Nodus Tollens

LIX.

"What do you want?" Arsen asked, looping his arm around my neck as we approached the snack table.

I ignored the way my heart took off in a ridiculous sprint and instead channeled my focus on the beverage choices laid out across one of the clothed tables.

"Umm...," I picked up a can of Sprite. "I guess this will do. You know, I've gone to the dance committee so many times about upping the budget and investing in sparkling water instead of these garbage soda drinks. They said they would consider it, but for some reason, they've stopped responding to my emails."

"The reason is that you're annoying," Arsen said picking up a Coke.

"I'm not annoying," I protested. "I'm giving them suggestions to make everyone's dance experience better. It that so wrong?"

I cracked open the can and took a long swing, not realizing how thirsty I was until I was about halfway done with the drink. This was our first break after what had felt like hours of dancing. I was kind of irritated there had yet to be any slow dances, which would be the perfect time to kick off the whole confessing my feelings thing, but I assured myself that we had all night.

"Hey I see my friends," Arsen perked up suddenly. "Let's go say hi."

"You can say hi. I'll just wait for you over here," I picked up a sugar cookie in the shape of a snowman and examined it, trying to remember if my calorie intake from the past week was low enough for me to have just one of these.

"Oh, come on-"

"Why would I go over there and subject myself to their rude remarks and ?" I asked, devising one wouldn't kill me and taking a bit out of the cookie.

"Okay, Juliet," he rolled his eyes. "It's not like you're exactly an innocent party as far as the insults go."

"So you're taking their side?" I narrowed my eyes. "That's nice, Arsen."

"How many times do I have to say it? I'm not taking anybody's side. As far as this whole thing goes, I'm Switzerland."

"Switzerland?" I furrowed my eyes in confusion. "Why would you be a country?"

"Because...well, Switzerland was neutral in- never mind. Just never mind," he grabbed my hand. "We're going."

"Noooo," I groaned as he dragged me over to the table his friends were crowded around. "Arsen, come on. I'm in a really good mood, and it's going to be ruined if I have to look at them."

"I talked to all your friends that have come up to us," he reminded me. "And I did so with a smile on my face."

"That's because my friends are bearable."

"That's up for debate," he snorted. "Jade is..."

He didn't finish his thought. Though the heavy sigh that parted his lips itself said quite enough.

"Jade just has a big personality," I said, immediately becoming defensive of my best friend.

"I could say the same thing about Brooke. She has a pretty big personality."

"Brooke has mental issues. That's what Brooke has. Someone needs to commit her before she really goes off her rocker."

"Juliet, be nice," he warned me in a low voice before raising it to greet everyone. "Hey, guys."

They all turned and brightened up significantly when they see their friend. However, as soon as their eyes turned to me the brightness dulled almost instantly in most of them.

"Hey, man," Greg smiled, slapping his hand. "What's up? Trying to avoid us huh?"

"Avoiding the headache you all bring on," he smirked, pulling Ashleigh into a hug almost automatically. "Hey."