Dear Lover, I Loathe You.

28

Genevieve had her bags in hand and made her way to her car. "Genevieve!" Taylor called out and ran to catch up to her. Genevieve put her bags in the trunk of her car and avoided looking at her. Everything had been going well on their retreat but after a while she was getting distant again.

"My parents aren't going to be home if you want to come over and hang out?" Taylor suggested. Genevieve looked over at her in silence. "Honest, just hanging out. We don't have to do anything." Taylor added. Genevieve shut the trunk of her car and awkwardly looked around.

"I don't think we should see each other." She quietly replied. Taylor's smile slightly dropped, "What? But I thought everything was fine?" She asked. "We're fine." Genevieve replied. "Then what's the problem?" Taylor asked. "Taylor, I already get so much crap at school from everyone and being seen with you won't help. It would just fuel it all. My parents are still upset with me about everything and my own mother doesn't speak to me and she can barely even look at me. I just don't think seeing each other is the best idea right now." Genevieve replied. "I'm sorry." She said before getting into her car.

Taylor watched her car pull out and drive off. It felt like everything good had just fallen apart again. It felt like their retreat was a chance to go back to normal. But coming back home, reality hit. Even if they were okay, everything else still wasn't.

--
Winter break was over and school was back in session. Genevieve avoided Taylor at school. Their classmates got along fine and hung around at school together. The retreat worked for everyone, just not that well for Genevieve and Taylor.

Taylor was at her locker and glanced down the hall and saw Genevieve looking through her locker and putting books away. Genevieve stared down the hall, her gaze frozen at the sight. Taylor looked to see what she was looking at and saw Bryan with his arm around Amanda.

Rachel and a small group of their jock friends followed them. The hallways were filled with their loud voices and obnoxious laughs. Taylor watched them walked past and saw Genevieve staring in disbelief. Her eyes shifted over to Taylor. There was a similar confusion in their eyes.

Taylor grabbed her phone and quickly sent a text.

What the fuck was that?

Genevieve checked her phone.

I'm just as clueless as you are. - 'Princess' (Genevieve)

The both of them looked confused as a group notification came in.

Urgent meeting in the theater room. - Mr. H

They looked up from their phones and over at each other. They shut the their lockers and quickly made their way off.

--
Everyone was talking over each other. Taylor and Genevieve entered the room confused. "What's going on?" Genevieve asked. She took a seat next to Evan and Taylor went to go sit across the room with Greg. Ms. Clark and Mr. Harris looked upset and hesitant to break the news.

"Did you guys see the jocks?" One of the band students asked. "Why was Amanda with them?" One of the theater students asked. "I heard her and Bryan are dating now." Another student replied. "Ok settle down everyone." Ms. Clark said. "We don't really know how to tell you this." She sighed.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked. "We had a meeting with Vice Principal Sandra and...the school has decided to cut funding for our departments." Mr. Harris replied. The students all looked at each other confused and worried. "What do you mean they're cutting our funding?" Genevieve asked.

"She was explaining that the school board hasn't been happy with your behavior and that it's been costly keeping our departments running. So because of all the fighting that's gone on between you two the school board doesn't feel like the funds are being spent well on us." Mr. Harris explained. "They're cutting our funding but...they're potentially considering cutting one of our classes." Ms. Clark added.

"But we went on the retreat, none of us have been fighting anymore!" One student argued. "I know. But the school said it wasn't worth the risk and after a...particular scandal occurred. It's reflecting bad on the school while investigations are still going on. The school board isn't happy right now." Mr. Harris explained.

"Then who the hell are they funding? Do they just not have money or do they just not want to fund us?" Evan asked. Mr. Harris and Ms. Clark looked at one another waiting for the other to break the news. Mr. Harris sighed, "They decided their money would be better spent on the athletic department."

"What? The jocks?"Evan asked. "The school says they bring in more money so it would be the smarter investment." Ms. Clark explained. "That's so unfair." Evan glared. "Why are we getting punished because Taylor decided to release a sex tape?" One of the band students argued.

Taylor glared over at them, "I didn't release shit!" She argued. "Then who was recording? Casper the unholy ghost?" The student replied. Taylor was about to go over and was quickly sat down by Greg. "Can you guys fuck off? Why would Taylor do that? Especially to herself."

"Because she and Genevieve lied to all of us and had us hating each other while they were both secretly fucking behind everyone's back!" Hannah argued. "Hold the fuck up." Evan said standing up from his chair. "You can't put the entire blame on them when you idiots chose to follow them and participate in their fucking mess. It's not all on them, it's on us too."

Everyone got quiet. "Exactly. So how is it fair that you're basically asking that they be burned at the stake? You idiots could've said no but you willingly went along with it." Evan argued. "He's right." Greg agreed, "These are our friends. Are you guys going to act like you haven't fucked up before? It's not fair to treat them like shit over something they didn't have control over."

"Then who leaked the fucking video?" One student asked. "Who recorded it in the first place?" Another one asked. "We don't know!" Taylor replied, "They've been investigating but no matter how many times I try and tell everyone I didn't do it, no one believes me. The cops barely even believe me because apparently the fucking video was sent through an account that made it look like it was sent by me when it wasn't."

"Guys. Just be on your best behavior from now on please? We don't need to give the school board another reason to make this situation worse. Just get to class." Mr. Harris dismissed.