Exploiting Realities

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE - BEGIN AGAIN

"Fuck off Tiffany," Alec snapped protectively. "She can sit wherever she wants."

"No, I'll move," I said softly, standing up. "I'm sorry," I said to the blonde. "Alec said that I sat here."

The blonde laughed fakely. "Allie-poo says lots of things he doesn't mean," she cooed, running her hand through Alec's curls and twirling her fingers into them flirtatiously. My fist clenched behind my back but I forced a smile on my face. I looked down at Alec, whose face was beet red, but he eyed the blonde with annoyance. "I think the seat behind Rosalie is free," she suggested, sitting where I had been seconds before.

I grabbed my stuff and moved over to the empty seat on the complete other side of the room behind a small brunette girl that I used to be somewhat acquainted with.

"If you have the urge to snap her neck that's completely normal," Rosalie said the second that I sat down.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked her.

She laughed. "No, you hid it well. I could see you fist clenching behind your back though."

I laughed, slightly embarrassed. "Who is she?"

"Her name's Tiffany Spencer. She's a sophomore and she moved here a few days after you left."

"What's her deal?" I questioned.

"Well she's a bitch," Rosalie said bluntly, "but you probably already figured that much. She's only nice to the guys and that's just because she wants to get in their pants, which is sad considering she actually has a boyfriend."

I chuckled. "I think it's sad for whoever her boyfriend is that he had to stoop that low."

"Wait a second, that's Aria Richter?" I heard Tiffany exclaim from across the room, jerking her head around to get a better look at me. I waved awkwardly, not sure why it was such a huge deal that I was me.

"Um, I guess she's heard of me?" I asked Rosalie, hoping for an explanation.

"Everyone knows who you are," she explained. "It's not every day that one of our classmates is out of school for three months because of cancer. How are you feeling, by the way?"

I shrugged. "I've felt better. I mean, I'm still in my last cycle of chemo so I still feel like shit but going to school is far better than sitting home alone for hours with nothing to do."

She nodded in understanding. Mr. Raphael entered the classroom and began our lesson.

* * *

"Oh yeah, I know her," Summer said on our way to lunch. "She's in my gym class. She's such a little slut. It's hilarious."

"Yeah," Miranda agreed. "You should see how much padding she has in her bras."

I laughed. "You looked?"

She shrugged. "She changes right in front of me! And they're hard to miss. They're like friggin bombshells."

"Are you guys talking about Tiffany Spencer?" Lorelai asked, coming up behind us with Brady.

"Yeah, how'd you guess?"

Brady laughed. "It's not that hard to figure out."

"I'm going to my locker. See you guys at lunch," I said and turned towards my locker, where I was surprised to see Tiffany and some guy making out.

"Um, excuse me..." I said awkwardly, making my way through.

"Can I help you?" Tiffany snapped, looking at me like I was a germ.

"Well you're kinda in front of my locker," I told her.

"I'm sorry," she said sarcastically, "no one's used this locker ever since I got here so maybe you're mistaken."

"No, she's right Tiff," the guy said, his voice painfully familiar. "It's her locker. We can go some place else."

I looked up at Dillon, who was looking down on me with sorrowful eyes. "Thanks Dill," I said softly, making my way to my locker.

Well he moves on fast, I thought to myself as I switched out my books. I hadn't seen or talked to Dillon since I broke it off, and it was more painful than I had imagined it would be. I couldn't really be upset that he moved on, I mean, I had moved on before I had even broken up with him. But...for some reason I had been holding on to this idea in my mind that he was still in love with me. Why I would think that, I didn't know. He didn't have a reason to be. But even if he was over me, I didnt' think that he would ever stoop as low as Tiffany. In fact, I had actually expected him to end up with Livi.

* * *

The rest of the day went by relatively smoothly. Nothing else came as much of a surprise. I met Lorelai and Alec by the tall maple tree at the end of the day and we walked home together.

"It's strange to have you walking home with me, Al," I told him. It had always just been Lorelai and I.

He laughed. "Yeah, well, it's a lot less exhausting to walk with you guys than it is to race home before you."

"Yeah, why did you used to do that?" Lorelai asked.

He shrugged. "Because I could. So how was your first day back?" he asked me. "Anyone that I need to punch?"

I shook my head. "Unless you count Tiffany Spencer."

He scoffed. "She's horrible, isn't she? That's why I told you to sit behind me again. I figured she might leave."

"Did you know she's dating Dillon?" I asked them both.

"She's what?!" Lorelai exclaimed, stopping in her tracks. "I'm going to have to have a talk with that boy!"

"Yeah, they were making out in front of my locker." I told her.

"Aw, I'm sorry Ar," Lorelai told me.

I shrugged. "I mean, I don't care, it was just weird. Ya know?"

She nodded. "I know."

* * * 

I'm so sorry for the long wait! I had slight writer's block and school's been time consuming and it took this four-day weekend to get me back on track. I'll try to get ahead this weekend so you guys don't have to wait this long anymore. :)

So what do you guys think about Tiffany? I love your feedback!

-V.E.