All the Wrong Reasons

It never rains...

Chapter 14:

Of course, it wouldn’t long before Kathy tried to get revenge, I was sure. It would take her longer, probably because she wanted it to be particularly evil. She had done nasty rumours and she had done assault with various hot drinks. She needed time to regroup and come up with the coup de grace.

I knew Kathy was up to something because I kept coming upon her whispering with her friends while glancing at me in a way she probably thought was discreet. I really didn’t care. I had through the whole spectrum of emotions, from despair to anger, with stops at indignation and hurt, and I had finally gotten off the train at indifference. Anyway, I had other things to think off, such as exam revision, preventing my mother from having a nervous breakdown, surviving my father’s wedding, and avoiding any deep, heart to heart conversations with anyone. Everyone was at it now, even my father and my soon to be stepmother.

“Penny for them” Nathan said, hopping up on to the picnic table next to me. While the coffee attacks had lessened, eating in the cafeteria was too stressful. Being constantly on the lookout for assailant with cardboard cups did spoil my enjoyment of lunch somewhat.

“Hello Nathan” I said flatly. Our relationship had cooled slightly recently, as I was still miffed about him spilling the beans about me to Jessy. “Just wondering what Kathy will be doing to me next”

“How do you know she hasn’t tired of being mean for you?”

“Nathan, I threw coffee in her face. She thinks I stole her boyfriend. She’s not going to let that go in a hurry.”

“I wouldn’t worry about Kathy. She’ll leave you alone soon”

I frowned at him.

“What are you planning?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Nothing. Just thinking out loud. If you’d just go and see Connor, you could ask him to call her off”

“Drop it” I snapped. Nathan looked exasperated but didn’t add anything.

“Anyway, are you doing anything nice for the holidays?” I asked. It was the last day of class before half-term. I was awaiting the break with unbridled anticipation. I leant back and opened my cardigan, soaking a few rays of weak British sunshine.

“I’m going skiing in the Alps”

“Well, well, well, someone us live the good life, don’t they? I’m surprised you bother to hang about with us plebs.”  

Nathan bumped me with his shoulder.

“So what are you doing, clever clogs?”

“Revising, and going to Cornwall to spend a week with my grandmother”

“That sounds great” Nathan said with forced jollity.

“Well it’ll be nice to get away from this dump. I’ve had enough of seeing certain faces everyday”

“I’m crushed”

“Not you, stupid, even you’re probably fed up with me by now”

“Don’t be like that, Annabeth” he sighed.

“What?” I rose an eyebrow at him “It was joke”

“Stop putting yourself down all the time. People only walk all over you because you let them.”

“Did you and Jessy graduate from the same psychology school?”

“You walk around with a face like a wet Sunday, letting people be nasty to you. Stand up to them a bit. Show them the real the Annabeth Genkins. Show them the girl who kissed a stranger on a picnic table ten minutes after meeting him”