On Thursday, Emily and I walked into the girl's locker room and witnessed Mimi and her two minions approaching Melaney. I mentally canceled all plans of cartwheeling across the football field while we rushed to her side.

Mimi stood in front of Melaney with her arms crossed and her face distorted with fury. "I heard Tyler is passing you notes in Calculus."

"So what?" Melaney shrugged and twirled a lock of her hair. "He's not your boyfriend anymore. He dumped you."

Wow! My best friend had guts.

Mimi's face turned redder than her gaudy scarlet lipstick. She leaned forward until her nose almost touched Melaney's. "We'll get back together soon! So stay away from him."

I gritted my teeth and growled, "Back off, Mimi."

Mimi twisted her head to glare at me with disgust. "Mind your own business, Fly Girl."

"Make me," I challenged, staring straight at her. This time I wasn't going to fly away. I clenched my fists, ready for a fight.

"I should squash an annoying insect like you," Mimi threatened, moving her face so close to mine I could see the creases in her purple eye shadow.

Someone needed to teach her that less is more in cosmetology.

"And I should redecorate your face," I proposed. After all, black and blue were my favorite colors.

"Don't bother," Melaney said, grabbing my arm and pulling me backward. She shoved her body between me and Mimi. "I'm not interested in Tyler, okay? The notes are for official FBLA business. That's all."

A whistle shrilled. "Do the three of you need to go to the office to cool off?" Mrs. Wynn asked.

Mimi and I took a step back. All three of us shook our heads.

"Good. Get dressed and line up to go outside," Mrs. Wynn instructed.

Saved by the whistle!

Mimi, Heather, and Stacey retreated to their bench, for now.

Melaney let out a loud sigh of relief. Emily and I stared at her in amazement, impressed by her courage. We put on our gym clothes in silence. We might soon regret our actions, but the victory was still sweet.

We each grabbed a pedometer, stood in line for attendance, and walked out to the track. The cheerleading trio chose to play volleyball on the football field. Tyler and Todd were at a different net. We watched Mimi spike the ball into someone's head.

Emily rubbed her head in sympathy. "Ouch! You have to be completely crazy or absolutely brave to stand up to Mimi Holt."

"Someone needed to push her off her pedestal," Melaney declared. "She doesn't own Tyler."

"But she's like a toddler. Once she touches something, she thinks it belongs to her forever," I explained. "She'll never allow anyone else to date Tyler, unless she finds another boy-toy to distract her, then she'd be too busy to plan her revenge against us."

"We have to stay positive," Melaney affirmed. "At least, Mimi doesn't know Tyler likes you, not me."

"Thanks, but you don't have to be a martyr for me."

"That's what friends are for," Melaney insisted, walking faster. "We better pick up the pace, so we complete enough steps today."

We started jogging around the track. I tried to focus on positive thoughts. Tyler was still interested in me.

On Wednesday in Calculus, Tyler had given Melaney a note with my name on the front. Inside, it had two words, TEXT ME, and his ten digit phone number. At lunch, I wrote back: Sorry, I don't own a cell phone, and I'm still grounded. Melaney gave my note to him today in Calculus. One of Mimi's spies must have witnessed the transactions and told her before gym class.

If only Mimi believed Melaney's story about writing the notes for FBLA business, then she would leave us alone. Was that too much to hope for?

I needed to run. "Hey, I'm going to kick it up another notch."

"Go for it!" Melaney encouraged. 

I ran, leaving the two of them behind. I kept my speed swift, but steady. I didn't want to get winded. Sometimes running was the only way to clear my head and calm my nerves.

Before I knew it, we had only ten minutes left of gym class. We returned our pedometers to the gymnasium, wrote our total number of steps on the daily sheet, and went to our lockers to change out of our gym outfits and into regular clothes. Mimi and her minions stayed on their side of the locker room. When the bell rang, they strutted out the door without even looking at us.

We rushed to our homeroom lockers. I was starving from my run. I searched in my jean pockets and book bag, but I couldn't find my wallet.

"I must've left my wallet in my gym locker. Save me a place in line?" I asked Melaney and Emily.

They nodded and headed for the cafeteria. I dashed back to the locker room, retrieved my wallet, and retraced my path down the hall. A hand reached out of an open door, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into the classroom.

Jolts of fear shot through my veins until I realized the hand belonged to Tyler. He closed the door behind him and wrapped his arms around me.

"What are you doing? Someone might see us!"

He ignored my protests, bent his head until his smiling lips touched mine, and kissed me. I completely forgot all of my objections.

His mouth left mine and curved back into a teasing smile. "Mmm, even better than I remembered."

I stared at him wide-eyed and speechless.

"I've wanted to do that since . . . last week," he mocked, amending my after-our-first-kiss confession. "Your kisses are addictive."

I couldn't help giggling at his absurd remark. I backed out of his embrace. "Does that line work with all the girls?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I've never used it before." He tilted his head and slid his fingers through his hair. "Go out with me." His midnight-blue eyes begged me to say, "Yes."

"Has anyone ever told you 'No' before?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Good. I like being first." I grinned. "But seriously, I can't go out with you, Tyler. I'm still grounded, and I'm not allowed to date."

I took a step toward the door, but he blocked my way. I crossed my arms over my chest. "We need to get to lunch before Mimi notices both of us are missing."

"Why?" he asked, searching my face until he found an answer. "Are you afraid of Mimi?"

"Terrified," I admitted, trying to block the horrid memory of Mimi and her minions beating me with fly swatters behind the coat rack when the teacher left the room for a quick minute. All because Tyler gave me a pencil to borrow, since I lost mine.

Melaney would've never allowed them to hurt me, but she had a dentist appointment that day. I still flinch every time I see a fly swatter. "I've been one of her victims in the past. 'Fly Girl', remember?"

"But that was a long time ago. What? Fourth Grade?"

"Third," I clarified. "Mimi doesn't like other people touching her property. I shudder to think what she would do to me and my friends if she found out you kissed me."

"But Mimi and I broke up." His eyebrows arched together in confusion.

"That's even worse. What's the saying? - 'Hell hath no fury like a women scorned.' Tyler, you're cute and all, but I couldn't risk giving Mimi and her cousins a reason to hurt my friends. So please start being more discreet."

"I will if you come to my house after school, so we can talk. I'm usually home alone after school on Thursdays," he persisted, dazzling me with his smile again. He was relentless, and handsome, and so charming.

I sighed with disappointment. "My parents will never let me go to your house."

"So tell them you're going to Melaney's."

"It's too risky. Sometimes they call her house to check up on me."

"Just this once, please," he pleaded, using the full force of his alluring dark-blue eyes. "I have something to show you."

How could I resist? "Fine. I'll sneak you a note at the school store tomorrow and let you know what Thursday we can meet when I'm not grounded. Don't follow me into the cafeteria." I marched out the door and down the hall.

I found Melaney and Emily and joined them in the front of the lunch line, ignoring the dirty looks the other students gave me for butting. I whispered so only my friends could hear me, "Do I have a sign that says, 'Kiss me,' on my back?"

Emily inspected my back. "No. Why?"

"Tyler just pulled me into an empty classroom and kissed me," I answered, still in a whisper.

"Bold move. Did anyone see you?" Melaney asked as we reached the lunch counter.

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

We chose and paid for our lunches and then headed to our table.

"How was the kiss?" Emily asked as we sat on the bench. 

 I just grinned for an answer. "He invited me to his house tonight. I reminded him that I'm grounded, but said we could meet another Thursday night when I'm released from my punishment. Laney, I'm going to need your help with an alibi. What day works best for you?"

She checked the calendar on her phone. "September tenth. We can tell our parents we're going to the library to do research for our term papers. Our topics are due by the eleventh."

"You're a genius, Melaney Miller. I'll meet you and Emily at the library after my visit to Tyler's house. Which famous American did you choose? I have no clue who to pick."

"I haven't decided yet. How about you, Emily?"

"I think Benjamin Franklin. I loved the story "Ben and Me" when I was little."

"I remember that story. It's about Benjamin Franklin and a little mouse," I remarked.

"Yep. You're right," Emily replied.

I took a bite of my chicken nugget and glanced over at Tyler's table. He laughed at something Todd said to Heather. I would love to be a little mouse in his house right now. I wondered what he had to show me.

A/N: Video above is Giants Fall by Francesca Battistelli. 

"So don't you be afraid of giants in your way, 

 With God you know that anything is possible.

 So step into the fight.

 He's right there by your side.

 The stones inside your hand might be small.

 But watch the giants fall." 

Jasmine and Melaney finally stood up to Mimi. Did you ever stand up to a bully? Let me know in the comments. 

Forever Remember to Live, Laugh, and Love! -3L