UNSTEADY ➳ JEFF ATKINS

[10; CHAPTER TEN]

➳CHAPTER TEN

The music from the gymnasium could still be heard from down the corridor, as Marie stood in the bathroom mirror, fixing at irritating loose piece of hair that apparently didn't want to stay in place, before she planned on heading home. Zach had had too much to drink judging by the giddy bounce in his step, so walking seemed like the only option. Marie didn't usually crave a long walk, but the night was calm and she needed time to think.

"Do I look tipsy enough?" a girls voice echoed down the corridor, floating into the bathroom where Marie stood. 

"You're basically crawling along the floor," another replied, this time a lot closer. The voices were accompanied by the sound of cackling laughter, and of high heels conquering the corridor floor. 

Marie, recognised the voices all too well, but before she had a chance to grab her purse from the windowsill and fix the rebel piece of hair, the flock of girls had entered the bathroom claiming their territory immediately with defiant glares. Isabella Mancini, who Marie had only held brief conversation with when buying her formal ticket, failed to notice the shorter girl as she took her cherry pink lipstick out of her clutch bag and began to add another layer to her plump lips, effortlessly allowing it to glide along her cupids bow. With her free hand, she offered support to her drunken friend, who headed straight for a free cubicle, all of which where vacant, apart from the one on the end. Following the two of them in was Courtney Crimsen, who looked straight at Marie but refused to acknowledge her, her hand running through her hair as though trying to pluck a thought from her mind. And then, the cherry on top, Kelsey frickin' Reagan waltzed on in, and unfortunately in Kelsey's gleaming eyes Marie was not invisible.

Marie attempted to get past her and out of the door, but when Kelsey spoke, her lilac shoes sunk into the floor. Her voice was low, and a tinge of annoyance was present, "Well, well, well. If it isn't Mary Bell."

"That's not my name," Marie whispered, for once unable to roll her eyes at the sound of somebody mistaking her name. 

"What is your name then? Boyfriend stealer? Bitch?" With every rhetorical remark, Kelsey's eye's grew wider and her eyebrows raised a little higher. Their was such disgust in her voice, and even her mocking laughter refused to ease the tone.

"Chill out Kelsey, you and Jeff aren't even dating," Isabella sighed as she smacked her lips together. The alcohol doing the talking for her as she did something her mind wouldn't have even been able to comprehend sober; she dared to argue with Kelsey Reagan.

Yet Kelsey was not fazed nor was she dazzled by her friends sudden lack of allegiance towards her, shutting down the girls bravery in three harsh words, "Shut up Isabella!"

Marie found herself biting her lip, the gloss from the start of the night had disappeared without a trace. Confrontations weren't really her style and she hated arguing with people in general, so being trapped in this situation was the epitome of things she tried to avoid.