Night Changes (Soon To Be EDITED)

It's Just You and Me

It wasn't a surprise to find that I was the main topic at school the next morning.

As I weaved my way in and out of large groups loitering around in the hallways, eyes following my every step, I was able to hear bits and pieces of conversations, all pertaining to me in one way or another.

Some questioned how Zane got a hold of Mark's computer, some questioned if Zane was my boyfriend, but most were set and trying to figure out why the hell I was so important. I'd be the first person that would like to hear the answer to that once they found it.

I wouldn't say I was one of those people that drifted through high school unnoticed. Sure, I wasn't as popular as Marcus or Molly, but I wasn't an invisible nobody either. My name circled around the school, more times than not over a rumor, but I thought fairly highly of myself. There was a part of me that did have the same questions as everyone else; why was I so important to Marcus and Zane? I wasn't worth destroying the little of a bond and friendship they had left.

"What the hell was that?" McKenna's shrill voice sent a sharp pain through my head. I rubbed my temples as I leaned my head against my locker.

"What are you talking about?"

She huffed out a sigh. "Don't play stupid with me, Paige. What the hell was up with your little boyfriend last night?"

"Zane?" I frowned. "He didn't do anything wrong. Everything he said-"

"Made both of you look like idiots, Paige." she shook her head in disgust. "He humiliated you in front of the entire school."

"How did he humiliate me?" I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"He's a nobody, Paige. A weird, slightly freaky nobody. You could do so much better. Cody even-"

I shook my head. "We're not doing this, Kenna. I'm not losing you over popularity. If you think I'm going to ditch Zane just because he isn't Cody fucking Wilson, maybe I've already lost you."

She stared me down. "He embarrassed you, Paige."

"He stood up for me."

"That's why everyone in this school is talking shit about him and saying how much better you could do. He's a joke that lives in Marcus' shadow. When you get over your pity and sympathy for the freak, come find me." I watched my best friend stalk away in silence, not making an attempt to chase her.

I felt as if I were the main character in a coming-of-age movie that just lost her best friend to the popular kids. The worse part? Some warped and sick part of me thought it would have ended up being the other way around.

*

"Do you have a Mommy fetish?" a voice sniped behind me. I thought about responding, but knew it would be in my best interest not to. After hearing the snide comments circle the last four periods, I was close to my breaking point.

"He's like, what, twelve?" another voice added. "It's so sweet he's got a little crush on you."

I stood so quickly my leg rammed into the table, shaking the contents on it. I spun around so I was facing Marcus' table across the cafeteria, finding that every pair of eyes there was already on me.

"You guys want something to talk about?" I asked, glancing around the room. My heart sunk into my stomach when I saw Zane shielded by his hoodie in the far back corner of the big room.

"How many of you here actually enjoyed the video Marcus posted of me last night?" I wasn't surprised to see most of the males in the room raise their hands, a few girls even joined in with obnoxious giggles and whispers.