"Fucking slut," I mumbled as the teacher taught at the front of the class. Tara still sat near me, somehow some way, despite everything that had occurred. The back wasn't as filled out as the front of the class, so there was literally only desks between me and her. We might as well own this section of the class. I guess nobody wanted Ms. Applebottom for Physics this year, as far as fifth period.
"Bitch," she mumbled back, writing on her sheet of paper at the same time.
"You'd be surprised to know that's your legal name," I mumbled back. It was corny...I know. But I can't stand Tara.
"You'd be surprised to know nobody wants to smell allat when you talk shit," she snapped. Okay, see that was more corny than my statement.
"Leave Nolina alone," I told her, switching tactics.
"I needa straighten you out again?" she asked me, this time at regular voice level as she turned my way and gave me a hard look.
I froze, not knowing what to say or feel.
"You bugging bruh. Weirdo," I rolled my eyes, looking back down at my paper. My hands were starting to shake and I didn't know why. I didn't say anything else the rest of the class; just texting Caren and learning about all the dumb shit we had to do for the rest of the year.
Class ended and I started shoving all of my crisp papers into my bag, not giving a fuck that they crumbled as they went past the glossy new binders inside that the papers honestly could have been placed neatly into.
"Cat got your tongue?" Tara said, sounding slightly amused as she purposefully passed down my half empty row and headed for the door.
I fumed, putting my shit up and hoping I'd get my things into my bag in time for me to go out into the hall and handle her ass.
I'd show her fucking straightening out.
"Gialla," Caren called my name from the doorway, giving Tara a dirty look as she passed by.
"Caren," Tara nodded at my friend as she left the room. Caren ignored her, coming into the class and helping me put up my things. She pulled out all of my papers and straightened them out properly, sliding them into a random folder. "What happened?"
"Too much. They really are going together. They gotta be. With the way Tara was acting," I grumbled.
"Have you thought about taking to Lina at all? Has she text you? Have you text her?" she asked, trying to sound optimistic and resourceful.
"No. And I don't want to," I said coldly, "I'd let somebody talk about my mom before I switched up on a friend."
"Oh, really?" Caren chuckled, "Because I recall that fight you had with that Brazilian girl from eleventh grade quite differently."
"I mean...I've grown some," I defended myself, "If I know it ain't true then I don't feed into the words no more. It's only with Tara that I'm that way," I sighed. I slung my backpack over my shoulder, glancing over at my friend, "You can pick friends. And once you do, you should always stick together because a friendship is the only type of family you can really make...at least for now. Lina was my friend. You're my friend. This shit is just wrong."
"Well, I don't know if this will make you feel better or not, but I'm not that way," Caren gave me a small smile. "Plus, I didn't even think Nolina liked girls."
"Well, apparently she does now. I wonder why she couldn't come tell me all this shit woman to woman."
"Hold on now," Caren laughed, holding onto my shoulder as we entered the halls. "You acting like she took Tara from you or some shit."
I paused for a second, giving Caren a look.
"More like Tara took my friend from me."
"You like Nolina...or something?" Caren asked tentatively, biting her lip a little as she glanced over at me.
"What? No!" I stopped walking, looking at her like she was crazy.
"I'm just asking," she held up her hands in defense, "I don't know your feelings and you don't know mine's unless we tell each other."
"I'm good on that. Nolina's hella fine but...I've always thought of her as a friend. Until now," I frowned.
"You never told me what Tara did to make you sooo...anti-Tara," Caren said softly. "Stop!"
"What, girl?" I looked over at her like she was crazy.
"This is the class."
"Okay. But damn. Yeen gotta yell," I stated.
"Mine is just down the hall. I already know," I shrugged. "I'll meet you here after class."
"Okay. And if you see Fake Friend or Bitch?" Caren prompted.
"Knock both of them upside the head," I nodded to myself, pretending to walk away.
Caren snatched me back to the doorway. "No. Ignore them," she stressed.
"Fine," I sighed, giving her a side hug. "You my rock for real, you know that?"
"Yeah whatever."
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