A Trip to Remember

Fallout

Chapter 25

All thought and feeling left Natalie in a whoosh.

She took a step backward.

And another.

Finally Alia had the sense to drop the phone so that the picture was no longer in front of her face. But no matter, it was already burned into Natalie’s mind.

Reyna and Matthew. On a couch. Kissing. Very fervently.

“See? I told you!” Alia crowed in victory. “They both betrayed you!”

Natalie let out a shaky laugh. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope. I saw it with my own eyes. What a bitch huh?”

Natalie squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. This wasn’t happening. This was not happening. This couldn’t be happening.

The perfect world that Natalie had so painstakingly created and attained for herself was unraveling, falling apart before her eyes. Falling and falling until only one bare thread was left. One thread was hope that it could still be respun. But it could just as easily be ripped down completely.

Alia continued jabbering away inconsiderately beside her.

“So what’re you going to do now? I bet you really want to bitch slap her right? God, if anyone tried taking my man I’d totally ruin their lives.”

“Shut up!” Natalie’s eyes snapped open with all the anger, sadness, humiliation and betrayal flooding inside of her. She roughly pushed Alia to the side.

She slammed open the glass door, almost breaking it against the frame. Everyone in the kitchen turned and stared at her open mouthed. Matthew wasn’t one of them. He was nowhere in sight.

She stormed through the room, everyone scrambling to get out of her way.

Natalie spotted Reyna talking away with some of the other girls in the rec room and made a beeline for her.

Reyna saw her coming and instantly lit up with a smile, but then she caught sight of the fume coming out Natalie’s ears and her face changed to one of concern.

“Nat what’s--.”

“What. The. Fuck.” Natalie interrupted anything Reyna was about to say. To be honest all she wanted to do was hit her, but Natalie wasn’t about to start a catfight.

“What?” Reyna asked defensively.

Everyone within hearing radius of them turned around to watch them.

“I know what happened at Justin’s party,” Natalie stated, fighting to keep her calm.

Reyna’s lips dropped to form a perfect o. But then she quickly put a cool, concerned mask on.

“What’re you talking about Natalie?”

“Drop the act. I know what you and Matthew did.”

It was almost impressive how swiftly Reyna could change from facial expression to facial expression. First from concern, then to surprise, to calm and then finally to superiority.

Natalie knew that face. It was the face that Reyna used whenever anyone questioned her words. It was the face that made sure no one underneath her could ever socially climb above her.

“Oh,” said Reyna simply. “That. It’s no big deal.”

“Really.” Natalie laughed sarcastically.

By now everyone in the house was gathered in the room, watching them in fascination. Even the music had stopped. She knew it was going to be at the top of the rumour mill within half an hour. Natalie Willis and queen bee Reyna Johnston have the most scandalous fall out of the year at Jonah High. That’d be something for people to talk about for months.