Only If She Stayed

28. Consequences

Rose's POV

TODAY WAS Wednesday, which was when I had to go to English. I begged for rain, but my prayers weren't answered. It was unbearably sunny during my trek to school this morning. 

There was a short line forming at the front of the entrance of school. I waited to see what was the commotion. I'd never seen this many people, just standing in the front of the school. It was almost like they were waiting for something to happen. 

"Do you know what they're serving for lunch?" Michael asked, waddling further down the line of people. The stream of individuals was getting smaller.

I squinted at his unusual question.

"I don't know the lunch menu by heart. There is a copy of it in all of our agenda's though." I shifted the books in my hands, grabbing the agenda that was tucked under it all, then flipped to the back page. "Do you want to hear about the vegan lunch or the non-vegan lunch?"

"Both."

I read off the different varieties of meals our school was providing us with. He stopped me when I said the name of a stew. 

"That," he snapped his fingers, saying softly, "that's what you shouldn't eat."

"Oh...kay. That makes no sense." I peered even longer at him. "What was the point of that?"

"Just don't eat it," he whispered.

"Why? That's one of my favorite kind of stews, why shouldn't I..." then it hit me. "No, no. Don't tell me you and Ashton are planning some kind of stunt at lunch?" My head started spinning at what they could possibly doing.

The last time someone tweaked with the school lunch, we were freshman and Edgar got the head cook fired. They planted a dead rat in her kitchen, hours before her school inspection, wanting her to get tossed out. It worked, leading the school to hire a different head cook that worked best with my ex-boyfriend and his friends taste.

"Shh," Michael hushed at me, speaking in a hushed tone so no other student would overhear our discussion. "We need to get them back for the rumor they spread about you."

"This isn't going to help."

"It's worth a try."

"Why are you even messing with the food?"

"Because, we planted evidence that made it look like it was the basketball team behind it. Once they do a little investigating, then they'll know who the real culprits are."

"I'm disappointed in you."

"Like a parent," he scoffed. "Be proud."

"How can I feel proud if you both get yourselves in trouble for me? This is reckless. You guys didn't say you were going to involve the whole school."

"Ashton's idea, not mine."

"Well stop it then!"

I cause a few heads to turn, making people look at me like I just ran over Michael's grandma with Santa and his reindeer. "Nothing to see here," he said, hoping to get their eyes off us. 

"Why couldn't you do something more innocent?"

"We are seeking revenge. Innocents is not the way to get even."

"Maybe I don't want to get even." 

"Then why did you tell us to help in the first place??"

"I didn't know you were going to result to food poisoning!" 

More eyes. More stares. Michael chuckled awkwardly, hating the audience.

"Please, hush with all the yelling." 

"I'm not going to hush."

"I care about you a lot, Rose, and no one is going to treat my best friend like that and not get punished for it. They can't get away with this."

"Why are you acting like they spread a nasty rumor about you and not me?"

"They basically did spread one about me. What happens to you, happens to me." He wrapped his arm around me, and the act alone made my breathing still. He moved away quickly, as though the act was too serious. 

"You matter a lot to me."

"You matter a lot to me too, but--"

"No but's. I'd do anything for you - and I know that's the same for you."

The intercom rang out loud, saying clearly: "Michael Sinclair, Please report to the principals office."

Did they already know what he did?

Where they on his case that fast?

I could visibly see his Adam's apple bob in his throat, getting anxious.

"I'll see you at lunch." He said with a wink. 

He left it at that and went his way up the steps, going down the hallway. My blood boiled and got too caught up with what he said that I didn't notice someone cut me for taking too long and got inside before me. I snapped out of it and put my hand up to the door and hurried into the school. I searched for a familiar face and found Ashton's.

I walked right up to him, fists balled to my sides. 

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