Glorybringer AU ☆the fault in our stars☆

[18] New Beginnings (2)

☆Glory☆

"I'm going to try out for Scarlett O'Hara in three days," she announces as she sits next to us in the gym. Sunny eyes her with nervousness. "We literally share the same name, don't we? How thrilling."

Starflight speaks up. "Actually, yours end with one t and the character's name ends with--"

"Shut up." Scarlet looks at us, her eyes remaining at me for a long time. Her voice changes into something dripping with honey. "God, tell me your eyes are contacts, because if they aren't I'll be, like, freaking jealous."

"They aren't," I reply carefully. Scarlet's eyebrows raise, her eyes sparkling with interest. If a normal person told me they were jealous of my eyes, I would feel slight appreciation. But when she says it, she actually sounds like she wants to pluck my eyes out.

"You sound, like, really haughty," Scarlet says with a giggle. "I'm sorry. Is it a cancer thing or something? Thinking you're better than everyone else? Sorry, but it's not like you're that prettier than me. It was just a compliment. Like, when you compliment someone to get to know them better when you don't really mean it."

Leave it to Scarlet to make everything about cancer and beauty competition. "Sorry if I was rude, I was just replying to your question--"

"I don't care, let's talk about something else. Did I tell you I was going to try out for Scarlett? Because, obviously, I'm the prettiest one here and Scarlett's supposed to be pretty, right?"

Silence.

"Glory's also going to try out for Scarlett," Clay says bravely. "And she's really good."

"Um. Who are you?" Scarlet laughs at him, showing off her red nails as she covers her mouth. She flashes me an angry look. "Who are you trying out for, a fat circus man?" She turns to Peril for support, but Peril's lips are tightly pressed together.

"He's who your friend has been flirting with." Heat rushes to my face when Scarlet looks at Clay with laughing eyes.

She ignores my statement, although she does flash Peril a look of disbelief when Peril doesn't deny it. "So you're really trying out for the role?" Her voice has changed. "You? But I thought you had-- a disease. What was it? Leukemia?"

That took a turn, because Scarlet manages to ruin freaking everything. I would have brushed it off at any other day, but not today. I genuinely want to know why she's always talking about my cancer. "What does it have to do with anything? Why do you-- always make everything about leukemia?"

"I mean, what if you die or something while we were doing the play? I'm genuinely worried-- shouldn't you be in the hospital, sweetie? And if you're trying out, you're obviously going to get it because Mrs. Kestrel pities cancer children." Scarlet looks at her red nails without much interest, pouting. I have heard about her meanness, but right now she seems like she spits out hurtful things to people for fun. So Kestrel pities me, huh? I wonder what would have happened if she didn't pity me, because even her pitying stage is a literal hell. "Also, isn't leukemia contagious?"

Damn you and your ugly orange hair.

"I think I know my condition better than you, sweetheart," I spit back in return. "And no, leukemia isn't freaking contagious, go educate yourself for God's sake. Aren't you older? Maybe you shouldn't spend your time trying out for a role you aren't going to get and go study if you actually want to go to college. I'm shocked at your ignorance."

Scarlet lowers her hand to glower at me coldly. Probably because I haven't had the courage to talk back to her for a long time. "I'm sorry I don't want to educate myself on a disease I'm never going to get, unlike you. I also have a longer lifespan than a cancer patient, so I probably will have more time to study. Because you're going to die soon, right? Is that why everyone's worshiping you, because they feel sorry? Although, no offense. Did what I say offend you? I really don't want to offend cancer children, everyone will attack me for it."