Chapter Twelve
The next day was awful. I seriously wanted to crawl under a rock, and cry. The beginning of the day wasn't that bad. Kristi smiled when I met her, and wouldn't stop smiling until lunch when I told her I couldn't break up with Nikolas. "Why?" She whined.
"Because he's just so sweet, and I don't want to hurt him," I whimpered, resting my elbow on the table.
"Eh," She said, "I've seen better." She flashed me a pearly smile, and then started eating her salad.
"I..." I started, but was cut off when Mason walked by.
"Hi Taylor," He said, smiling shyly.
"Hey," I whispered. He walked away with his friends, but I swear he looked back to look at me.
"See," Kristi shrieked, "You should be with him! He said hi to you in front of all his friends, while Nikolas ran over to you when they were about to leave. Mason is just so cute, and you're so stupid."
I narrowed my eyes, and stuck my tongue out at her. "Where is Nikolas anyway?" She asked.
I shrugged, and started eating my lunch. When I looked up, Nikolas was arguing with Russell. I decided it was best if I just sat here, and ate lunch. Nikolas shoved Russell, and Russell shoved back. I could feel a fight coming on, but I just sat there and ate my lunch.
It was the end of the day now, and I just knew I flunked the History test. I forgot to study with the funeral, and work and Mr. Cord wouldn't take that as an excuse. He told me unless I had been in the hospital since he told us when the test was, I would take the test.
I slammed my locker shut, and stuffed some books into my bag. "So are you going to break up with him now?" Kristi whispered, smirking.
"Then I wouldn't have a ride home," I told her.
"Fine, let him take you home, and then you break up with him," She sighed, "Just do it, please."
"It's my life," I told her.
"Yes, and I run it," She smirked, "Now go!"
I scrunched my nose up at her, and walked towards the parking lot. Mostly everyone was gone. The buses were gone, and most of the students were too. I would have gone home with Kristi, but she had to go to a funeral, and I was not going to another one of those.
Plus, she didn't come to mine, I wasn't going to hers.
Slowly, I looked around the parking lot, and I heard Nikolas' voice. It wasn't raised, but it was angry. "I'm done man," He growled, "The bets off."
"Come on man," Russell groaned, "It's been three months, and she still hasn't noticed! That's a record man!"
"Doesn't matter," Nikolas snapped, "With her Mother and brother dead, I don't want this to make things worse for her." Wait, they were talking about me! What they said before, man I couldn't remember!
Slowly I crept forward, trying to make their voices louder. What were they saying about me? Nikolas better be sticking up for me. "It's not like the other chick doesn't know," Nikolas told Russell, "She knew a long time ago."
Chick? What chick? He's never referred to me as a chick before. "So," Russell said, "She's not the stupid one, remember? The prank was on that Rodes girl."
"Her name is Taylor," Nikolas corrected.
"Whatever," Russell snapped, "The bet was to see how long you could date her without her noticing you're really with another chick. It's not that hard actually; I could have done it with my eyes closed. And well your three months in, and my bet was five, so hang in there. I need this money, and you were the one who volunteered to do it!"
Prank. Other chick. Volunteered? Yes, I was really hearing all these things, and despite myself, I continued to listen. I wanted to run away, but what I really wanted was this stuff not to be real. I wanted Russell to be lying trough his teeth, because even though I kind of cheated on Nikolas too, I didn't do it as a joke, and I certainly didn't volunteer.
"No the bets off," Nikolas growled, "All over. How do you not know she's cheating on me with that Mason kid? They've been talking and seeing each other a lot!"
"You know how I know she's not doing that?" Russell asked, and even through the brick wall I could feel Russell's devilish smile. "It's because she can't even pick up a guy in her own grade, let alone a senior."
"Ouch," Nikolas laughed.
Suddenly, everything was a lie. Kristi, and Lexie, and even my Mom knew he was bad. They felt his bad vibe, and I didn't pick up on it. They all knew ahead of me, even my own baby sister. I felt so stupid, I wanted to slam my head against the wall.
So all of the time Nikolas said he was out with his friends, like he did the other day; he was out with this girl? She was probably dating him first, and they still referred to her as a chick? How awful! Hopefully she was in on the joke too, because if not, then that would suck.
"This is what you're going to do," Russell ordered, "You're going to take her to the Junior Prom, and that is where you can dump her. It's not exactly five months away, maybe a little less, but I'll still win the money."
Everything I knew about Nikolas had been a joke. When the guys came to sit at our table, it was a joke. When Nikolas was worried about me, it was a joke. What an awful thing to play on someone. Stupid, stupid, stupid me! How could I not have seen it? There weren't many clues were there? Why didn't listen to Kristi when she told me about the bad feelings she had about Nikolas? Great, now I would have to face Kristi, and her big bowl of 'I told you so!'
"That's too harsh," Nikolas argued.
"Dude," Russell laughed, "It wasn't like you were officially dating her!"
"She thought I was," Nikolas grumbled.
"Well you weren't," Russell snapped, "Remember, you where the pants in this fake relationship, all you."
"Man, keep your voice down," Nikolas hissed, "Someone might hear you!"
"Who cares?" Russell laughed a harsh cold laugh, "It's not like they would tell her. She only has that one friend, and that friend is easy to keep quiet."
"What? How?" Nikolas asked.
"Just a little attention from the football plays," Russell whispered, smirking- I just knew even though I couldn't see him- "And she'll be so pleased she'll forget."
"Nah, I don't think so," Nikolas argued, "I've seen the way she acts around me, and if it was something important, she would go right to Taylor."
"Whatever," Russell said, "Let's just go."
"Kay, see you, I'm driving T home," Nikolas called.
"Freeze," Russell yelled, and then through gritted teeth said, "You're driving her home, as in she's somewhere on campus. What if she heard this conversation? Stupid, GOD!"
Nikolas laughed, "She's probably wondering around looking for me, even you said, she's not that bright."
"Those weren't my exact words," Russell grumbled.
They started walking, and suddenly anger built inside me. It dismissed the tears, and the sorrow. I wanted to burn both of them. I hated them both. My self-esteem went down a few octaves. I wanted to scream and hit, but most of all I wanted Kristi to be here. I wanted her to take me home, which smelt like warm cookies, and have her comfort me. Better yet, my Mom. I wouldn't tell anyone this, but I would hold onto my Mom and cry once all the anger was let out.
Slowly, I stepped forward, like a zombie. Russell and Nikolas were laughing about something else now. Probably talking about the other chick, I thought to myself.
I walked a little faster, and stepped in front of them. They stopped abruptly. Russell looked a little alarmed, but Nikolas played it cool like he had been for three months.
"Hey T," He smiled, "I was just coming to find you. Ready to go?"
Instead of responding to his question, I narrowed my eyes, and set my lips into a tight line. Finally I whispered, "Stupid, am I?"
Both boy's eyes bugged out, staring at me with open mouths. "Taylor I," Nikolas started.
"Save it," I snapped, and then without a good hold on myself, I exploded; taking my anger out on the two scum standing in front of me.
Okay. Maybe I didn't write this in the best way, I mean when I reread it, it sounded kind of stupid......
What do you think???? Please someone comment, because I need to know!!
Thanks:]
cheesehead