Chapter Thirty Seven
Tray looked more nervous than I felt. He spun the keys around on his index finger while he waited impatiently for us to get ready to leave the house. I knew he was having an internal meltdown, because I was having one of my own. We couldn’t discuss our impending doom though, since my best friend was standing in the living room with us.
Krista had repacked the outfit of my possible annihilation and said I could borrow it anytime. My brother shot me a look that spoke volumes. I wouldn’t be wearing anything like that as long as he was breathing.
My best friend didn’t ask for any explanation about why I had taken her stuff out of her locker. She was cool about things like that. Now, if only I could be cool and nonchalant too – no risk of that happening though.
My chosen outfit of the day was like clothing body armor. I had on leggings, blue-jean overalls, two tank tops, a thermal shirt, a long sleeved t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt over it. Then, I added my thick winter jacket. I could barely buckle my seat belt.
It appeared as though I had gained forty pounds in the past five days, but I didn’t care. I planned to wear everything I had on, all day long, no matter how scorching hot I felt. My internal fire protested this decision.
Nervous and jumpy, I tripped over the sidewalk at school. My heart pounded and was lodged squarely in my throat. Tray tapped his pocket to remind me that he had his cell phone if I needed to reach him. We exchanged a knowing glance. I didn’t want him to leave me anymore than he wanted to go but what choice did we have? The warning bell sounded, so we headed in opposite directions.
I looked over my shoulder and was startled by anyone who came anywhere near me. In order to avoid the dark hearts, I walked outside between classes instead of down the hallway. Sneaking around and paranoid, I managed to stumble across a group of kids secretly exchanging smokes. I apologized to them and they responded with nasty, suspicious looks. They returned to their delinquent activities without giving me another thought because time was limited.
My morning classes went by without a hitch. The nurse had called me to her office right before my lunch period began. I sent Tray a text message to let him know where I was going. I had no idea how long she would keep me tied up.
I told her that my ears were feeling much better. She gave me the “you’re the incredible lying girl” look, but I couldn’t bring myself to even stretch the truth anymore. Although the ringing had ceased, my mind could easily recall every last whining detail. I wasn’t about to chance a repeat performance in cosmic-payment for a lie.
After leaving her office, I walked at a snail’s pace toward the lunchroom and tried to gather my courage. My follow up appointment had taken up a few minutes of my lunch period. Everyone was already inside eating by the time I walked in.
The dark clique swarmed around the two first tables and none of them even looked in my direction. My inner fire settled into a low burn, so I took that as a good sign. I continued the thousand mile journey to my usual spot and tentatively glanced back in their direction again – still nothing.
Tray was sitting in my seat and stood up right when I arrived. We had created a non-verbal communication system this weekend so we could ‘speak’ today without using any words. He walked around my chair and then he squeezed both of my shoulders, twice. One squeeze meant he heard something bad and we are leaving. Two meant that everything was fine on his end and he didn’t have to use his obliteration on anyone either.
I squeezed both of his hands twice in response. That told him that no one had said anything to me out of the way and everything was perfectly fine on my end too. Feeling comfortable, we both relaxed. We had made it through the morning without any challenges.
Tray needed to leave for class. He said goodbye to everyone before he walked away. The girls at the table all replied “See ya’ soon, Tray…” in sappy unison, but he had already walked away. I rolled my eyes and Krista did the same.
I mouthed the words ‘where is Greg?’ because he wasn’t sitting with her. She pointed towards the lunch line. I instantly turned to investigate the dark clique. They are all huddled and engrossed in a conversation of some sort. Their whispered meeting made me nervous. I could easily recall Ember-volcano-day courtesy of the spaghetti prank. Then my heart started pounding in terror – Greg has to walk right by their table.
Cat Girl smiled and whispered something to the guy sitting next to her. Although they didn’t appear to be engaged in a sinister plot, I stink at reading people. I prepared to do something to intervene. I refuse to let the dark clique pull some cafeteria stunt on Greg. Before I could react though, I finally saw Krista’s boyfriend. He had already consumed the lone carton of milk he just purchased because he paid for it and then threw it away.
His hands were empty when he headed toward our table. I didn’t relax for a second though because the dark hearts obviously don’t need a plate of food to pull a prank. I cautiously watched as Greg walked through dark clique territory. They didn’t pay him the slightest bit of attention. I sighed in relief as he went around to the other side of the table to sit by my best friend.
“Ember, this is Greg La Cour and Greg this is Tray’s sister and my best friend, Ember,” Krista introduced us after he sat down.
“It’s nice to finally meet you. I feel like I’ve known you all…” I stated, but then I was interrupted.
The girls at our table rudely started talking in voices loud enough to startle the kids nearby.
“It’s really nice…” he tried to reply and they did it again – only louder this time.
I stared at our girl friends in wide-eyed, disbelief. They pretended not to notice my surprise or the fact that Greg was there or speaking. Turning to me, they asked me some silly question about Tray.
This whole scene was unbelievable. They actually thought I would willingly be a part of their rude insanity. That assumption was wrong.
Our male friends were sitting at the far end of the table. I waited for them to stick up for him and tell the girls they were being obnoxious. Tray would have said something humorous if he witnessed their outlandish and impolite behavior. He definitely would have taken up for Greg and made them feel bad for being rude divas.
I had come to expect more from guys because of Tray, but they would disappoint me. They started their own loud, offensive chat session and even tried to include me in it. My temper flared red-hot.
What are they trying to accomplish by this nonsense?? Maybe, it’s a joke at Greg’s expense. Or, do they want to freeze him out?
Well, I had been in Greg’s position a few short weeks ago. So their obnoxious behavior and social-freeze-out routine felt like a slap in my face, somehow.
My suspicious side decided the only reason the girls accepted me was because I have a super-hot brother. The guys had accepted me because Krista expected them to. That means they’re only pretending to like me.
Normally, none of this would have registered on my radar. Or even if it had registered, I wouldn’t have really cared. The last few days have left me fully aware of my surroundings, and who resides in my world. My eyes have been opened.
These kids are like alien creatures. I might have ignored their silly behaviors over the course of our friendship because of my inattention – but times have suddenly changed. I felt violated and ultimately betrayed. I had never experienced those things in my whole life, ever. I was righteously angry.
Krista wasn’t over exaggerating…
Celeste had warned me that I shouldn’t bottle up extreme emotions. They need to be released. I had no idea, when I gave her my promise to vent them, that they would pick today – of all days – to spew out like word vomit. Tray wasn’t even here to help me either. I’m learning though that sometimes life just happens, whether we want it to or not.
I picked up the closest item within my reach. It turned out to be Ally’s half eaten lunch plate. Then, I slammed it
down onto the table with a loud clang. Food sprayed everywhere. Ally landed in Jessica’s lap to get out of the way. The lunchroom instantly fell silent. Everyone looked at me and I felt the weight of their shocked stares.
“What, exactly, is everyone’s freakin’ problem around this table??” I shouted insanely, but no one answered me.
They were all struck silent by my surprising lunch plate-slamming act. My voice echoed like thunder. Now my so-called ‘friends’ were the ones, staring wide-eyed and speechless like I had been a minute ago. I certainly wasn’t going to pretend to ignore them though – not even close.
“I KNOW you did NOT just rudely interrupt Greg while he was trying to speak to me. I find it friggin’ remarkable that every last one of you failed to see him sitting right there in plain view. So let me assist you – rude and obnoxious people sitting at my table who are my so-called friends– meet Greg – a living breathing human being who happens to be right in front of you…
“Now that I have your undivided attention let me share a little piece of info that I acquired last week. It is thought that we are a table made up of losers and freaks. The source of this information mattered so little to me, that I dismissed her completely. Only low class, pathetic people tear down others to build up their own egos. It pains me to realize that someone so worthless might have been onto something though. It appears that you are all bent on trying to prove her right!” I exclaimed hotly.
I felt more powerful and courageous than I ever had in my life. My spirit light swirled happily, but stayed locked inside my body. My internal fire seemed to dance around in amusement.
Krista was beaming and Greg was looking at the floor wishing for it to open and swallow him alive, I’m sure. Everyone else sat in stunned silence in the wake of my newfound audacity. Then, I turned around to face the dark clique tables. Their piercing eyes stared back at me in surprise. Cat Girl shot me a look filled with daggers. I smiled and winked at her in response.
I had yanked off my winter jacket during my speech. I swiftly, removed my sweatshirt and pulled my hair down from its holder. Everyone could finally see me. I had nothing at all to hide from them or anyone. I grabbed my backpack and headed directly across the lunchroom. It was so quiet that a dropped pin would have echoed.
I waited until I was standing beside the dark clique tables before I said my final peace. I wanted to make sure they could all hear me, plainly before I announced…
“This loser is outta here…”
Ember Rising Light (Book One) Page 41
