Viral

Twenty One

"Never throw caution to the wind. It could whip back into your eyes and and blind you."

-Stephen Colbert

I can't quite pinpoint the moment that all hell broke loose, but to put it shortly the gates of hell definitely swung open and unleashed its wrath on Wendell Gates High School.

There were trays flying, bits of spaghetti sputtering on unwanted surfaces and fists landing on their directed targets. I guess now is not the time to get all poetic, let me just backtrack and give a complete play by play.

When my shirt was drenched in ice water, I may have released an embarrassing squeal causing all every eye, that wasn't already engrossed in what was going on, to snap in my direction. But at the time I couldn't focus on that, all I could see was red. My anger may have been slightly displaced, but I had so much of it, it was spilling out of my ears. I had a few options, I could lash out on the random guy who found it necessary to publicly embarrass me due to Carly's demands, I could completely annihilate the person who was supposed to be my friend, Jordan, or I could keep screaming like a banshee with its head cut off.

The decision was made for me in a split second. Finn has slammed the contents of his tray onto the lunch table before sending it back over his shoulder then into the face of the poor sap from my second period class. I think his name is Damien but I had never really noticed him until today when Carly whispered to him so in truth his name could be anything.

The gasps that erupted throughout the cafeteria was enough to trigger Marcus to spring into action. Someone from across the room screamed "Fight!" And people started to charge in our direction to get a better look.

Marcus must have had something else in mind, thinking that too much concentrated attention on Finn would lead to the fight being broken up too soon. I, for one, thought Damien deserved what was coming to him.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Marcus grab a fist full of spaghetti and fling it right into the face of an unsuspecting student that just made it to our table for a better view of the fight. The moment the spaghetti sauce slid from his face to his shirt Marcus chuckled before picking up another handful and screaming "Food fight!"

In that instant everyone went scrambling back to the prospective tables to grab their ammo. My eyes were trained on Jordan who went darting under the table for safety. I couldn't tell you if he was seeking a safe haven from flying food or my fingers that were interested in wrapping around his neck.

I darted under the table after him, "oh no you don't! Jordan what do you mean you spread that rumor?" I had to shout to hear myself from the roar of the cafeteria. "You have two seconds before my hands demand answers."

"I didn't mean ... I was sticking up for you!" Jordan's hands reflexively went to cover his face as I inched towards him.

I crawled closer in my best attempts to intimate him. Despite the crowded room and the screaming and fighting going on around our table I truly felt like we were alone. I felt powerful watching him cower as I came closer to him. In the grittiest voice I could muster I finally responded, "Explain!"

"The guys in my first period were talking crap about you." He slowly lowered his hands from his face. "They were saying crude things and calling you a tease saying you didn't have the balls to do a cam show."

I couldn't help my brows being knitted in confusion. "So you took it upon yourself to announce that not only am I doing it but that I am this Friday? Are you insane?"

"I was just trying to help! You literally said this morning you were going to do it! I can't go around punching people who talk about you, all I can do is what I did. Sorry for trying to be a good friend." Jordan began to back out from under the table, but I wasn't done with him yet.