“Try to avoid him today, love!” Jessica’s dad called from the car as she and Beth waved him goodbye.

“I will, dad. Don’t worry!” she shouted and the two girls watched him drive away.

Jessica threw her school bag over her shoulder and linked arms with Beth.

“So, what’s the plan today?” Beth began as they walked towards the school gates together. “ Your dad mentioned student services.”

Jessica nodded, “Yeah, I’ve got to tell them about the baby as soon as possible so they can make sure I’ve got all the support I need. Also means my teachers will be quietly told so they can make allowances – you know like in gym, or something.”

“You could really milk this, you know!” Beth laughed, “You could get away with murder!”

Jess giggled and as they walked through the gates, she quietly said to Beth, “I wanna keep this as quiet as possible for as long as possible. I won’t be able to hide it for long, but just want to be able to tell people in my own time. I dare say Michael’s told Lucy though … so not sure how secret it’ll be for long.”

Beth smiled reassuringly,  “Well, it’s safe with me. I won’t tell Miles either. It’s not my secret to tell.”

Jessica rubbed her arm, “Lord, B, you can tell him. I trust him. He’s probably one of the nicest guys in this school. You’re lucky, you know. For your first real boyfriend to be so nice. I wish I could have the same luck, but mine turned into a total bastard. I knew he had a bit of a reputation, B but he was so charming and sweet when we first got together I thought the rumours must have been from jealous ex girlfriends … wow, how wrong can a girl get, eh?”

Beth smiled, she thought for a moment of Miles and she did feel very, very lucky to have him. She still couldn’t get her head around why he liked her so much, but until she trusted him and his feelings for her, she would enjoy getting to know him and getting to trust her feelings towards him a little more.

As they walked into the school, up the stone steps Beth noticed they were being stared at a little. Some girls laughed quietly and pointed at them. Beth felt self-conscious and wondered if their unlikely friendship was the cause for the unusual attention.

“Get the feeling you’re being talked about?” Beth asked as she looked cautiously around them.

“No …” Jess replied and Beth realized that Jessica usually wafted around school, gliding around the corridors aloof and indifferent to the attention she drew. She had never had cause to be wary of people’s perceptions and had never had to concern herself with how she was being observed. She had been a perfect Clone. No one mattered. Beth however had a very different experience of moving around the school. Hypersensitive to comments about her weight and what she was wearing meant that Beth was always poised for an insult to be hurled her way and therefore always surreptitiously watching people around her. Beth glanced around her and detected more people glancing their way, whispering and pointing.

“Well, they are … they’re pointing at us!” Beth said quietly, panic rising in her tone.

“Oh chill, Beth. No dramas. They’re just getting used to seeing us together!” Jessica purred, paying little attention to the whispering and gathering students around them. “Need to put this bag in my locker and we’re off to … um … revision with Mr Allan, yes? 

Beth nodded but looked ahead of them. There appeared to be people gathered around the lockers, more than usual. At the far side she could see Michael, towering over the others and next to him Lucy and Claire. The other Clones hovered close by too as students gathered around the lockers.

“Michael alert!” Beth whispered, “Deep breath, Jess. He’s not far from your locker, mines almost opposite so we’ll go to yours and then mine together, yeah? I’m not leaving you.”

“Where’s Miles this morning?” Jess asked, looking around, again seemingly oblivious to the activity that was increasing around her.

“He’ll meet us in class. He’s got to drop his kit bag off again.” Beth answered, but she was preoccupied with the loud whispers emanating from the people around her, younger students included. 

Suddenly Beth felt Jessica freeze next to her and her grip tightened on her arm. She let out a loud yelp and Beth could feel her friend begin to shake uncontrollably. Beth followed Jessica’s startled, horrified gaze and was met with an appalling sight 

Emblazoned across two lockers, one of them Jessica’s was a banner. A message scrawled in large red painted letters next what looked like an enlarged photocopy of a baby scan. Jessica’s scan.  The sign read, “U tell that filthy whale our secrets, Jessie. We tell the world about yours. U R a dirty slag.”

Time seemed to slow down. The blood rushing in Beth’s ears muffled the noises of laughter and jeering around her. She watched how Jessica let go of her arm and crumpled to the corridor floor below her, weeping and wailing as she fell, eyes still glaring wildly at the sign. Jessica’s howls echoed in Beth’s mind, numbed by the shock and muted by the blood pumping in her ears. Beth slowly turned her head and saw Michael’s contorted face, laughing hysterically at Jessica’s reaction and the defiant, proud look on Lucy and Claire’s porcelain faces. Devoid of emotion and warmth, cool and sterile in their demeanour and totally impassive to the unimaginable pain they had just inflicted on their former friend.

Beth turned around and looked back down at Jessica. Her tiny frame twisted in a heap on the floor, eyes wild and face plastered in strands of her hair that stuck to the trails of her tears. Beth, paralyzed and sickened by the chaotic scene unfolding around her heard only her own tormented mind, stabbing at her with the same words resonating in her mind: “I caused this. I caused this. They blame her. They blame her … perfect, lovely, kind Jess. They think SHE told me those things about them. It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault.”   

Jessica’s wails attracted more people over and a larger crowd now amassed, enveloping them both in ridicule and cruelty with the Clones and Michael standing proudly, assessing the fruits of their labour at the end of the corridor, only feet away. 

Beth suddenly felt an uncontrollable rage welling up inside her. Her clenched fists shook and her mind could only focus on one thing. The Clones.

With the rest of the world a blur, somehow Beth’s shaking legs carried her over to them in only a few strides and she suddenly found herself face to face with them. Their looks remained impassive, which enraged Beth even more.

“You nasty, nasty bitches! How COULD YOU?” She bellowed. Her voice echoed around the corridor as every bystander, every goading and jeering voyeur was stunned into silence. Their sudden attention had little relevance to Beth as she continued with her tirade.

“She was your friend! And you do SOMETHING LIKE THIS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” Her breathing laboured with the force and emotion propelling her words.  Beth looked around her with a feral stare at the bystanders and yelled at them, “What’s wrong with ALL OF YOU? Look at yourselves. She’s broken and you’re standing over her like you’re picking at a carcass! You’re all VULTURES!”

Beth noted for a moment that some of them looked at each other and some heads were instantly bowed in shame. Others remained curious but they had all lost their apparent blood-lust and remained staring at Jess on the floor, still howling and at the scene between Beth and the Clones unfolding.

Beth turned back to the Clones and noticed that Michael’s eyes had narrowed as he waited for Beth’s next onslaught.

“You did this for revenge? ANSWER ME!” Beth roared. She looked at one of the lesser, aspiring Clones who nodded briefly, apparently terrified at Beth’s fury.

“So you think Jessica told me all about your secrets and this is your payback, is it?” Again, the lesser Clones nodded.

“You fucking MORONS! She hasn’t told me ANYTHING about you lot. Too fucking loyal and just wanting to turn her back on your fucking poisonous shit!” Beth noticed Lucy’s eyes flicker as she briefly glanced over to Jessica on the floor. Sensing that she had found a little gap in her icy veneer, Beth continued, “You should have checked your FACTS before you did something as HIDEOUS as this. I overheard YOU ALL in the bathroom, bitching about each other. When you’re invisible, it’s amazing what you pick up, isn’t it. And Michael … EVERYONE knows what a nasty bastard you are and what a complete, emotionally stunted and despicable bastard your father is … so no secrets betrayed there!!”

Up until that point Michael had remained static, arrogantly studying the carnage unfolding from their awful plan. But Beth’s words had penetrated him and his narrowed eyes widened in anger. He pushed passed Lucy, knocking her over to the side slightly and squared up to Beth. He towered over her and he stood so close she could smell his deodorant and feel his breath as he shouted back at her.

“WHAT did you say about my father, you DISGUSTING walrus?” spittle shot from his mouth onto his chin and it was very clear to Beth that control of his anger was treading a fine line.

Unperturbed and not intimidated by his overpowering demeanour, Beth spat back at him, “The whole town knows your dad is a violent crook! THANK GOD Jess doesn’t want anything to do with you. And YES EVERYONE … this piece of SHIT is the father and this is how he treats his pregnant ex-girlfriend … brings a whole new meaning to the description UTTER BASTARD, doesn’t it?” and then turning to Lucy, Beth shouted “You must be SO PROUD, Lucy! What a CATCH!" 

Beth stood back, suddenly aware of Michael’s rapid breathing and briefly noticing his whitening, shaking fists. Growing up with a volatile and often irrationally violent big brother, Beth was all too aware of the warning signs of impending flying fists and tried to put distance between them. 

Beth heard a whimper behind her and, distracted by Jessica’s cries, Beth turned. Suddenly she heard a gasp and out of the corner of her eye she saw Michael’s arm rise. It felt like time had slowed down again and Beth knew in that moment she would not have the time to dodge the inevitable blow and her body braced itself for pain, tensing her muscles ready for the blow from the fist of a 6 foot 4 inch tall rugby player.  She winced anticipating the strength of the punch and instinctively turned her body to protect herself.

Out of nowhere a body flew at the pair of them, catching Beth only on the arm making her stumble back a little, but Michael taking the full force.  Beth looked up and saw in one swift movement Miles had swept Michael off his feet and had him pinned up against lockers, sending bags and other students flying in all directions. 

The dark anger in Miles’ eyes and the red fury on his face made him almost unrecognizable as Beth watched, mouth agape at Michael struggling to breath with Miles’ arm pressed up against his windpipe. Michael’s face grew red and his hands grasped at Miles’ forearm.  Beth heard a whimper expel from her throat and the sound of her reaction seemed to jolt Miles out of his furious haze. He loosened his grip a little and Michael gasped for air.

“You fucking psycho!” he rasped, still clawing at Miles’ arm. Beth couldn’t believe his strength. They were about the same height and with Michael’s well defined muscles, he looked far more powerful than Miles. But here they were with Michael helpless, slammed up against a wall of lockers with Miles very much in control.

His voice cool, but loud enough for the alarmed bystanders to hear, Miles threatened him, “You would hit a GIRL? You would hit MY GIRLFRIEND? You fucking coward. Not so fucking strong and big now are you with someone your own size to pick on? Come on then you fucking pussy. Swing at me! Come on!” and Miles taunted him. Suddenly he let him go, leaving Michael slumped against the lockers, standing weakly of his own free will. “There! Now try! COME ON! What’s stopping you?” Miles continued, holding his arms out wide, giving Michael a clear shot at punching him.

Michael took his chance and swung wildly at Miles. Beth gasped but watched as her boyfriend effortlessly stood to the side and in one smooth movement caught Michael as he overbalanced and grabbed him around the shoulders, forcing Michael to his knees in front of him. Miles held onto Michael’s back, still on his feet, utterly dominating the seething, writhing Michael.

Overpowered and out-manoeuvred, Michael stopped struggling and conceded defeat.   Miles loosened his hold and said to a gasping, still furious Michael, “If you EVER threaten my girlfriend or Jess for that matter again, I will rip your fucking head off. You hear me? You are a worthless maggot and the day my dad gets to put your fucktard father away for good, I will not have an ounce of sympathy for you. In the meantime, you leave Beth and Jess alone. Do you understand?”

Michael continued gasping, spittle glistening on his chin and around his mouth, eyes wild and cheeks red. 

“I said DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” Miles bellowed.

Michael nodded and broke away from him angrily. He got to his feet and stormed over to Lucy.

Beth stared at the scene in front of her. Jessica, now mute sat on the floor, eyes vacant and face set in a horrified stare to the sign on the lockers in front of her, only her shoulders moving as she breathed slowly in and out. Both of her hands cupped her stomach defensively. Miles, eyes wide and panting looking from Beth back to Michael remained still, maintaining his commanding stance. Then Beth looked back over to the Clones and Michael. The girls’ eyes now red and lined with tears, their usual shield of stoicism absent as they glanced furtively at the crowd gathered around them. It fell silent.

An adult’s voice boomed down the corridor, parting the crowd of students as they stormed through the remnants of the scene. With one look to the sign on the lockers, then down at Jess and then to Michael and the Clones on the other side, Principal Barns rapidly assessed the scene and in moments appeared to come to the correct conclusion.

“Claire, Lucy, Michael – MY OFFICE! NOW! Miles and Bethany, please take Jessica to the nurse’s office where I shall see you in a moment!” he barked. He turned back to the Clones, who jumped at his sharp, staccato tone, “MY OFFICE NOW! I expect you to be waiting when I get there!”

Miles walked purposefully over to Beth and took her arm to guide her over to Jessica. He placed his hands delicately under Jessica’s arms and picked her off the floor effortlessly, as if he was scooping a toddler from the ground. They walked a stunned and broken Jessica down the corridor and heard Mr Barns ripping the sign off the lockers, muttering loudly for anyone who dared to hang around the corridor at that point, “Never in my years have I seen such a cruel and heartless thing to do. So personal … so ….” 

They disappeared into the Student Services corridor and made their way into the medical and counselling offices.

A round, friendly looking lady looked up from her desk and smiled warmly at Miles, “Hello Miles! What are you doing in here? Too early for a rugby injury, I thought we wouldn’t see you until next week’s charity thing.” 

Beth looked slowly at Miles, not knowing to what the young nurse was referring, a little pang of jealousy stabbed at the thought that she knew him better than his girlfriend. But Beth rapidly reminded herself that she was still getting to know him and then seeing Jessica slumped in between them, she was jolted back to reality.

The nurse quickly looked to Jessica and rushed over, “Oh dear, it looks like she’s fainted. Here, take her over here,” and she guided them over to the bed.

Principal Barns marched in behind them and assessed the situation, smiling warmly at Jessica, reassuring them all of his good intentions.

“I think I know what happened but Miles, can you explain before I go to deal with the others?”

Beth detected a slight edge to his tone as he referred to the Clones and Michael as “the others.”

Miles explained how he’d walked around the corner and could see Michael about to hit Beth and apologized to the Principal for reacting the way he did. Miles admitted that the “red mist” descended and he reacted, protecting his girlfriend. 

Beth briefly added the back-story about how Jess was pregnant by Michael and how she’d sent the scan the night before, only to be greeted with the sign on her locker the following morning.

The Principal calmly listened to their explanations whilst impassively watching the nurse tend to a catatonic Jess.  He nodded solemnly and walking away he told them, “Stay here in Student Services for the rest of the morning. I will ring Jessica’s parents. Her father is a friend of mine, a fellow head teacher. I will deal with that lot now. You don’t need to worry about seeing them in school for a few days, I shall be suspending them for this heinous act.” 

They watched as he strode away, shaking his head in disgust. Beth wandered over to Jessica who had turned to look solemnly at her friend. It looked like she had returned to them from a state of shock and now a look of devastation seared across her face as the tears freely fell.

“Oh Beth … Oh Beth … what just happened? How … H-How could he do that? How could they do that?”

Beth started crying and she felt Miles’ hand rubbing her gently on the small of her back, comforting her as the girls spoke. “Oh Jess, it’s my fault. You saw that sign. They thought you’d told me all about them … when I stood up to them … all those horrible things I said to them and about Michael. No wonder they didn’t have a go at me when they saw me next, YOU were their target!” And Beth continued sobbing into the back of her hand, staring apologetically at Jessica.

Jess swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat to face them. “It was only a matter of time that Lucy would know. I bet she was with him last night when I texted the picture and they cooked this plan up together. Got to admire the speed they got that poster and picture done though.” And she laughed bitterly, none of them really sharing the joke. 

“Jess … I’m sorry.” Beth began.

Jessica put her finger to her lips and “shooshed” her, “Don’t be thick, Beth. They wanted after me, this was a way for them to do it. Whether they believed I’d blabbed to you or not … I’ve been waiting for them to get me back for leaving them. If it wasn’t all so terrible, I’d be relieved. At least the waiting is over.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes with Beth and Miles sat closely on the plastic chairs opposite the nurse’s bed. Miles had his arm loosely around Beth’s midriff, rubbing her back reassuringly.

His phone buzzed, making them all jump, including the nurse who was busy making notes. Miles looked at the message and laughed under his breath and went to put his phone back in his jeans pocket.

“What is it?” Beth asked innocently.

Miles looked down at her and smiled, a sapphire glint nestled within his grin for good measure, bringing a little light to Beth’s soul in that glimpse of a moment. He handed the phone to Beth with the message still visible.

“It’s from Michael,” Beth said solemnly and Jessica’s back stiffened. Beth read it aloud, “I been suspended u prick. Will miss rugby trials & scout seeing me play as punishment. U R fucking dead when I get back 2 school. My dad will get me back on trials and I will fucking have u." 

Jessica shook her head in disbelief and muttered “Always everyone else’s problem, no his” under her breath.

Beth turned to Miles and studied him intently. His lovely apple cheeks and beautiful lips pulled up into a dry smile. “What’s tickled you?” She asked quietly. 

Miles bent over and kissed her gently on the lips for second. He pulled away, raised one eyebrow and laughed, “Well, I guess I’m off his fucking Christmas card list then!”