[𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒]

"Daddy, she's a hater. You know how haters are."

"No, Paris, I want you to give me a logical reason as to why she doesn't like you, because I don't think she just woke up one morning thinking, 'Oh, today I'm going to hate on Paris Haven for no reason.'"

"Okay, you want to hear the real tea on why we have problems?"

"Yes, I do."

"So you know how I used to be friends with Darion."

"The grown man, yes."

"Well, she didn't like that. She was jealous because she thought me and Darion were a thing. We were not. Darion and I were never a thing. London is my first."

"Do you ever think that perhaps Darion was telling her certain things about you two?"

"No, I don't think so. Look, I don't like Priscilla or Darion. They can both kiss my ass."

Dad pulled up slowly in front of the school.

"Now, look," he said. "Don't go in there being openly rude to the girl. If she's rude to you, then okay, you can do the same. Just don't say anything to her, and she won't say anything to you."

"Okay," I replied.

He kissed my temple and got out of the car.

"I'll pick you up later. I love you."

"Love you, too," I said sullenly.

When I got inside the building, I made my way to the Calculus class on the second floor.

"Hello," I said awkwardly as I walked in. Priscilla was already there, seated in the back row.

"Good morning, are you Paris Haven?" the teacher asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, have a seat. I'm going to go over the rules."

I took a seat farthest away from her in the second row.

"Unless you have a question, you cannot talk. There is no fighting. If you're hungry, just ask to eat but don't make a mess. No phones, so hand them over."

The teacher went to Priscilla first who threw her phone down on the desk.

"I didn't bring mine," I lied when she held her hand out.

"I wasn't born yesterday."

"I gave her my phone."

She put our cellphones in a small bin and locked them away in a drawer.

"My name is Ms. Dove, by the way."

"That's your real last name?" I asked.

"Why would she lie?"

I turned back to see Priscilla glaring at me.

"Girl, nobody was talking to you. I was talking to lovely Ms. Dove. Mind your business, speak when spoken to."

"Girl, turn around."

"Ladies, that's enough," Ms. Dove chided. "And yes, that is my real last name."

"That's so pretty," I muttered.

"Thank you," Ms. Dove replied gracefully. "Because this is not my room and my room which is down the hall — is a mess right now. I have to go clean it."

"Don't we have janitors?"

"Yes, but they don't attend to the third floor sometimes."

"That's stupid, what are they being paid for then?"

"Bro, shut up."

I turned around again.

"Bro, you don't have to reply every time I say something!" I turned back around slowly. "Such a fan. I'm sorry, Ms. Dove, but she's a fucking dick rider."

"Paris, we don't use words like that in this class."

"Again, I'm sorry."

"Look, I'm going down the hall now. Since you two argue a lot, just don't say anything to each other. I'll be back soon to check on you both."

Ms. Dove left, closing the door, Priscilla and I were alone. I put the hood of my hoodie over my head and put my head down on my arms. Once I closed my eyes, I was out.

When I woke up the first thing I did was look at the clock, only an hour had gone by, it was only nine.

I turned around slowly, Priscilla wasn't looking at me.

"You still here?" I said.

Her eyes moved to mine quickly.

"Just shut up."

"You know if you had stayed at your table, we wouldn't be here."

"And if your boyfriend hadn't attacked Darion, I wouldn't have gone to your table."

"London attacked Darion for a reason."

"Oh really, what was the logical reason? I was there, Darion didn't say anything rude. London went up to him with the problem. If you weren't London's brainwashed hoe you'd see that he's the problem."

"I'm not his hoe, I'm his girlfriend."

"Keep your boyfriend away from my boyfriend."

"Oh, Darion's your boyfriend now?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, he is."

"How can you date someone like him? He didn't even treat you right when you two were just friends, I remember."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Priscilla looked away.

"He knew you liked him—"

"Paris, shut up."

"But would always flirt with girls in front of you."

"Stop trying to be my friends telling me this shit. You think I don't know. Hell, you dated him."

"Girl, what?! Darion and I never dated."

"Yes, you did."

"No, we didn't."

"What're you talking about, Paris?"

"What're you talking about?"

"You two never dated?"

"No."

"But I thought— that's what Darion told me."

"Wait, all this time, Darion's been telling you that we've been dating."

"Yeah, well, dated. He said he broke up with you early in the year when London took a picture of you in a bikini."