The Best Kind of Betrayal

Chapter 32

Vivian is still furious during the next club meeting, but surprisingly not with me. Instead of the club room, we're in the gym hall decorating for prom, a work Carlos and Duncan unsuccessfully tried passing to the freshmen of the student council.

"The Christmas prom is our prom," Johnny told them, "We want to prove ourselves to the student council, not lean on them for help."

So here we are after classes ended, decorating the gym hall with long snowflake garlands, white curtains, fake snow spray and whatnots. Vivian joined me in preparing the tables, and while I feared she'll dice me with a butter knife, she simply gives me a sad smile.

"I heard you talking," Vivian tells me and starts folding napkins rapidly, "I know it's not your fault. Logan has to be delusional as hell to think you'll leave Matthew for him. I told you at the shooting, you guys look really cute together."

Vivian looks like she's trying her hardest for a neutral face, but her shoulders are slumped and there are dark circles around her eyes. Her hands are slightly shaking, but she produces beautiful napkin swans and snowflakes nevertheless. Meanwhile I try to remember any of the tutorials I watched, while secretly covering Vivian's every move.

"I'm really sorry, Vivian," I say, "I had no idea what he -"

"It's not your fault," Vivian repeats sternly and shakes her head, "Don't worry about it. Logan and I are so over, and that's it."

"Logan and you are over?" Liling screams through half the gym hall and drops a long garland in progress, "What are you talking about?"

Instantly, all eyes are on her and Logan, who looks pretty pitiful from atop a huge Christmas tree.

I don't think this is the way Vivian wanted everyone to know. She makes a distressed face and massages her temples.

"I broke up with him, that's what I'm talking about."

There's a silence where everyone tries to process what Vivian just said. The first one to react is Carlos, who probably knew what was up long ago since Kaia was not so successful in secretly hinting around.

"Good job," Carlos tells Vivian with a serious expression and even goes to pat her shoulder, "Really. You're too good for him anyway."

"What the hell?" Logan says with hands full of decorations, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Cheer up Viv," Matthew says from where he's busy with complicated looking set-ups, "Don't let this drag you down."

"Want to go to the prom with me instead?" Duncan asks, "Now that you're free, I mean."

Vivian makes a face. "Thank you, Duncan."

"Vivian, I'm sorry for your break-up," Johnny calls from his pretty risky stand on top of a ladder, "Don't let it affect your work though, we can't afford anyone slacking off so close to the prom."

Agatha walks over to us and places a strawberry milk carton in front of Vivian. "I'm really sorry, Vivian. I hope you're okay."

Vivian nods with a very stern expression. Logan looks completely defeated.

"What is this?" he protests and almost topples over his Christmas tree, "Why is everyone comforting her? You don't even know what happened!"

"I don't need to know what happened to know you fucked up," Carlos tells him.

Kaia sends a quick glance in my direction, before she also goes up to Vivian and takes her hand.

"Everything will be okay, you'll see," Kaia says, "Who needs boys anyway?"