Just Revenge

Chapter Thirty-One: Never Really Over

I did my best to keep my distance from the group for the rest of the show. This time, though, it wasn't because I felt guilty about anything – I just wanted to give Cort some time to hang out with them and apparently he wasn't going to do that while I was around, which sucked, but it was what it was and it gave me some time to spend with my techie friends who I couldn't help but feel like I'd betrayed with my decision to not go through with my revenge plot.

My resolve to give Cortland his space lasted all the way to curtain call but during Strike – when the whole cast and crew basically just spent several very stressful hours after an already long and tiring show tearing down everything that we'd spent the last few months building – my patience finally wore out.

I had volunteered to help Lexi and a couple of kids on her prop crew pack up the props, but – honestly – after the third time hearing some whiny freshman try butcher one of my own lines at me just cuz they saw the prop from the scene and thought it'd be funny, I was pretty much over it. The first time? I'd admit it might've been a little funny, but by the third and fourth time I had come to the conclusion that while the rest of the group may have to put up with his bullshit, I would NOT be catering to Cortland Bellamy and his ridiculous tantrums.

"Hey Lex" I cut off the whiny freshman, "it looks like you're probably all set here, so I'm just gonna go check if maybe Ashley needs help packing up the costumes?" I phrased it as a question, but I was already walking away before I finished speaking, not giving Lexi a chance to stop me from leaving her alone with the freshmen.

It didn't take me long to find the group, Cortland's demanding voice stood out from a crowd no matter how loud the stage had gotten.

"Oh, don't try to pretend we are anything NEAR alike, you spoiled..."

When I walked into the dressing room they were hiding in, I was a bit surprised to find just him and Harper as opposed to the whole group.

The two looked irritated, even for them, when I walked in and I got the distinct feeling that I'd been interrupting something.

I forced a laugh to break the tension, but it didn't really work "I'd think you'd be at least a little quiet while you're hiding away. If that's even possible for the two of you, that is"

Harper's eyes flashed in a way that I personally did not feel was appropriate for the low level of jab I'd offered to the situation.

"You little fucking RAT, in case you couldn't TELL, this..."

"Clearly, we're not hiding." Cort cut her off mid-sentence. "Trust me, I am very capable of lowering my volume should it be in my benefit to do so."

I rolled my eyes at his response. Who the actual fuck talked like that in real life?

"Well then, as long as it appears you're in the fighting mood. Would you like to give your little temper tantrum the dramatic finale we've all been waiting for?"

"What temper tantrum?" I couldn't tell if he had actually not been avoiding me or if he was just playing dumb.

"The one where you run for the hills every time I approach you or any of your friends?"

He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Look, if this is about whatever I said this morning, I'm not going to apologize so you might as well stop waiting for it. I..."

Harper cut me off with her shrill laugh. "And you're supposed to be the smart one of the feud. I swear..."

She walked past me still laughing and I looked at Cortland, "And that was....?"