Freedom

Chapter 24

     I pulled myself together; no one could see me cry in public. I wasn’t a baby anymore, and I knew if Felecia saw me crying she would get pure satisfaction. There was no reason to be crying, but at the same time there was. I trusted my best friend, and my boyfriend, and they both took advantage of it, and had sex with each other.

“Are you going to be okay?” Jade asked, curiosity shown across her face, she hugged me one last time.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I shouldn’t have cried like that,” I responded truthfully.

   I assured her I would be fine for the rest of the day, and told her I’d meet her at lunch. I walked to my class, the five minute bell ringing, telling us we have five minutes to get to class. I walked faster, looking keeping my head up, I saw people looking at me, probably hearing the rumors about me-if there were any. I smiled at them and kept walking, I could do this. Screw what Felecia said, I had Jace, that’s what all matters.

   I sank down in my chair at lunch, Felecia just didn’t tell Jade, but the whole population at Bancroft. It wasn’t that big of a rumor, honestly, but to Felecia and how many people sucked up to her, it was. I saw her sitting at the table I used to sit at, with Ryan and Evan and all of them. I looked down and saw I was sitting with Jade, and her crew of friends. I saw Felecia look dead into my eyes, a mischievous look in them, I knew that meant trouble. If there was anything in the world that she loved was being the center of attention; she had to have all eyes on her at all times, no matter the cost. Her hair was braided to the side in a long braid flowing down her shoulder, her make-up was light. She was wearing a light pink long sleeved top from Alice + Olivia, with her beige skinny jeans from Citizens of Humanity, and her shoes of course were silver high heels from Prada to match her silver jewelry. She obviously, and always looked she stepped out of a Vouge magazine. I saw her get up from her table, with a devilish smile, and slowly walk over to where I’m sitting.

“Don’t worry, I got you,” Jade whispered in my ear.

  “No, I got it,” I said back to her, surprised that I said that, my heart thudding in my ears.

 I didn’t know what was going to happen, I never knew with Felecia, she was unpredictable as it comes. But I knew she was going to take her own threat that she said to me seriously, and make it happen. The whole school already thought I was the whore, so she had them on her side. As she walked passed other people, I saw them go quiet, all eyes on her. They all knew what was bound to happen; they’ve seen her have that same smirk on her gorgeous face millions of times to know what’s coming up.

  “Hey,” she came up to me, smiling at me, but I was her ex-best friend, I knew what was going to happen. I saw the cold stony look in her eyes.

  “Hey,” I said cooly, not wanting to talk to her.

  “So, you and Jace are a thing now, huh?” She said sweetly.

“Yes,” I said and smiled in her face.

  “I told you to stay away from him. He’s mine, not yours, but you didn’t listen,” I heard her voice raise a few octaves; she wasn’t keeping her cool as usual.

“He was never yours in the beginning,” I said, and looked at her in the eyes. I saw a spark go in her eye, meaning she was trying not to scream. My heart thudded in my ears, and I didn’t know what she would do next. I never knew with her.

  “At least I never cheated on Evan,” she said loud enough for people around us to stop their conversations and pay attention to her.

  I knew she was trying to turn the tables, and make me the bad one. I knew she wanted me to get mad, and cause the whole scene. I knew her all too well.

  “No, I never cheated on him, but you screwed him over this past summer when I went to Italy,” I responded, trying to keep calm. I saw emotions sweep across her face just for an instant. Humility, and rage, but she covered it up in an instant.

  “That’s not true; I never had sex with him at all. You’re making it up, trying to make me seem like the bitch, but I’m not. I would never do that to you, but I can see you would take Jace from me, I thought he was the one for me,” she said, her voice cracking.

   I knew it was all an act, she wanted Jace as a toy, she wanted to use him for her own personal amusement. I thought quickly on what I should do, I always thought before I spoke, a good trait to have. I looked her in the eyes, her eyes shown a familiar gleam in them, always a mischievous gleam. She was only doing this so people could see how terrible of a person I was. I stood up facing her, realizing I was a few inches taller than her, and I had to look down.

  “No, you screwed the guy I was dating while I was with my family in Italy. Don’t lie in front of all these people; you know exactly what you were doing. You were a terrible best friend who did nothing but lie and talk about me behind my back. You’re a terrible person. I never stole Jace from you; you wanted nothing to do with him except use him for your own personal amusement.” I looked calm and steady, but inside me I was nervous, I could feel myself shaking and told myself to get a grip. I could do this. Everyone was dead silent, watching intensely waiting for someone to get slapped. I scanned my eyes around the room, and Evan was watching and looked shocked. I stood up for myself for once, something I do not ever do.  “By the way, Evan called you a whore, I didn’t believe him, but now I do. I can see you are, and you do a shitty job as a best friend. I’m glad we aren’t friends anymore. My whole life I’ve been run over by you, and I’m through with it. Ever since we stopped being friends, I felt like I didn’t have to inform you, and ask you to do stuff. I hope you and Evan have fun having sex, I don’t want him, take my trash,” I responded.

  I grabbed my stuff, and saw all eyes on me surprisingly, and not on Felecia. She was for once at loss for all words, which was shocking. She always had something to say, and could infinitively go off on someone. I walked out of the lunch room, wanting to just suddenly go home and forget this day ever happened. I heard footsteps behind me, and saw Jade.

  “Hey,” she said catching up to me.

  “Hey,” I said, walking to the parking lot.

  “Where are you going in such a hurry? Slow down,” she responded, and I slowed down.

  “I really in all honesty want to go home,” I responded as we got to our cars.

  You need to take a breather, you’re shaking,” she responded.

  I didn’t realize it, but I was. My whole body was shaking and I couldn’t stop. I grabbed Jade’s water out of her hand and chugged it, trying to calm down. I knew I was going to be okay, I knew I would be fine. I had Jace and Jade, that’s all I needed.

  “Hey, my friends and I are going to the movies tonight, and we want you to come, you can bring Jace too,” she said, patting my shoulder affectionately.

  “That sounds great, I’ll call Jace after school. But I do want to leave,” I responded, unlocking my car.

  “Good idea, I’ll meet you at your house,” she responded climbing into her car.

   Tonight was going to be a good night, I could survive the rumors at school, and Felecia’s glares. But most of all I had Jace.