Ivy Cordelia Boarding School

Chapter Twenty

n.

"I've called all of you here today for the second folder meeting. I wanted to check on the process, and start moving students in and out by the week's end. I've already planned to talk to Peony and Taylor, along with the students I'm replacing with them. I figured you guys would want them in here" I say. Peyton flips through her folder, pulls out two sheets of paper, and shoves them at me.

"What do you mean? They were in MY folder, and I gave them an immediate no. Who cares what the twins want? They freaking ditched us and Selah took Armani from you" she complains. Peyton and Elliana look hurt, which pisses Selah off.

"You should watch your mouth, Peyton. Unless you want to run it all of the way to your mom and tell her how you're the reason she lost her license" she threatens in a low tone, grabbing all three of their folders and stacking them on the bed. "We finished these with the help of Peony and Taylor". 

I grab them, flipping through Kennedi's folder to see that all of the pages are marked with a rating, and a bunch of detailed notes in the margin. Elliana's and Selah's are the same way. "I felt like that one show where the boss goes undercover at the restaurant's. We used to love watching that together, Stas" Elliana says with a sentimental smile. I smile back, almost wincing at Peyton's glare. She's always loved to hold a grudge.

"Thank you. I, admittedly, haven't been doing a really great job with mine, so you guys have really come through for me. I'm going to look through these and start switching them out tonight. Tell Peony and Taylor that I said thank you, as well. I guess this meeting can end now, huh?".

The sadness kind of makes itself heard in my voice, since I don't want them to leave at all. As much as I always say it, it gets kind of lonely with just Peyton and I. The twins were the random chatter in between our quiet spots. Or the careless giggles when Peyton and I weren't in the mood to laugh. They balanced out the light with the dark in our group. Now it just felt so lifeless and stale.

"I have a meeting with the dance instructors in about ten minutes, but after that we were going to watch rom-com's in the theater. It'd be cool if you came" Selah says, and I realize that she somehow heard the sadness.

In a room with people I've known for years, someone who's practically a stranger picked up on it. But when I look at Peyton's face, I know for a fact that I couldn't go. She'd probably hate me for life if I did. 

"I could find a million things better to do on my walk from the bed to the bathroom, Selah. What reason would I have to want to hang out with a lying bitch and her two lap dogs?" I snap. She nods, completely unfazed by my declaration, as they get up from my bed and head to the door.

"Since we're done with the folders, Nastassia, there really is no reason for you to ever talk to us again. Delete our numbers" Kennedi spits at me, throwing open the door and storming out with an equally as angry Elliana.

Selah's look of pity nearly hurts just as much- the door closing behind her like a book that I wasn't ready to end. And a final chapter that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Who needs them, Stassi-Wassi? They'll never have our backs like we do for each other" Peyton says with a bright grin. 

I force one onto my face, as well. 

"You're right, Pey- Day. You're always so right".

sky.

FRIDAY
Blake turned out to have an ulterior motive behind wanting to be on the staff of my blog. She'd been holding onto a secret for years, with no way to get it out there the right way. My blog, and writing skills, pulled everything together for her. As soon as I heard the story, I knew that we had to publish it as soon as possible. 

Forgoing school work, canceling meetings with the tutor I'd just gotten and skipping class was necessary to make it happen. Everything needed to be absolutely perfect.

From picking out our signature envelopes, writing the story and editing it, and picking the color for the wax seals, to folding every piece of paper, putting them in the envelopes and sealing them, took up my every waking hour.

But now, it was perfect. 

Blake and I stood over the bed, admiring the hundreds of envelopes stacked there. We had done it! Our fingers were covered in paper cuts, while wax strings were in our hair and on our clothes. I was more than proud of our creation. And tomorrow would be glorious. 

I'd come to a realization that I didn't need Nastassia or Selah. I'd have the popularity from the blog, and a friend. They'd never have really been my friend's, anyway. But Blake and I had bonded over these envelopes, letting each other in on our inner thoughts and feelings.

Working on something with someone, creating something, really brought two people together in a way that nothing else could. 

The guys would come, of course. Not every boy was as boring as Damien Beckett. They wouldn't care about the fact that I ran a blog, or that I wanted to be a journalist when I grew up. In fact, most guys wouldn't even think twice about it. 

So what, if I actually liked him before he said the stupid things that he said. It didn't matter if every time I saw him in the quad, it felt like my heart was being squeezed just enough to be uncomfortable. I'd write him out of my everyday thoughts. Maybe, even, with a story about him to do it. And then I'd move on to a nicer, more supportive guy.

Either way it went, Damien Beckett could kiss my ass. And so could anyone else who had a problem with the Offline Blog. Blake and I would be infamous in this school. And what could Dean Yarby really do about a newsletter that students wouldn't even want her to see?

We were unstoppable.