The bully

Jessica walked into the kitchen, looking well put together, confident, and with touches of that smug superiority she often chose to project. She was clean and showered, make-up well applied, taut mid-driff exposed in a sports bra and leggings. Clearly the memories I’d placed in her had taken root, and as far as she was concerned the last few days had been totally normal, as she basked in the afterglow of the rough sex “she’d” had earlier with Mike.

Seeing me there, her eyes lit up with malice. I let Grace’s expression of worry and anxiety project onto my face, and my body language pulled in, legs close together, almost like I was trying to shrink into the wall.

“Well, well. Look who decided to show her face.”

Jessica smiled as she approached, but there was nothing warm or friendly in her grin. She pulled out one of the chairs beside me and sat down, pulling it close to mine and forcing me further into the wall.

“Ahh, Jessica, it’s just I- I wanted to get some studying done is all, and… and… I didn’t want to have to walk all the way to the library, and..”

Grace’s fear and nerves played out in my voice, her personality fully encasing mine.

“Oh, shut up Grace. No-one cares what you have to say anyway. You know, I talk to everyone else in the flat, and there’s one thing we all agree on.”

“Wha- ”

Jessica cut in, not even bothering to let Grace finish a single word.

“It’s that you’re the most boring, miserable girl we could have ever have to live with. Anytime you skitter into the room, it’s like a dark cloud comes over the place. You’re so depressing.”

“No… that can’t be true”

I whimpered. Even for Jessica, this was a cruel and uncalled for attack. Small tears began to form in my eyes, Grace’s hurt feelings manifesting totally in me. Jessica smiled, her canines seeming pronounced, every inch the predator playing with her food. She was loving this feeling of dominance. She leaned in, her face close to mine, using the intimate distance to cut like a knife.

“This is probably the closest anyone’s gotten to you all year, huh? I can see why. No-one would want to. I’m the only person who can stomach you, isn’t that sad?”

She started laughing. It stung so deeply because it was true, since starting university Grace really hadn’t been able to make friends, her confidence completely destroyed by Jessica. She hadn’t even tried to, so scared they’d be like the merciless girl she had to live with.

“You know Frank and Alicia? When they act polite to you, they’re just putting it on. They’re fake to their cores, they just like acting friendly to your face while talking shit about you behind your back.”

“No…”

I sounded so pathetic saying that. Frank and Alicia had always been nice to Grace, and she was starting to think they might be friends some day. Suspicion and paranoia from Jessica’s words put shadows on those thoughts.

“And Alex? Why do you think he never talks to you? It’s because he’s disgusted by you. He hates seeing you, and he hates being around you even more.”

That wasn’t true at all! I hadn’t spoken much to Grace because I’d never gotten much of a read on her, and had always tried to be courteous when I’d seen her. I’m not some charming extrovert myself, I can’t just befriend people so easily. As much as Grace felt like crying, I felt a righteous indignation burning up in me. All this time, I’d felt so bad for Grace, and even worse being in her skin and knowing the kind of **** and manipulation Jessica had been putting on her. Hearing these lies laid down about everyone else in the flat, feeling Grace’s fear, desperation and sadness as Jessica’s twisted words found purchase in her heart, seeing the evil glint in Jessica’s eyes as she tormented her victim, I knew what I wanted to do.

Inside, I slowly started peeling back Grace’s personality. A sick part of me found a thrill, both voyeuristic and masochistic, in being berated like this. I bet I could even find some sick satisfaction in crying in front of Jessica, enjoying the strong emotions of being a broken, bullied girl, knowing I could peel off her skin and return to my own, unaffected life, without consequences.

The rest of me was disgusted with Jessica, and wanted justice for Grace more than anything. Or at least… ****. Today was the day things were going to change around here. I was going to save Grace from Jessica, and there was no better way of sending a message that having Grace save herself.

“Jessica please! I just want to have friends and be liked! I’ll do anything!”

I pleaded pathetically, letting the tears flow out of my eyes. Jessica looked like Christmas had come early, laughing at how pathetic I looked while being overjoyed at the prospect of using me.

“Ohhh, is that so? Well, I suppose I could teach you how to be popular, I am your best friend after all.”

She got in close, right by my ear.

“I’ll maybe help you… if you become my ****.”

Her eyes shone with a look like victory was hers, the potential of everything she could now do with Grace making her giddy with excitement.

“Yes! I’ll do it!”

I sobbed out, making it look like Grace was grateful at even the slightest potential of something nice happening eventually.

“My first order is something very basic. Make me a coffee, black. I don’t trust you to make anything else. I’ll think of how else you can finally be useful.”

Jessica smugly turned to face me as I scurried off to make her coffee at the kitchen counter. I could hear her idly tearing up some of the notes I’d just taken, her boredom naturally manifesting in cruel and destructive behavior at Grace’s expense.

I fumbled a little as I made the coffee, a mix of Grace’s **** anxiety and my adrenaline. I kept up some sobs to sell it, but with my face turned away so Jessica couldn’t see it, I made my own sadistic grin. Grace’s lovely features were contorted with enthusiasm for the fun I was about to have, as I let a long dangle of spit hang down out of my mouth, seeing it seem to sparkle slightly, even in the shadow of the kitchen counter as it slid silently into the coffee.

Far from becoming Jessica’s ****; Jessica was about to become Grace’s.