BAD Girl: Part Three

Arden walked up the busy afternoon street, the day's earlier events lay taxed on her mind. She was promptly suspended from school after she had punched Julie Connors for harassing her. No one even wanted to hear her side of the story, except for Lydia Carter, the school's guidence counselor. Even though Lydia had vouched on Arden's behalf, the damage had been done. According to the principal's view anyway. After hearing the verdict, Arden just got up and left school without permision. She wasn't about to let some idiot principal and his staff dictate her punishment.
Looking at her digital watch which read 3:30pm, she decided to catch the rush hour train to her best friend's house. "Damn Arden, you're a mess!'' Cam Whittaker quickly ushered her friend inside her two-story town house. "Thanks for the comment." Arden said as Cam hugged her. "I was so worried, you just walked out of school. I didn't know where you would go and stuff." Arden strugged. "Did you expect me to stay as Cam led her into the cluttered living room." "No, course not." Cam rushed over to pick up some magezines that littered on the carpet floor."Please excuse the mess, mom had some friends over earlier." Arden sat down on the sofa. "I don't mind. I need somewhere to bunk meanwhile." She watched Cam's facial expression carefully. "I dunno Arden, mom doesn't like surprises.She quickly added. "But I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Are you sure it'll be ok to stay here?" Arden asked for the hundredth time as she paced around in the guest room of the Whittaker household. "Don't worry. We'll tell my mom soon about this arangement at the right time. Meanwhile make yourself comfortable. I'll be back with some fresh clothes." That said, Cam left the guest room leaving Arden in her own thoughts. "Where are you mom?" Arden said aloud as she fingered the sterling silver cross that hung around her neck. It was a gift from her mother just a week before she had died from cancer. Most kids at Arden's school didn't understand what Julie Connors had said that could've brought such uncontrolable rage from Arden. "They just don't understand, mom" For the first time in her life she felt weak and helpless. Julie had insulted the sole person in Arden's life that brought the most comfort, her mother. At least she had Cam, a friend for all seasons. Yet, Arden still felt empty inside. Her mom was dead, her father moved away with his new family and refused to have nothing to do anything with her....
"Arden." Arden, wake up." Arden stirred slightly to the sound of Cam's voice. She must have fallen asleep "What is it?" "Arden, it's the school they just called to ask if you had contacted me." Arden stood up from the floor and smoothed her alreadly wrinkled her jeans. "What did you say?'' "Of course I had denied seeing you. Now come on, we need to figure out what we're going to tell my mother." "What's there left to say, Cam?" I followed her downstairs into the kitchen. "No one believes what I say anyway." "Just tell my mom that a girl at school was physically and emotionally harassing you and repeatedly called you and your mother cruel names and you needed to defend yourself." Arden folded her arms across her chest. "If adults were so understanding, they might just believe what you said."