"Are you bipolar or something?" Tina asked, wanting to cheer the brunette up a little.

"Hmm?" Sam looked at Tina in confusion.

"Last Friday, you were literally bouncing from too much happiness. Today, your eyes are puffy and your face is all red due to all the crying you just did." Tina shrugged. "So are you bipolar or something?" Tina teased.

Sam laughed. "No." She furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, I don’t know actually." She grinned as she shrugged her shoulders. "I could be." She joked.

"Oh, poor you." Tina laughed a little. "Fancy a hug?" She followed up with a teasing smile on her face.

"I do actually." Sam said quietly.

"What?!" Tina’s eyes shot open in surprise. That was just a joke! Her mind screamed. She couldn’t believe that Sam took her offer seriously. Her heart beat furiously inside her chest as Sam slowly moved in towards her and enveloped her inside a tight hug. Tina was about to pull away when she felt Sam’s tears soaking her school jacket. She rubbed the brunette’s back tenderly as she tried to soothe whatever pain Sam was feeling.

The two stayed locked in their embrace, blissfully unaware of the sad eyes looking their way. Bette backed away from the doorway as she closed the red door quietly. The two hugging figures weren’t even aware that she had witnessed their little intimate act. She walked mechanically along the third floor hallway as her mind raced and her emotions went in turmoil. What was happening with her? She gripped the hand rail of the stairwell as she tried to steady herself. She was feeling all sorts of things all at once.. hurt.. anger.. jealousy.. betrayal. She felt something hot and moist forming at the side of her eyes. She quickly and angrily wiped the tears away as she went down the stairs. On her way down, she passed by a sophomore who was making her way up the stairwell. The poor girl screamed in surprise as Bette Porter grabbed her by the arm and forcefully pulled her unto herself.

"I’m lifting the bullying ban on Kennard." She whispered to the shocked girl’s ear through gritted teeth. "Spread the word." Bette said as she held on tighter to the girl’s arm. "I want her driven out of this school before the day ends." She breathed heavily as she said those last words. She let go of the girl’s arm and pushed the frightened girl away. She continued her journey down the stairs as she felt her heart slowly inching down to her stomach with every step.

tbc..