That Wednesday, during Clem's baseball game, Victor arrived with his little crew which now consisted of Helene hanging on his arm. Loudly and obnoxiously he said that Clem's fans had showed up and the laughter directed at me ignited something in my stomach that I could not control.

I stormed out of the game with Yara at my heels. Mercy had flicked him off and Rosalind didn't understand why Victor would be so mean. But I didn't storm off embarrassed, I stormed off with a purpose. I stalked right to the parking lot and looked for his black car, his baby, a brand-new BMW 5 Series with leather interiors. He had parked occupying two spots so that no one would touch it or smear their fingers on the waxed exterior. What an asshole, I thought. And then, digging into my bag I pulled out my cherry red lipstick.

"What are you doing?" Yara asked worriedly.

I wondered if she thought I'd lost my mind. Perhaps I had. I looked at her with a bold smile, the boldest I'd ever been. Then I climbed on top of Victor's car and with my lipstick I wrote in massive letters; A-S-S-H-O-L-E.

Asshole.

I heard other students laughing as they watched the spectacle and when I hoped off the BMW I found Yara with her mouth open, Rosalind gasping with wide eyes, and Mercy laughing with her head thrown back. I closed the lipstick and coolly threw into my bag. Two could play at this game, Victor Manning, I too could be a bitch.

"He's going to be so angry," Rosalind whispered.

"Good." I marched to Yara's waiting car, the trusty 1988 gold Volvo. "Well, are we leaving or what?"

I felt amazing. I felt like I could charge through the world like a Hurricane and take over all before me. I felt I was a skip and breeze from starting my entire life. When I arrived home my mom's face was instantly suspicious, with narrowed eyes and her hands on her hips.

"Becka Montana what happened?"

I slipped past her. "Nada, mami, I love you!"

I rushed up the stairs and threw myself on my bed, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars I had tapped to the popcorn ceiling. Victor Manning would remember my name.

The next morning, as I readied for school, I discarded my previous outfit and decided on a far bolder choice. I felt like that tube of red lipstick; bright and imposing. I eyed a top I had been afraid to wear because it clung too tightly to my boobs but this time I considered it. The black bodysuit would accentuate my breasts and if I wore it I couldn't hunch my shoulders and hide my chest behind my trapper keeper, I head to show them off proudly. I wanted Clem to see what he would never have because he was too much of a coward. I was Big-Titty-Becka regardless of what I wore. Like the song said, let's give them something to talk about.

I slid myself into the bodysuit and paired it with high waisted white jeans and slowly I painted my lips red. The same tube I had used in Manning's car. My brown eyes blinked back at me and I smiled slowly, tossing my brown curls to the side. I looked... nice. The horn of Yara's car shook me and without thinking twice about it I grabbed my bag and rushed down the stairs.

"Holy shit," Mercy said when they spotted me. I ran into the car and slammed the door behind me.

"Did your Mom see you?" Yara was gaping at me with a slow smile.

"Nope," I laughed and slammed my palm twice on her headrest. "Let's go."

Reactions were mixed during my emancipation, especially from girls who gave me grief for showing too much. But I did not care, let them talk. My love life was non-existent, let them call the virgin a slut if they wanted to. The positive reviews came from guys who whistled when they saw me and others that gave me high-fives for messing with Victor.

Tay and Clem were standing as they always stood, on a bench in the shadows with their entire crew. The same bench where, a year ago, Alvin winked at me as an unspoken agreement to meet by the janitor's closet. Tay's face was comical when we approached but Clem's jaw tightened, and he remained motionless.

"Morning," Mercy said. "Thanks for the party invite."

"Dang, Becky-girl." Tay circled me. "It's about time."

"About time what?" I raised a brow at him and he let out a little laugh.

"Oh don't make me say it, Alvin wouldn't like it," Tay said.

"Fuck Alvin," I rolled my eyes. "He's not here and I am."

I felt eyes on me and when I turned to Clem he quickly looked away, his eyes fixed on the floor, his foot kicking at the grass there. Frustration bubbled within but before I could be deflated, Victor's booming voice came through the crowd and I held back a smile despite the slight shaking of my stomach.

"Fee-fi-fo-fum," Yara said.

"Becka Montana!"

The crowd parted for him, as it always did, and there he stood. All six foot two of him, broad shoulders and bristling with anger, angrier than I'd ever seen him which was a lot because Victor never fought and usually got along with everyone. I lifted my chin when I met his eyes and I watched with delight as he paused, taking me in, seeing me unshakable and defiant.

Then he pointed his finger at me. "I'm going to shave your fucking eyebrows."

"Good, you'd save me a trip to the salon," I said.

He glared and walked right up to me, breathing down and humming with anger. "That shit took forever to come off."

I smiled and almost leaned into him. "It's a long-lasting formula."

His eyes were dark but I didn't care, I'd had enough of him and his teasing and I was not going to take him or anyone else laying down anymore.

"You owe me a car wash." His voice was tight and quiet.

"No, I don't," I said loudly. "I don't owe you shit."

And that led to all the watching crowd to declare me the winner of our verbal spat as the 'ohhhs' and 'ahhhs' sounded and Victor blinked. Helene was next to him and she looked from Victor to me and I felt bad for embarrassing her by association, but I didn't recall her standing up for me yesterday when he teased me. I wasn't going to stand here and wait for him to gather up a frothy comeback, so I smiled and patted his chest in a 'nice try, big guy' gesture and turned away from him. I caught Clem's eyes as I did and he looked rather taken back but I didn't know if it was a good thing.

Victor and I settled into a Cold War of sorts were we tested who could greet the other in a more civil manner. Every once in a while, we spat at each other if he was being an asshole but the moment I got riddled up he calmed down and left me alone.

"You two should just get over it and fuck," Yara said once after a particularly nasty argument during American History.

The look of utter disgust in both of our faces was hilarious but that night, when I pulled the covers to my chin, I wondered at the entire act of sex. I liked reading about it my tattered romance novels but women's body parts were described in weird ways like 'mound', and 'fruit', and 'center'. I wasn't sure if I had a mound, a fruit, or a center. Despite my new looks, I was still decidedly a virgin and it seemed I would graduate high school as one.

My thoughts strayed to what sex with Victor would be like. A battle or would it be a composition of musical notes? Would it be a storm or a frantic dance? I quickly pushed those thoughts away; this was Victor Manning I was considering. He disliked me and I hated him and soon school would be over, and I'd never have to deal with him again.

Recommended 90s Playlist (will grow with each chapter)

1. Gettin' Jiggy With It - Will Smith

2. Kiss The Rain - Billie Myers

3. Come Baby Come - K7

4. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

5. Bitch - Meredith Brooks

6. Something to Talk About - Bonnie Raitt