SAVANNAH
After school, I looked around for Blake so we could do our second swimming class for the week. The hallways were thinning out as students rushed to escape another day of educational torture, but there was no sign of his dark hair or broad shoulders anywhere.
"Maybe he's already at the pool," I muttered to myself, adjusting my backpack and heading in that direction.
My footsteps echoed against the tiled floor as I made my way to the school's indoor pool. The chlorine smell hit me before I even pushed through the double doors.
The humidity wrapped around me like a blanket as I stepped inside. Instead of Blake's tall figure, I spotted Alyssa's perfectly highlighted hair and her sidekick Jennifer lounging by the shallow end. My stomach dropped. I immediately turned to leave, but Alyssa's voice cut through the air.
"Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with her presence," she called out, her voice bouncing off the water.
Jennifer stepped out of the pool, water cascading down her toned body. Her swimming suit hugged her curves in all the right places, making me feel even more self-conscious in my baggy t-shirt and shorts.
"What are you doing here?" Jennifer asked, flipping her wet hair over her shoulder, sending droplets flying in my direction. "This isn't the cafeteria, you know."
I clutched my bag tighter. "I'm supposed to meet Blake for swimming lessons."
Alyssa let out a theatrical laugh. "Swimming lessons? Is that what you are doing now?"
Jennifer snickered, looking me up and down. "Can you imagine her in a swimming suit? It would be like stuffing a walrus into spandex."
They both burst into laughter, the sound echoing painfully around the pool area.
"Remember the other night at my party?" Alyssa said, turning to Jennifer. "When she almost pulled off her top? I had my phone ready to record all that glory for the school group chat."
"You're such a sadist," Jennifer replied with a grin that showed she meant it as a compliment.
"It would have been the highlight of the semester," Alyssa sighed dramatically. "Such a missed opportunity."
Rage bubbled up inside me, hot and fierce. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but words failed me. What could I say that wouldn't make this worse?
I tried to move past them, but Jennifer stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked. "We're not done catching up yet."
"Let me go," I said, hating how small my voice sounded.
"Or what?" Alyssa challenged, moving to stand beside Jennifer. "You'll cry? Run to mommy? Oh wait, she's too busy working three jobs to notice you exist."
That stung. Mom worked hard to keep us afloat after Dad died. It wasn't her fault she couldn't be around more.
I squared my shoulders and looked Alyssa directly in the eyes. "Let me go, or I'll report you to Principal Sanders first thing tomorrow morning."
Their smirks faltered. Principal Sanders had taken a liking to me after I helped organize the school's science fair last year. He had even told me to report anyone who gave me trouble after overhearing Alyssa make a snide comment in class once.
"You wouldn't," Alyssa said, but uncertainty crept into her voice.
"Try me," I replied, surprised by my own boldness.
In truth, I'd never reported anyone before. How could I? If I started listing everyone who'd ever bullied me, half the school would be in detention, and Blake would be at the top of that list.
Jennifer pushed me aside. "Whatever. You're not worth the trouble anyway."
I stumbled but caught myself before I could fall. Without another word, I walked out, my heart hammering in my chest from the confrontation.
The bright sunlight hit my eyes as I exited the pool building. I blinked, adjusting to the change, and that's when I saw him. Blake was sitting on the same bench where we'd had our tutoring session yesterday. But he wasn't alone.
The girl from yesterday was perched comfortably on his lap, her arms draped around his neck. Blake was laughing at something she said, his head thrown back, exposing the strong line of his throat.
"Did he forget our class?" I whispered to myself, feeling a strange pang in my chest.
I hesitated, unsure whether to approach him or not. Before I could decide, Madison, the queen bee herself, stepped directly into my path.
"Heard Blake is teaching you how to swim?" she said, loud enough for nearby students to hear. "Be careful so you don't pollute the pool with your fat flesh."
A group of students who had been passing by stopped to listen, smirking at Madison's comment. Someone snickered, and soon more joined in. I felt my face burning with humiliation.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Alyssa and Jennifer approaching, triumphant smiles on their faces. They must have called Madison after I left the pool. Unlike with them, there was no threatening Madison, she was untouchable as the principal's daughter.
"Do you all not have anything better to do?" a familiar voice cut through the laughter.
Tyler pushed through the crowd, his expression thunderous. I'd never seen him look so angry before. Most of the spectators dispersed quickly, not wanting to face Tyler's wrath, but Madison stood her ground.
"Just having some fun, Tyler," she said with a saccharine smile. "No need to get your panties in a twist."
"Find your fun somewhere else," Tyler replied coldly. "Leave Savannah alone."
I felt a rush of gratitude toward him, but my eyes drifted back to the bench where Blake sat. Our gazes met across the courtyard. For a moment, I thought he might come over, might stand up for me like he had at the party. Instead, his eyes slid away, and he turned his attention back to Megan, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle.
Something inside me crumbled. How stupid I was to think anything had changed.
I turned on my heels and fled back toward the pool.