PAPERCUT ━━ IT 2017

? Chapter 2: It Gets Worse ?

The cigarette had nearly burnt itself out when the last bell of the year rang, and the uproar of kids stampeding into the halls drowned out everything else. Chris was about ready to leave when the bathroom door slammed open, followed by exaggerated stomping. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, and keeping her legs propped up against the wall, she stayed put.

Whoever it was kicked the door to the stall next to her with an angry grunt. Chris flinched, turning toward the door with an annoyed glare.

"Are you in there by yourself, Beaverly?"

Oh great. Greta.

"Or do you have half the guys in the school with you, huh, slut?" she continued, each word containing deadly amounts of venom.

Beverly passed the cigarette back to Chris.

"I know you're in there, little shit, I can smell you." she barked. "No wonder you don't have any friends."

"Which is it, Greta? Am I a slut or a little shit?" Beverly said with a tired tone. "Make up your mind."

Chris bit down on the cigarette, pushing the door open with her boot as her amplified footfalls interrupted Greta's merciless barrage of insults.

"Is there a problem, princess?"

"Oh, gag me with a spoon." The blonde wretched dramatically, shuddering and rolling her eyes. "Already knew you were into delinquents but I didn't think you'd lower your standards to rug munchers."

Her eyes rolling over Chris in a single wave, Greta's face scrunched up in disgust. "Guess you finally found the best of both worlds."

Chris' jaw tightened, brows knitting together so slightly it was hardly noticeable.

"Aw," she said, taking out the cigarette and throwing it on the ground, crushing it under her boot as she blew a cloud of smoke in Greta's face. "Is someone jealous?"

"Ugh, you really are trash." Greta recoiled, pushing Chris out of the way. "Guess we gotta remind you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Chris saw one of her minions drag a water-filled trash bag out of the can, struggling to drag it on the floor to the stall next to Beverly's.

"Yeah, I wouldn't - HEY!"

With a flick of her wrist, Chris had been pinned down by two of the other girls that always hovered around Greta like brainwashed zombies. No matter how much she struggled, their grip on her arms only tightened.

"Let me go or I'll knock your teeth out!" she shouted through grit teeth.

Smashing her boot down on one of the girl's shoes, she squeaked in surprised pain, her grip loosening. But by then it was already too late. Trailing from under the stall was a sludge of waterlogged garbage. The pungent smell hit her nose, and she almost gagged.

"At least now you'll smell better." Greta said with a self-satisfied grin. The other girls all giggled as if on cue.

Feeling an ache in her arms, she grabbed the knife from her boot, still folded but ready to flip out the blade at any second. Greta's eyes widened.

"You think you're real funny, huh, Keene."

"Jesus put that thing down, you psycho!"

"Or what?" she took a step closer, the blade suddenly flipping out with a dangerous glint.

"O-Or I'll call the fucking cops, that's what!"

Chris chuckled. "Everyone knows you're all bark and no bite, cupcake. Why don't you get lost and go back to popping those pills you sneak away from daddy."