Hide and Secret (Wattys2015)

(7) Serena's POV

After about four more boring classes (just because I was trying to be a good girl didn't mean that I was actually interested in school), I met up with Taylor right outside the cafeteria. Earlier, we had planned to confront Jill about the notes she was sending us. Now, we had to devise a plan on how to go about doing that. I mean, we couldn't exactly just go in there and blurt everything out like idiots. Nobody would believe us. No, this had to be done subtly.

"So, what's our plan?" I asked Taylor as soon as she got within hearing distance of me.

Everyone was staring at us, probably wondering why the former bad girl who just mysteriously returned from "boarding school" was talking to the former fat girl who was a social outcast. Taylor's cheeks immediately flushed cherry red (she obviously wasn't comfortable with people staring at her), as she hunched her shoulders, trying to hide. I simply cocked an eyebrow at the small group of people who stubbornly refused to look away. When that didn't work, I gave them a sharp glance that made them scurry away like mice.

Once everyone was gone, we resumed our conversation. Taylor bit her lip. "I don't know what we should do. Maybe... We should just ask her nicely to leave the cafeteria and confront her there?"

I held back a sharp laugh. No way was Jill going to go out into the hallway with us. Jill liked to be in control of a lot of things. She wouldn't ever listen to people like Taylor or me. "Yeah, that's not going to work," I answered bluntly, trying to hide my giggle.

Taylor glared at me. "Well, do you have any better ideas?" she snapped.

I thought for a moment, quickly realizing that I actually didn't. Taylor's idea, though it was a bad one, was still the only thing we had. And there wasn't much time. I shrugged. "Fine," I said quickly.

The two of us walked in the cafeteria together, and I scanned the room for Jill's table. It figured... She was exactly where I thought she'd be. The table we had claimed since freshman year was still standing, with Jill, Kai, and Emory in their rightful spots. Other people there were captain of the lacrosse team Andrew, whom I had gone out with very, very briefly in the eighth grade, and some unknown freshman that Jill had obviously decided to mentor. She had white-blonde hair done in an impressive fishtail braid. She was also sitting in my original seat.

It's not your seat anymore, a little voice told me. Jill hates your freaking guts.

Well, that was true.

I also saw Theo, his eyes on me. I gave him a small wave, and he waved back as soon as Jill's back was turned. It was obvious that Jill didn't want him to be around me. But Theo didn't seem to mind me. Maybe it was because of what we had done together, because of our history. I wasn't sure. But I did know this: Theo was on my side. I could trust him. The way he saved me from Chuck proved that.

As Taylor and I stepped towards the table, I could feel everyone's eyes on us. Nobody approached Jill's table if they weren't welcome. No one. They'd get ridiculed, harshly criticized and verbally attacked, if they ever did make that mistake. But Taylor and I plowed on. Taylor kept her eyes to the floor, a steady flush creeping up her cheeks. God, she got so nervous around people. I had begun to realize that Taylor was just naturally self conscious. She didn't like people staring at her, or drawing unnecessary attention to herself. It was like she still thought that she was that fat girl everyone used to laugh at, point at, and ridicule.

I kept my head held high, even though people were still whispering about us being in "forbidden territory".

"God, they've got some guts," a girl I recognized from my math class muttered to the boy next to her.

"Or they're just plain stupid," replied the boy, who had a lip piercing that he was fiddling with.

Once we got to Jill's table, it took them a minute to notice us there. They were so engrossed in their conversation. From the bits and pieces I was able to make out, it had something to do with some party they were all going to. I felt a small pang in my chest. I used to be on the list for those parties. Until I got on Jill's bad side. Now, I knew how all those people we had hurt felt.

"Um, excuse me..." Taylor said, trying to get them to notice us. Only, she said it very timidly and quietly, so none of them heard him and her voice was just washed out with all the sound. I gave her a nudge to try again, raising an eyebrow as a signal to be louder. So Taylor tried once more. "Uh, guys...?"

The group still kept on talking, and I gave Taylor an exasperated look. She was still being way too quiet. They couldn't hear her. Sighing, giving an eye roll of annoyance, I slammed both of my palms on the edge of the lunch table, making a loud bang that resonated through the cafeteria, bouncing off the walls.

Jill, Kai, and Emory all jumped in surprise. Andrew gave me an annoyed glance, as if I was an irritating flea whose sole purpose in life was to make his life more difficult. The freshman girl got so scared that when she jumped her mashed potatoes, which had been on a spoon halfway to her mouth, smeared all over her face. Blushing, she grabbed a napkin and wiped it off of her face.

Theo was grinning. "Way to make an entrance, Marsden," he cheered. A split second after, I heard a dull thud and suddenly Theo was wincing. Jill must have kicked him.

I gave him a smile and a small wave, then turned to Jill. "We need to talk to you," I said, my voice booming with confidence.

Jill snorted. "We? Talking to imaginary friends, Serena?"

I turned to point to Taylor next to me, but I discovered that she was hiding behind me. Coward. I pulled her out from behind me. "Yes, we."

Jill's eyes turned into slits, and I could tell that she was confused as to why Taylor and I were even socializing. She opened her mouth to say something, probably scathing. But Theo interrupted her. "Do you want to speak with her in the hallway?"

Taylor opened her mouth, letting out a small squeak. I coughed, and nodded. Theo looked at Jill, who glared at him as she got up and walked out, with Taylor and me scurrying at her heels. Even Jill knew that it was nearly impossible to argue with Theo.

Once we were safely in the hallway, Jill folded her arms. "What do you want?" she spat. "Make it quick."

I looked at Taylor, who looked like her mouth was glued shut. I sighed. Looked like I'd be the one talking. "Have you been sending us... creepy text messages?"

Jill's face paled so much that she looked almost white. She looked around like a frightened mouse. "What do you know?" she whispered.