Status Quo

Chapter 9 - Isn't it lovely?

"Oh really?" she asked and peered at Shantele's phone, "I didn't ask Dave to take any though"

"He said that he just felt like doing a hidden camera prank to catch people sleazing around" I say the last part and look at Vicky and Riley with a smug look on my face, and once again Riley looses the color in her face while Vicky clenches her hands under the table.

"That's dope" Renae says, "let me see"

"Hold on" I say, let me just send it to you. After about 2 minutes of waiting Renae complains about not receiving any message, "I'm pretty sure I sent them to you" I pretend to search for the message before pasting a look of horror on my face, "oh no! I accidentally sent them to the school group"

Everyone at the table immediately whips out their phones and there are collective gasps, snickers and 'o's coming from the table. Everyone in the cafeteria now have their phones out and are whispering and pointing fingers at our table.

Vicky pulls out her phone and her eyes go wide and she looks at me staring back at her with a smug look on my face, "I'm so sorry" I gush out and try to appear sorry, "no one might actually realize that it's you"

"You little bitch!" Vicky fires out and I cock an eyebrow at her

"careful" I say and tsk, "someone might actually think you're talking to me" I then lean forward and prop my elbows on the table and place my head on them, "and we all know you don't want to talk to me like that"

Vicky is red with fury and Riley is shaking and we all can hear faint sobs coming from her

"I mean" I start and notice from the first time Micheal giving me a disapproving look which I ignore, "it's one thing to be shagging each other but it's another thing when you're shagging your best friend who's in a relationship with a dude" I shake my head in disapproval at this, "and a nice dude at that"

Vicky also begins to shake and I'm pretty sure it's not because she's crying but because she is trying to keep herself from lashing out at me which she must have already concluded to herself would be a horrible idea.

"Now you see how horrible it feels to be on the receiving end of bad words" I say, "even though on your part it's totally true"

"stop" I hear Jordan say but I ignore him. The times when Jordan had the authority to stop me from doing things has long gone and me ignoring him is a sign to everyone that we're not on good terms anymore.

"Next time you want to gossip false rumors about someone in such an open space, choose someone who is less likely to step on you" I say and as I am about to drop more insults a hand grabs mine in a strong grip, pulls me up from my chair and begins to pull me out of the cafeteria. I don't turn to look at the person but instead I keep looking at Vicky and Riley before shouting a last comment at them, "stay safe icky and slimy"

Outside in the open hallway I pull out of the persons grip and turn around and meet Micheals heated stare and I squirm a little.

"what the fuck is your problem" he asks and I flinch at the tone in his voice and begin to feel tears threatening to come loose.

"None of your business" I say and begin to move past him in order to not let him see me cry and realize that every cruel word I said to Vicky and Riley actually sent painful jabs to my heart.

Before I can move past him he grabs my arm and stops me from moving, "damn right it's not" he says icily, "and to think I thought better of you". After saying this he let's go of my arm and walks away, leaving me there to wallow in guilt.

Everytime I heard someone say in the movies 'to think I thought better of you' I always wondered why they'd look dejected and crestfallen but now that the same words were said to me I understand the pain that comes with the words.