Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully Chapter 17

Angelina’s POV

The words hung in the air.

Emma's smile froze. "What?"

"Get on your knees," I repeated. Slower this time. "And kiss my shoes. Then tell everyone in this room that you're a pathetic parasite who's been using me like an ATM for months."

Dead silence.

Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.

I could feel every eye in the classroom on us.

Emma just stood there. Staring at me like I'd grown a second head.

Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

"You're... you're joking, right?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

I wasn't smiling anymore.

Emma's face went white. Then red. Then white again.

"Are you serious right now?" Her voice cracked. "Over a few dollars? You're gonna be this much of a bitch?"

"Few dollars?" I tilted my head. "You owe me eighty dollars, Emma. I've been keeping track."

More gasps from around the room.

Emma's eyes went wide. "That's not— I don't owe you that much—"

"March 12th. Ten dollars for 'emergency groceries.' Never paid back."

"I was gonna—"

"March 28th. Five dollars because your mom's car broke down. Except I saw your mom's car in the school parking lot that same day."

Emma's mouth snapped shut.

"April 6th. Ten dollars for—"

"Okay!" She held up both hands. "Okay, fine! So I owe you some money! But that doesn't mean you can just—"

"I can do whatever I want." I stood up. Crossed my arms. "It's my money. My rules."

Time to completely flip the script. Show everyone the new Aria wasn't someone you could walk over.

"You've been coming at me like I'm your mom," I said. Voice hard. "Like you can just ask for shit whenever you want and I'll hand it over with a smile."

Emma opened her mouth. I kept going.

"But I didn't birth you, Emma. I don't owe you anything. So if you want to borrow more money?" I smiled. No warmth in it. "You're gonna show some fucking gratitude first."

The classroom erupted in shocked whispers.

"Did she just—"

"Oh my God—"

"Aria Sterling cursing—"

I ignored them all. Kept my eyes locked on Emma.

"So what's it gonna be? You wanna get on your knees and thank me properly? Or you wanna fuck off and figure out your own problems?"

Emma's face had gone through about fifteen different shades of red.

Her hands were shaking.

"You're being serious," she said. Her voice came out small. Disbelieving. "You actually want me to... to kneel..."

"And kiss my shoes," I added helpfully. "Don't forget that part."

Someone in the back row laughed. Quickly covered it with a cough.

Emma looked around the room. At all the faces staring at us. At the phones some people were trying to sneak out to record this.

Then she looked back at me.

"I can't believe you're doing this. Over money. You're supposed to be my friend!"

"Friends pay each other back."

"I was going to! I just—"

"When?" I stepped closer. "When were you going to pay me back, Emma? Next week? Next month? Never?"

She didn't answer.

Because we both knew the truth.

She'd never planned to pay me back. Not a single dollar.

I could see her weighing her options. Pride versus need.

She needed that twenty dollars. Probably for something that had nothing to do with a lab fee.

But kneeling in front of the whole class? In front of people who'd already been whispering about her?

That was social suicide.

Emma's jaw clenched. "You know what? Forget it. Keep your money. I don't need—"

I grabbed my wallet from my backpack. Pulled out a twenty.

Held it up so everyone could see.

Then I put it back.

"Last chance," I said. "Kneel, or get lost."

For a second, I thought she might actually do it.

But Emma wasn't that desperate. Not yet, anyway.

She was just your average high school bully. The kind who picked on people weaker than her because she had nothing else going on.

No real skills. No real power.

The moment someone pushed back, she folded.

"Fine." She grabbed her bag. Started to turn away. "Whatever. You're a bitch, Aria. A total bitch."

"I know."

She stomped toward her desk. But I wasn't done yet.

I took two steps forward. Snatched my wallet from her hands—she'd been holding it this whole time, I realized. Had been ready to just take money out herself.

The fucking nerve.

"One more thing," I called out.

Emma turned. Face still red. Eyes wet.

"You have until tomorrow to pay me back. Eighty dollars. Cash."

"Are you insane? I don't have that kind of—"

"Then get it." I walked back to my desk. Sat down. "Because if you don't..."

I looked up. Met her eyes.

And smiled.

Not a friendly smile. Not even close.

The kind of smile that said I know where you live.

"Bad things happen to people who steal from me."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Emma went pale. Actually took a step back.

"Is that a threat?"

I tilted my head. "Hmm. Maybe."

Her whole body was shaking now. Not with anger anymore.

With fear.

"You're crazy," she whispered. "You're actually crazy."

"Probably." I leaned back in my chair. "So you should definitely pay me back. Tomorrow. Before I get crazier."