Chapter 7; The winter festival?

*Unedited*

Enjoy the chapter!

*

I was grounded.

I. was. goddamn. grounded.

To say that Aunt was angry at my busted lip is a misunderstanding. For a second, I thought she might chain me to my room's wall so I could never get out of the house again. If I wouldn't have given her 'The Look', she might have really done that.

So here I was, on Sunday, almost going out of my mind, thinking of things I could occupy myself with. Yesterday, I managed to sleep in until noon, and then stuffed myself with popcorn as I watched some movies in the living room. After that, I did some exercise. And by that, I mean jumping and starching, and then giving up. I did double exercise this morning to make up for that lazy day.

I actually texted to Caleb some time ago, which was very much exciting. It was my first time texting to a friend. I had a feeling Caleb was nervous and thrilled, too. I'm very happy that someone like him was my first real friend.

I wanted to go get some ice cream with him, but seeing as I was grounded for the rest of my life, most possibly, that plan was not implemented.

Now, I was lying on my bed, doing something quite normal for a lonely, bored teenager.

Staring at the ceiling and thinking about the meaning of life.

Not that I had any.

I groaned, pocking my lip accusingly. I really did try to explain to my aunt that some idiot elbowed my mouth, but she wouldn't accept it. It might have had something to do with all the punches I used to throw freely. But even though that was so long ago (Second year in kindergarten- It was a very violent stage in my life. A lot of noses were cracked.), Aunt wouldn't let me out of the punishment.

Maybe I should start wearing protection, like helmet or something. Is there a mouth protector? I might use it.

I admit that my lip looked a bit worse than I thought, but that was because I could bruise easily. Or did that only happened with bruised and not cuts?

I shook my head. At least I wasn't on the "Too Rhi" mode anymore.

*

On Monday, Aunt was on 'Mother Bear' mode. She made me go to a doctor appointment. I felt like I was ten years old again.

I sighed as that thought crossed my mind. Good times, good times.

So, I missed another day at school. I swear, in my entire life, most of the times I missed a school day was because of my aunt. After my accident, it got even worse, her protectiveness. I'm not really complaining, since I did enjoy it. Though most of the time, not really.

The Doctor gave me something for the pain and the swelling, and by the next day it looked and felt a lot better. There was hardly any pain- only when I ate it throbbed a bit. Not that it stopped me for eating two toasts and a cupcake in the morning.

It was a cold day, so in addition for my brown jacket, black hoodie and my blue shirt, Aunt made me wear a white sweater. I felt stuffed, prepared to be buried. What she didn't know, though, is that I took the sweater while I was on the bus. Take that, auntie.

She who we shall not say her name.

As I walked through the gates, a little easier than my first day, I looked around the school front yard in confusion.

I was missing only a day, what the hell happened? Why was there a carpet directing towards the entrance of the building?

And big signs saying, "Registration on the first floor"?

Grabbing a boy's hoodie, I pulled him to stop and look at me. "Wha-" "What the hell is going on here?!" He looked a bit startled, green-bluish eyes staring at me with perplexing look. Before he could answer, someone else opened his mouth. "What's going on?" It was the guy with the blue hair and amazing eyes from Friday.

What was his name again?

"Why is there a carpet and weird signs around? I'm pretty sure they weren't here on Friday," He tilted his head, not understanding. "I wasn't here yesterday," He seems to understand now.

"Oh, that's for 'The Winter Festival'." I nodded, mumbling "Oh," under my breath. When his words sunk in, my eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, 'The Winter Festival'? I didn't know winter needed a birthday party," He chuckled, amusement growing in his eyes.

"I knew there was a reason Reagan finds you entertaining. And yes, it happens every year- our school and the girls' one are the ones who makes it." He explained. Suddenly, his name popped in my head. Kley? No, Klay.

"There's a girls' school nearby?" Klay nodded, moving a hand through his hair. I could only guess from his roots that his natural hair was black.

"The Headmaster is straight up annoying, the girls are even worse. At least, most of them; always trying to make us take them on a date. Like, why would we take those bitchy girls on a-" "Klay," The other boy warned him. Was he a part of their group of friends? I can't really remember. He gave me an apologizing look, "Sorry, he's an idiot." Klay looked at his friend, faking hurt. "Thomas Princeton! Is that how you talk to your dearest friend?" Thomas anything but paid attention to him.

Klay rolled his eyes, looking towards a direction where their friends suddenly called them. "Right we're gonna go now, and I hope to see your cute face at the festival," I smirked.

"Call my face cute again, I dear you." He looked shocked at first, but than a goofy smile appeared on his lips.

"Rawrr," Thomas looked at him with a questioning look, "Since when do you go to that festival? Since when any of us do?" Klay pouted at him. "Oh, come on, I wanna see my little tiger there." I chuckled mockingly, opening my mouth to respond but Thomas cut me up. "Stop being stupid, that's not the way to talk to a girl," Klay laughed, wiggling his eyebrows at me. "A very cu- I mean, nice girl," He quickly corrected himself when he saw my glare.

Thomas sighed, mumbling something under his breath and pulling his friend's shirt as a respond, as if he wanted to save him from any other humiliation. As Thomas dragged him away, Klay called, "I'll see you later, my little tiger!" I hummed, looking at him as he sent me kisses in the air, but stopped when his friend slapped the back of his head, making him yelp in pain and throw some unpleasant words.

I think I just met someone who matched my blunt, weird self.

Looking at the signs again, I sighed. I was grounded, so I knew there was no way aunt would let me go.

Maybe I can just help with the preparations.

*

"What do I do with this thing?" I asked Caleb, waiving a long, red strip. Apparently, most of the boys take this festival very seriously. Caleb told me it was because of the competition between our school and the all-girls academy nearby. There isn't an official competition, it was just the result of a continuous hatred. I wonder if they realized that not all the girls there was like that-that there have to be some 'normal' ones-, and when the school will open for girls that 'kind' is going to come as well.

Maybe they really believed the school will accept girls like me, or at least- not snobbish and such.

I had a lot to teach these guys.

"Um... You're supposed to tie a ribbon out of it," He answered me, looking sheepish as always. I tilted my head, my brow raised. "The do you think I am, Zac Posen?" Caleb blinked at me with confusion. Shaking my head, I sighed. Too many season of 'Project Runway' didn't do enough damage for me to know something about clothes and fabrics. I didn't even know how to tie my own shoe laces.

"Never mind, the point is that I have no idea how to tie a goddamn ribbon," I gave the lace another glare, and then looked at Caleb who did some decorations on a sign. Shoving it in his face, I demanded, "You do it." making him look at me with a questioning look. Before he could say anything, the lace was taken from my hand. "What, you're that spoiled you let that kid to do your job?" Looking up, I gave him a blank stare. "Who are you?" He opened his mouth in shock, trying to form words. Then, he pulled me up by my hoodie neckline, holding me with by the clothing close to him. "Don't f*ck with me, little girl," I blinked at him, ignoring the stares around of his friends and the other boys in the room. I remembered my uncle words- how he said the guys weren't sure if I was trust worthy because of my anger issues. The show I gave them on Friday didn't do much help, either. So instead of kicking him in the groin, punching him in the face or doing anything Rhi would do, I just glared at him as I waited for him to give up once he realize he couldn't get any reaction from me.

"Well, in case you really are stupid more than I thought, I'll humor you." Shoving me away from him, he took a few steps backwards and bowed slightly. As he put his hand over his heart and the other behind his back, he said mockingly; "Daniel Woods, at your damn service."

Afterwards, Daniel straightened up and came forward again, looking down at me. "I'm going to make your life hell until you're out of this school. Be prepared," He puckered he lips as he blew me a kiss. "sweetheart. I'm not one who will go lightly just because you are a girl." Then, Daniel walked away, his two friends in tow.

I cracked my knuckles as Caleb rose to his feet. "Are you okay, Rhi?" He asked with concerned. Grinning evilly, I tilted my head as I looked at the three walking out of the gym. A twinkle of thrill and amusement appeared in my eyes.

"This should be fun."

~*~

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