01 - Greenville's Naked Nerd

 NESSA’S POV~

 “..Nessa!” My mum called out for me. “You almost forgot your amulet again,” Carlotta said while rolling her eyes. 

“I’m so sorry mom, I was going to have my bath, and then I took it off-“ Carlotta cut me short and then said,

 “Nessa, just stop.” I could tell that my mom was already getting tired of my excuses, “It’s almost becoming a habit of yours, you need to stop forgetting your amulet.” She stressed.

My mom and I were by the door when my dad; Mr. Bennett Colbert, passed by holding a cup of coffee, “She almost forgot her amulet again right?” He asked as if he knew.

 “Mm mhm…” Carlotta nodded while I cringed and then quickly apologized. Then my dad said, “Sweetie, I’m not mad, trust me. The only time I and your mom are gonna get really mad is when you step out of that door without it.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. It’s a precious heirloom and I’m so sorry for ‘almost’ forgetting it. Now can I go?” I didn’t get why they were both so worked up on some cheesy amulet.

“We love you, and take care,” Carlotta said then she kissed me on the forehead.

“I love you too,” I said softly. As the door shut softly behind me, I sighed deeply and then brought my mobile to dial Jada’s number one last time, as I have been trying all half of the summer with no success.

“This is Jada here; please leave a message-“ it went straight to voicemail again. I was so disappointed, so I slid my phone into my back pocket and walked to school.

I approached my school with the hopes of seeing Jada hale and hearty but instead, I was welcomed with the gazing eyes of detest and disgust by my peers. Lustful gazes from the boys and jeering whisper’s from the girls.

 “What the hell is going on?” I thought to myself as I grasped my backpack tightly. “Why are all these people looking at me?” I murmured.

I tried ignoring them as I bent my head low covering my face from all the peering eyes. I fastened my pace until I bumped into the school’s beauty queens; THE PIXIES, as they referred to them. Katherina, Harriet, Sasha, and Betty, all four of them were the school’s most influential females and also the most disgusting bullies. They could get away with bullying because they had parents in power for each faction.

Betty was a human. Her dad was the leader of the human faction. Sasha was a witch, and her mum was the leader of their coven. Harriet was a vampire, and her uncle was the leader of the vamps in Greenville town. At the same time, Katherina was a werewolf, One of the big dogs. Being the most populated creature in Greenville town, she had the most power plus, she was an alpha’s daughter. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I apologized when I realized that I bumped into the pixies. Their arms were all folded with their blazers and white inners neatly ironed and their mini plaid skirts with their thigh-high socks and pairs of heels.

I watched the four girls as they all stared at me with hate. Their condescending look didn’t faze me. Instead, it was the feeling of seeing my best friend, Jada with the group of girls we hated the most. It was appalling to me.

“Jada, what are you doing with these people?” Surprised, I asked in a lowered tone. I was lost for words.

“Shut up, Colbert,” Katherina ordered. Then she snapped a finger, and immediately, Betty threw a phone at me.

I was oblivious to the horrendous event that will succeed after grasping that phone. There was a video that had already started playing out before I caught it. So I began to watch what was being displayed on it. 

“Woohoo!!” It was me, my squeal for exuberant joy just at the beginning of summer. With shaky hands, I watched the rest of the video play out.

Its content was jaw-dropping and heartbreaking for me to watch. I was on top of my bed dancing to Lady Gaga’s Bloody Mary, barely clothed. My scars were visible, and with them, I began to display sexy moves like that of a slut. I touched myself and bit my lips slowly. I also played tricks with my panties and bra and with my hair. It was an embarrassment to set eyes on for some people. Although I was pretty, I was kind of the school’s nerd. It was bizarre for people to watch me make slutty moves while in bed.

I thought that seeing my best friend Jada in the midst of my enemy was bad enough until I saw that my video had been trending on our school’s social site throughout half the summer. That half of the summer I lost contact with Jada.

I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes and I fought it, but when I looked at Jada joining the pixies in mocking me, all the tears I fought against gushed down her face. To worsen the situation, Katherina asked Jada to say something to me, probably something to piss me off.

“And it better be good,” Katherina ordered. And it was good; then Jada gave me a loathing look and then said, “Greenville’s naked nerd,” as soon as she said this, they all began laughing out loud.

At that point, I knew that I had had enough of their mockery, so I walked out on all of them, hiding my shame. Thompson watched all of this happen to me on the sidelines, and when it was all over, he silently followed me.

“Nessa, Nessa wait,” He rushed after me. I didn’t stop; instead, I fastened my pace. 

“Nessa, please stop,” Thompson begged. And when he finally caught up to me, he turned me over, and I had this melancholic look on my face, which made him have remorse for me even more. He pitied me and it was pathetic.

“What do you want, Thompson?” I asked him arrogantly as I tried to wipe off the tears on my face, but they just kept on rolling. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t form a single sentence. 

“Are you also here to mock me as Jada did back out there?” I asked him with edginess in my tone.

“On the contrary, Nessa, I’m here to apologize,” 

“Fuck your apology,” I said to him spitefully. I was about to leave when Thompson held me back, “Keep your fucking hands off me,” I gritted. I was pissed and embarrassed. Thompson obeyed me, and then he said to me,

 “Jada did it.” What Thompson said broke my heart into pieces but I had to act like it didn’t.

 “I’m not a fool Thompson, I knew. I mean, wasn’t it evident?” I said then I left, crying.

I was a fool; I had no idea it was Jada who leaked my video. Although, if I did put two and two together, I would have figured it out instantly without Thompson’s help. But why would my best friend betray me? What did I do to make Jada join our worse enemy?

As days went by, it wasn’t easy getting through a day in school without being body-shamed, slut shamed or called names by my peers. I had to go through all that alone; it was hell for me. And since I had no one to talk to, I easily became a target of bullying. It was like I existed to be bullied. Since then, I’ve had several panic attacks. 

 I prayed for better days, and I did. I wanted it so bad, but it was to no avail. I was alone and desolated. I wanted a miracle that could take their minds off my video.

I went home earlier this time around and headed straight for my bedroom. I lay on my bed, looking at all my scars. Why I had them, I didn’t know how they came to be, I didn’t know that either. So I decided to take it to my parents downstairs,

 “Sweetheart, why do you ask?” Troubled, Carlotta asked me.

“I just wanna know, nothing more,” I said. I lied. If my parents knew that I was subjected to bullying in school, they wouldn’t hesitate to involve the school authorities; that was the last thing I wanted. 

My parents took a deep breath, and then my dad said, 

“Well, Nessa, if you insist on knowing, I’ll tell you. You were born this way, and you have to accept it. Love yourself, and don’t ask such questions, okay?”

CARLOTTA’S POV~

I was surprised at my husband’s response, but since it kept Nessa quiet, I accepted it, and then I added, 

“Your dad’s right. You need to love yourself and don’t ask such questions again,”

 Wearing a melancholic look on her face, Nessa said, 

“Right, I’m sorry for asking ‘such’ questions,” Then she went to her room. We were both worried as we watched her go up to her bedroom, but I was the most worried.

 “Why do you think she asked us about her scars?” I asked Bennett.

 “I have no idea, and I don’t want to think whatever it is you’re thinking,” Bennett responded.

 “What if they found her, what if they’re here for-“ I was cut short by Bennett.

“Stop!” He said at the top of his voice, and when he realized how loud he was and how stunned I was, he said softly while caressing my hair, “Stop, please, honey. ‘They’ do not exist; even if they do, she has her amulet. So please stop overthinking, okay?”

“You’re right; I’m sorry,” I said. Then Bennett leaned in close to me, kissed me softly on my forehead, and hugged me. 

“Our daughter’s safe, my love; she’s safe,” He whispered in my ears.

“I know, but you know you can never really tell with these people,” I said with edginess.

“Fine. You know what, tonight we’ll conduct a little inspection in the woods just to clear out all doubts, okay?” Bennett said, and immediately, I nodded repeatedly.