Brad fidgeted dropping the bag to the floor of his truck looking into his side mirror to find the car already pulling up behind his pickup truck. There was no way he could toss the bag without being seen by the deputies. Patty bounced around on the seat in a kinetic explosion of movement going for the door handle until he roughly grabbed her forearm nodding his head.

She was already on the verge of screaming but Brad kept shaking his head as the patrol car door slammed behind the truck. She sat rigidly on the seat as he used his heel to kick the bag under his seat. Both deputies were walking up on either side of his truck, hands on their weapons. His hand slid down taking hers softly. Their fingers intertwined as Deputy Mooney appeared at his open window with Deputy Jimmy at the other.

"Brad Tucker."

"Hello uhm, good morning officer."

"More like good afternoon; shouldn't you kids be in school?" He surveyed the inside of the truck finding nothing out of the ordinary before his eyes settled on Brad. He noted the rigid posture of both teens giving him license to inquire further.

"Uhm, I was visiting a friend in the hospital officer; just taking a break is all, sir."

Deputy Mooney followed the trajectory of his gaze to the field and the grade school children playing a game of football. He immediately understood the troubled teen's presence.

"Excuse me miss; are you okay? Are you under some kind of duress?"

Deputy Jimmy peered into the passenger side window taking stock of the defrocked cheerleader's appearance and the large t-shirt covering her body. It was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra under her sparse clothing. He could just make out her areolas behind the cloth.

"I'm-okay." Patty answered stiffly drawing Mooney's attention to her attire before his gaze drifted up to her stark appearance sans makeup. It was obvious this girl had been through some sort of hell.

"Miss, I need your name?"

"Why?!!" She faltered, her bottom lip quivering, but Brad gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She glanced over as he nodded his head wanting her to cooperate.

"Well, I'd just like to address you properly, ma'am." Mooney added as his partner placed a hand on the open window. Deputy Jimmy kept his hand on his weapon not knowing what to make of either teen.

"Patty-uhm, Patricia Clark." The deputies exchanged glances.

"Well, I'm going to need you kids to step out of the vehicle, please." The request caused Patty visible distress as she began huffing glancing over at Brad who nodded reassuringly.

"Relax, we just wanna talk, Patty. It is okay, if we call you Patty, right?"

"Yeah." A few tears were already rolling down her cheeks as Mooney took a good look at Brad Tucker before regarding the kids playing on the field.

"You miss it, don't you?"

"Every day of my life, officer."

He swallowed as he answered unsure of what was about to happen but knowing he didn't care anymore as Patty slowly opened the door stepping outside the truck. Deputy Jimmy held the door as she stepped down onto the gravel taking visual stock of her appearance further. Patty tugged down on the hem of the over sized t-shirt covering her body.

"I think you could still get back out there; if it's what you want, Brad."

"I don't think so officer; nobody wants a loser."

"What're you talking about man; this town loves you! They been talking about putting up a statue or something ever since you brought that championship back here to Maplewood, boy. In case you weren't taking notes, you did that this year, son."

"Don't feel like it."

"But that is the plain truth Brad; you're made for that field out there and every day you waste sitting here feeling sorry for yourself; is a waste of fucking time."

"Who wants a drug addict?"

"Excuse me?"

"I got me some of them opioids in this truck, officer." Deputy Mooney glanced into the cab of the truck while Deputy Jimmy looked too, motioning towards the underside of the driver's seat. Part of the bag was visible.

"Step out of the vehicle, Brad." He backed off a step allowing the jock to exit the vehicle before cuffing him. Patty was crying openly as Mooney walked the trouble boy to the patrol car placing him inside.

"Why don't you leave him alone; you don't what he's been through!!" She inched towards the patrol car stopped by the outstretched hand of Deputy Jimmy.

"You kids out here fooling around or something?" He asked awkwardly as Mooney walked over shaking his head.