After the School Bully Forced a Kiss on Me, My Childhood Friend Lost Control

I have this naturally high-pitched voice.

But Bethany, the campus queen bee, calls it fake and cringey and leads everyone to ice me out.

After I whine to my childhood best friend, Jamie, about it, he glances in Bethany's direction and creates some distance between us.

"Bethany has a point, Cleo. Maybe you should hang out with me less."

I'm stunned, staring at him in disbelief.

Later that week, during the school's singing competition, I'm in the dressing room when the school's bad boy starts making out with me.

Jamie bursts through the door, eyes bloodshot, and punches the dude holding me:

"Get the hell off her!"

...

I walked into our history class and went to sit next to Jamie. But then this tall, pretty girl comes up, holding her books.

She's wearing a cute pleated skirt and stops in front of me. She glances at Jamie, then whispers to me, "Excuse me, but this is my seat."

I frown, "It's a lecture hall; seats are first-come, first-served. There's another seat in the back; you can sit there."

A soft breeze plays with her hair.

She bites her lip, eyes getting a little red. She looks at Jamie next to me. "Jamie…"

Such a total Karen move.

I ignore her and pull out my book and notebook from my bag.

I mean, Jamie and I have known each other forever. We're like siblings. He's always gone along with whatever I wanted; there's no way he would go against me for someone else.

Even if a total stranger was sitting next to me, he wouldn't have any reason to kick me out, right?

College seats are for whoever gets there first.

But then a long, elegant hand reaches out and taps on my desk.

I turn my head.

Jamie is smirking slightly, looking at me, "I actually saved this seat for Bethany. You should move."

I look at him in disbelief.

I take my book and throw it on the desk.

"I was here first, so I'm not moving!"

Bethany, standing there, starts to sound like she's about to cry.

"Just because you have a baby voice doesn't mean you can be mean."

The whole lecture hall falls silent at her words.

Everyone turns to look at us.

Even the professor at the front of the class.

Bethany is the hottest girl on campus, all blonde hair and sad eyes.

Her face is all white and angular, and when she's upset, she looks like a cute little animal.

The boys who don't know any better start chiming in to defend her:

"Cleo, that's messed up. Just picking on someone because they're nice?"

"This is why I hate childhood besties. They use that relationship to bully other people."

"Jamie's usually a nice guy, but, damn, his bestie... Her voice is so cringey, she doesn't actually think acting cute will get people to like her, does she?"

It gets so loud that the professor comes down from the stage, staring at us.

"What's going on here? Don't you know class is about to start?"

Someone speaks up before I can. "Professor, Cleo stole Bethany's seat, and she's saying she got here first. She...