The Ugly Side of Beauty

Chapter Eleven: A Spinning World

"Hey, how's it going?" Tom smiled at me and I looked away as always. It was almost a reflex now. 

"Fine," I replied, trying to inject some form of emotion to make up for it but nada. Zip. Inflectionless as a plain white sheet of paper. Honestly, I didn't feel so fine. I felt like I needed sleep, and needed more oxygen. Maybe a little anemic.

We were in the crowded hallway, trying to get to the canteen but the were just so many bodies here. Jolene moved past me, and I lifted a hand to wave but she breezed past. Huh, I guess she didn't see me. We strolled forward as Tom made conversation and I muttered flat-lined, one word answers. He didn't ever get disheartened, though.

I saw a commotion, and at the centre of it was Georgina, Jolene's sister. Of course. I edged forward eagerly, liking a good drama like any person. Was she bullying someone? Ganging up on some poor kid?

Unfortunately, no. It was more of a territorial war. Georgina, flanked on either side by her sycophants, was facing of with this other pretty girl. That pretty girl was more or less as pretty as Georgina, maybe had slightly more interesting face, and had sycophants of her own flanking her sides. 

"The position's mine, Lydia, back off," Georgie, as they called her, pretty much growled. 

The other girl, Lydia, smirked, turning her face from 'interesting' to 'slap-able'. I saw Georgie's palm twitch and knew she thought the same. "Whatever makes you think so? I think I've got it covered, maybe you should back out."

Georgina scoffed, flinging her immaculately groomed hair. "Please, everyone knows you," she sighed, "are just second best."

There were murmured of 'oohs' and 'burn's from the onlookers as Lydia coloured a little, but she shrugged it off. 

"I'm nobody's second best," she snapped. "You'll see. I'm going to win not just a position as a Prefect, but I'm going to be head."

"I don't think they're gonna want your empty bobble-head," Georgina smiled demurely, reminding me of the first time we met. Yeah, I didn't like her one bit. However, she had a tiny point. Lydia's slightly big head did  indeed appear a little bobble-head-like.

Lydia held up a W with her hand. "Whatever. See you as my underling, loser."

Georgina showed more teeth in her smile now. "Not if I see you first."

They dispersed, giving each other the evil eye while Jolene and Chocolate begin a small, murmured discussion with Georgina. I watched as Georgina smiled and ruffled both their hair and stalked off with the others. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I plucked it out, confused. Only a handful of people knew my number, most of which were here in school. And my aunt wouldn't call or text during school hours unless it was urgent.

I checked my phone, only vaguely aware that Tom was telling me something but from the tenor of it, it wasn't important so I tuned out. 

My other hand that wasn't holding my phone slammed into my mouth hard enough that my lip cut on my teeth, and I tasted blood. 

Hi the message said. It's Nate. Your parents gave me your number...and I need to meet you. To explain.

The world spun. What was...Nate? I felt so dizzy, as if I held my breath for hours. No matter which way I turned, the colours, the people... they were blurring out. 

"Lorelei!" Tom's concerned voice lashed out like a whip, cracking into my confusion. "Breathe! Are you okay?"

"Move, people, give her space!" Chocolate more or less fell through the crowd, and Jolene followed hot on her heels but with considerably more grace.