Inviting The Virgin (Old Version)

Inviting The Virgin (44)

I stared into that dark garbage can where all my cookies laid tossed. My ears picked up the sound of heels walking behind me. Stella walked to the front of the room while I tried to kick this wrenching feeling in my stomach. According to Sandra not only did I not figure out what she has been talking about this whole time but I handed over everyone's black mail; including my own, to someone I thought I could trust but now was reconsidering.

Due to Sandra's reaction it was obvious that Zack wasn't the right person to give that to. To my knowledge Sandra and Zack were on the same team right? Why her reaction was so harsh was still one of the many unanswered questioned I had.

It was like everyone was wearing a mask pretending to be completely different people than I knew them as. First, Mimi's betrayal and now everyone else was following suit.

With a couple deep breaths I tried to calm myself. My checks were red with embarrassment-"Any day now Eden." Hearing Stella say my name instead of The Virgin or any of the other belligerent names she liked to call her playmates was strange.

It almost gave Stella a humanist quality.

Almost.

"One second." For the second time I used Zack's old shirt to clean my mouth. Throwing up was embarrassing enough; having people see the residue leftover wouldn't make it any better.

I headed back to my seat with less urgency than before. Mimi and Jordan avoided eye contact during my small walk of shame. In my peripheral vision I could see Stella, Nancy and Sandra all standing in the front as if they were giving our class a presentation.

Stella took a step ahead of the others becoming the center of attention-"Someday, not far from now, all of us will be gathered in a room for graduation. We will all exhale a deep breath of relief, finally being done this part of being young adults." She was addressing each of us looking at us. She was making sure we were all paying attention.

This was familiar to every graduation speech I had ever heard.

"It's nice knowing that you've almost survived this weekend but I've saved the best for last." Her smile was sickening. Maybe all of us should take a turn vomiting our insecurities in the trash can?

"Remember when I said that the past can haunt you? It's about to come back and bite some of you in the ass," She laughed but her face remained serious-"This last challenge is diverse and that's because each of you have your own dares. Now some of them might be similar but no two are the same." Another sickly smile flashed us.

Mimi, Jordan and I all exchanged concerned glances. I, myself could feel a tightness grow in my forehead.

"So this is the end to my game and you guys better bring it because I have." She turned to face Nancy and Sandra who must have understood her glance.

Both of them grabbed envelopes from Stella's bag. Although my social life as I know it was circling the drain all I could think about was the first moment I held her invitation to this party. I recalled my hands trembling attempting to steady the bright pink envelope with floral designs. She had been so convincing and conniving; tricking me into thinking this was a graduation get together, a last hooray maybe to put the past behind us and grow closer.