Bri smiled at Alex as they walked outside. Alex’s regret and sincerity gave her hope that she and Cole weren’t fighting a losing battle after all.
The next week, Alex and a couple of other guys from the basketball and football teams started talking to Cole again. Alex had been doing some recruiting for the We Don’t Give A Damn What Serena Thinks club, and the support helped lift the cloud of gloom that had settled over Bri and Cole. Serena, sensing a change in the tide, decided to double her efforts, and got even nastier.
By Thursday Bri was exhausted. Dance had been kicking her butt, and the insults and name calling had worn away any patience she had left. The Dance Team was leaving the next day for Sacramento, and Bri was so ready to get out of Santa Monica, and away from all the drama.
As Bri walked down the hall after school, Serena made a particularly vile remark about her, loud enough for half the hall to hear. Weeks’ worth of frustration and anger surged forward, and Bri lost it. She was done letting Serena get away with her puerile schemes. Bri was going to take her on, once and for all, and she was going to do it right here, in the crowded hallway. She had caught Bri on a bad day, and the girl was going down.
“That’s it, Serena,” Bri yelled angrily as she stormed over. “I’m not going to take any more shit from you. You can’t seem to get it through your pea sized brain that Cole and I are not breaking up, and nothing you do is going to force him to come running back to you.” Bri had the attention of the entire hall, and more people were coming in to see what was going on. “I’m done being your punching bag. You and I are going to end this. Now.”
Fear flashed in Serena’s eyes, but her face showed nothing but confidence. She quickly surveyed their crowd and turned back to Bri with a contemptuous sneer.
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you are making a total idiot of yourself.”
“Well, let me tell you exactly what you’re going to do,” Bri stepped closer. “You are going to call off your hounds, and stop forcing everyone to treat Cole and me like pariahs. You are going to stop spreading rumors about us, and stop flinging insults. And, you are going to leave us alone and stay out of our lives.”
“Or what?” Serena scoffed. “What are you going to do? You’re like the size of a preschooler.”
“Push me, and find out.” Bri stepped right into her face. Two of Serena’s friends flanked her, providing back up. “What’s the matter, Serena? Afraid to face me on your own? You need your little body guards here to keep you safe from me? Pathetic,” Bri gave a derisive laugh. “You’re nothing but a coward, hiding behind a lot of talk.”
Serena’s anger erupted, and pure hate filled her eyes. “You want me? Well, you got me!” She pushed back her friends, and it was just she and Bri, toe to toe.
“It’s time someone put you in your place, Serena. You don’t own this school, and you don’t own us. We don’t have to bow to your every whim, or let you order us around.” Bri made sure she spoke loud enough that her voice carried through the hall, but she didn’t take her eyes off Serena. “We aren’t your playthings, to manipulate however you want.”
Serena’s eyes widened furiously before she let out a screech, and dove for Bri with her claws. Bri leaned out of the way, and then dodged again as Serna tried to grab her hair. Seeing her opening, Bri pulled back her fist and popped Serena in the eye, knocking the girl on her butt. Serena cried out, covering her eye with her hand as she glared up at Bri.
“Are you done? Because I can do this all day long,” Bri eyed Serena down on the floor. When Serena made no move to get up, she scoffed. “Thought so.” She turned to address the students around her. “You don’t have to follow her blindly. She can’t really hurt you. As you can see, she’s nothing but a lot of talk. Do yourselves a favor, and start thinking for yourselves for a change.” She looked down at Serena. “You have no more power here. And if you ever try to come between Cole and me again, you’ll end up with a lot more than a black eye, I promise you.” She turned her back on Serena and walked away.
The crowd in the hall parted for her, a mixture of shock and amazement on their faces. Bri saw Cole standing at her locker, her bag packed on his shoulder. She could tell from his grim expression that he had seen her and Serena go at it, but he said nothing as he slipped his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the school.
Once in his truck, he turned to her. Worry, anger, and amazement warred on his face.
“I can’t believe you did that,” he finally said. He sounded more that marginally upset. Bri thought it best to stay quiet and let him say what he needed to say. “Do you realize what could’ve happened? What if Serena had come back at you? You could’ve been hurt, seriously hurt! Or worse, you could’ve been caught and expelled!” His voice rose as his anger did. “You could’ve lost your chance at Stanford, at your dream! What were you thinking!?!”