Cruel Me

Chapter 3: Smells Like Teen Spirit (present)

(present)

Numb.

There was no word better to describe it. My eyes were trained to the other side of the cafeteria and all I felt was... numb.

"You gonna drink that?" Alfie asked, pointing to my milk.

I shook my head in answer. He took the carton of milk from my tray, but then Connie grabbed it from him and drank before he could.

"Hey!"

She shrugged. "Snooze, you lose."

I ignored them and kept my eyes on the basketball team's table. I used to steal secret glances with Snow whenever she was sitting there.

Happiness. Pain. Hatred.

I used to feel something.

Now, nothing.

"Stop staring," Connie told me. "It's pathetic."

Finally, my eyes left that table. I looked at Connie beside me, who dyed her shoulder-length hair silver white just this weekend. She looked badass.

"Is it?" I said quietly. My jaw clenched, then I continued with a hard tone, "Whenever I look at their fucking faces, all I see is fire. I'm only reminding myself why I shouldn't take mercy."

At that, she shut up and looked away. Alfie exhaled, leaning back in his seat.

"Last time we retaliated," he started, "it backfired."

"That's on me," I admitted. "I shouldn't have played with fire." Like you said.

It burned. It burned so fucking bad.

"Ain't your fault, man."

"Alfie's right," Connie agreed, with a frown. "That bitch would've done the same thing regardless. Your only mistake was thinking she had a choice."

"Don't start," I warned.

She rolled her eyes in turn.

I was about to tell her off when my eyes caught on something behind her, something familiar. I studied the person as she took a seat with her friends a few tables away from us. None of them looked familiar besides the girl. Where had I seen her before?

It wasn't until she made a sheepish look at her friend that I realized that it was the sweatpants girl. I almost didn't recognize her with her black hair down. This time, she was wearing a knitted sweater over a dress.

It still puzzled my mind why she helped us last Friday night. She didn't look anything like a trouble-maker. More like a laid back Mary Sue. But then, who was I to talk? I knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving.

I faintly noticed Frisco join us at the table.

"What are we talking about?" he asked, oblivious to the tension.

"Revenge," I simply replied.

Frisco didn't answer, making me turn to him. He had on a grim face as he stared into space, not even touching his food.

See? Even he was pissed. He who was the usual good guy. He who didn't like holding a grudge against anyone. For him to react like this, you could guess that it was really damn bad. Then again, it wasn't just us. It affected the whole team, too.

Frisco looked at me seriously. "What's the plan?"

The corner of my lips curled up in a small smirk.

"Still figuring it out. We need to be cautious."