Chapter Text
It was the most embarrassing thing in her life.
She had never thought she could be this humiliated, but somehow she was. The entire school knew that Wes Hicks, the awkward, geeky, mommy’s boy, had dumped Tara Carpenter.
And Tara was absolutely horrified.
Whispers and stares were directed at her throughout the school halls and people started snickering behind their hands as she passed by. She had heard her classmates giggle silently from behind her desk, making comments about how ridiculous it must felt, and about how lame Tara must be, that even a smitten boyfriend like Wes Hicks would break up with her.
It wasn't even the true reason– obviously–not that anyone would ever know.
Tara hadn't seen it coming. She was not that invested in their relationship enough to even realize he'd reached his limit to her absence and her indifference, but she had never thought that Wes would actually have the balls to dump her.
Admittedly, she was glad he’d done it. But it wasn't as great, now that the entire school started gossiping about her.
Sure, she wasn't as popular as Chad or Amber, but she was safe due to her friendship with the two teenagers. But now, the high schoolers were targeting Tara, more than when she was still dating Wes, and it was horrible.
“I’m ruined,” Tara whined in her hands, letting herself slump over the cafeteria table. “They’ll never let me live this out!”
“Who knew people could be this cruel,” Mindy supported her. Then, Mindy turned to Amber, gesturing for the pale girl to help her reassure Tara. Amber simply raised an eyebrow.
“What?” Amber retorted.
“Say something,” Mindy hissed back, pointing desperately at the depressed Carpenter girl.
Amber sighed exasperated and simply rested a hand on Tara’s shoulder. “Tara…” Amber paused, and then, “I told you not to date him. He’s a loser.”
“That’s not what you're supposed to say!” Mindy exclaimed in disbelief.
“Thanks..” Tara mumbled into her folded arms, her face hidden within them.
“I mean, we all saw this coming. People already taunted you for being his girlfriend and now look what’s happening,” Amber quipped cheekily, “It’s all fucked up.”
“You’re the worst,” Mindy grumbled at the girl’s insensitive comment.
“Excuse me? I was the only one that warned her beforehand! You all coerced her into dating him.”
“That doesn't mean you can taunt her too! Do your job as her best friend and take care of her!”
Amber huffed in annoyance. “Fine. I promise you, dear Meeks, that I will do everything in my power to help Tara.”
“Pinky promise me,” Mindy smugly dared.
Tara could just feel Amber roll her eyes at the childishness, but when she looked up from her arms, she saw Amber and Mindy link their pinky fingers.
“This is silly,” Amber mumbled.
“You know the rules. Break a pinky promise and we get to pick your outfits for a week,” Mindy mischievously leaned closer to Amber, “And you know damn well I still have that Kermit the Frog costume in my closet.”
“You know.. being someone's best friend doesn't mean I’m responsible for her.”
Mindy let out a shrill laugh. “Bitch please. You’d do anything for Tara regardless. For all I know, you’d kill anyone that dares to even look at her funnily.”
“Touché.”
“Guys, there’s no solution to this. It’s not like everyone will suddenly stop thinking that Wes dumped me because I’m a loser,” Tara muttered slowly.
“Not everyone thinks you’re a loser,” Mindy kindly offered.
As if it were on cue, a soggy egg sandwich landed on the table in front of Tara, making all three girls jolt at the sudden collision. Tara turned to the direction it had come from and saw a jock and some girls laugh at the reaction.
“I will fuck you up!” Amber stood up in a hurry, but Tara grasped at the hem of her shirt to stop her.
“It’s not worth it. Let it go.”
Amber sat down again with a grunt, still glowering at the group of bullies.
“Fucking idiots. They’ll never be allowed to set foot in my house again,” Amber growled lowly.
“Why are they even so entertained by it?” Mindy commented, disgusted by the splashed egg in front of her, which had made a mess on the table.
“Because Hicks is a joke,” Amber scoffed, “So, with him dumping Tara, it makes Tara the bigger joke. No offense, Carpenter.”
“They still hold a grudge over him for ruining that one football game with his awful trumpet rendition?”
“Poor freshman Hicks. It would set the course for his entire high school career,” Amber answered Mindy amusingly.
“Well, that and when he canceled the after party for the win, when he snitched to his mother,” Tara added.
“Hence him being a certified mommy’s boy,” Amber smirked. Tara knew Amber never liked the guy, it only grew worse when she and Wes became an item. “I still can't believe you all forced me to be friends with him.”
“You’re not friends with him,” Tara chuckled, “You two are just in the same group of friends. It’s different.”
“It incriminates me.”
“Girl, please. The entire school adores you for your parties. No one associates the great Amber Freeman with Wes Hicks,” Mindy said and jokingly nudged Amber in the side.
Amber just sighed, directing her focus on Tara instead. “You tarnished your brand. Might wanna fix it.”
“How?” Tara inquired somberly. Amber and Mindy shared a look. Neither girl could come up with something and it made Tara feel even more hopeless. “I’m ruined… I’m totally ruined!”
“You’re not. Just… make up a lie or something, on why Wes dumped you.”
Mindy gave Amber a funny look. “What should she say?”
Amber smirked maliciously. “Tell everyone he couldn't get it up, and that he broke up with you out of embarrassment.”
“Amber,” Tara scolded, “I won’t shittalk a friend just to redirect the bullying.”
Amber gave her a half bored, half disappointed glare and then simply shrugged. “It’s not like he’s protecting you either.”
“Well, at least he keeps quiet about why he did it. I also believe he’s going through the same amount of bullshit as I am right now.”
“Why did he do it, though?” Mindy jumped in.
Tara and Amber side-eyed each other momentarily. Tara had only told Amber so far. But she knew she could trust Mindy.
“Sam is coming back to town,” Tara slowly said, which made Mindy drop her jaw.
“What the fuck? Why? How?” Mindy asked frantically.
“Because she’s a dickhead.”
“Amber!” Tara scolded once more, giving her best friend a glare, and Amber folded her arms in silent frustration. Tara sighed and turned to Mindy again. “She’s moving back here, because she broke up with her boyfriend. She needs a place to stay at and our mom is still overseas, so Sam isn't scared to come back.”
“Okay, then does that bother Wes or something?”
“Hicks is mad that Tara doesn’t share shit with him and is focusing more on her sister than their relationship,” Amber complained mockingly. “So, he got all pissy and whiny as he does.”
“I did ignore him for days by accident,” Tara mumbled guiltily.
“Oh please, you weren't interested in him in the first place. It’s almost unbelievable that you withstood him for two months.”
“Why are you getting so worked up over it, Freeman?” Mindy smirked knowingly, “Can’t share Tara with someone else?”
“You’re on thin fucking ice Meeks,” Amber warned.
Tara watched the two friends bicker some more. They actually didn't hate each other. If anything, Mindy and Amber were the closest within their group, if you counted Tara out. And Amber also grew closer to Mindy’s girlfriend, Anika.
But unfortunately for Tara, Amber mismatched with Wes and Liv. She just had a stark personality and wasn’t afraid to show her animosity toward the boy and girl. Even if Tara tried to control Amber a bit, Amber somehow always got herself into an argument with those two. Especially with Wes.
“This is not helping guys.” Mindy and Amber stopped arguing and both looked back at Tara. “I need like an actual plan.”
“How about a party? We invite the entire school and we’ll show them that you’re not a loser…” Mindy slyly rested her eyes on Amber, who tilted her head and squinted her eyes at what Mindy was about to say, “Because you’re the bestie of the hottest host in town!”
“Hell no!” Amber exclaimed at Mindy, “I can't be assed with yet another party at mine.”
“Oh come on Freeman. Your place is available any time! It’s an excellent idea,” Mindy cooed and held onto Amber’s arm.
“I threw a party last weekend already. Do you know how much I hate cleaning, after a bunch of drunk teenagers rampaged through my house?” Amber exhaled deeply at Mindy’s persistence.
“You would do it for Tara, wouldn't you?” Mindy jabbed Amber playfully. “Look at her. She’s so sad and all helpless.”
Tara pouted, acting along to Mindy’s story, and even put on some puppy eyes. Amber frowned at the two of them and dropped her gaze on Tara’s face for a second. Tara fake sniffed and Amber relented.
“Fuck! Fine. Whatever. This Friday at my place then,” the pale girl groaned out in defeat as the two other girls laughed at her misery.
“We’ll help you clean up,” Tara innocently smiled at her long time friend.
“…That makes it so much better,” Amber replied sarcastically.
“Wait a second,” Mindy butted in, “With ‘we’ she means herself. Cause I won’t stay over when I have a girlfriend, and a himbo brother that can't hold his alcohol, to take care of.”
“Just take the damn guest room. I’m sure Liv can take Chad home.”
“Are you sure about that Amby? You are willing to offer a couple their own room, in a parentless house?” Mindy teased. “After a party as well? How bold.”
Amber glared boringly at Mindy, unamused by the situation she was put in. “I'm not a prude, Meeks.”
“Oh, trust me. I know,” Mindy teased back.
The school bell rang loudly through the cafeteria, signaling the end of their lunch break. Tara debated to clean up her tray, watching the thrown sandwich leak all over the place. Surely the bullying couldn't get any worse than this.
“Spread the word Freeman. Party this Friday, your place.” Mindy gave Amber a smug smile and fleed from the table when Amber quickly jumped up to get back at her.
Then, the morbid girl grabbed her tray, as well as Tara’s, unbothered by the mess on it. “Come on little one. I’ll walk you to class. Keep these cheesy assholes away from you.”
Tara grinned back at her and followed right behind Amber. “My hero.”