They Could Care Less

40: Accidental Victory

"Mr. Janitor, Zachary, are you feeling okay?" Thea asked and handed him the small zip-lock bags that she had picked up. They were all filled with a dozen of different colored and sized pills each. He had picked up the bigger pill jars and he put them back into a small plastic bag as he answered.

"From the moment we are born, we're dying," he replied shortly and smiled a tired smile. "What one decides to do with that fact, is up to each individual."

"You're dying," she concluded and his smile grew.

"So are you, Ms. Smith, cherish the things and people you have around you before it's too late," he said before he walked off. Thea stared after him, until reality checked back in. She looked at her phone before she started to sprint through the hallways. Crap! One minute left!

"Finally," Thea mumbled to herself and packed away her things. She followed the stream of students out of the classroom and yawned as she exited. 

"Getting tired of your dirty lies?" Jessica asked, she had popped out of nowhere and had startled Thea slightly, but that's nothing she'd ever admit.

"I forgot you were in this class too, I did have a feeling someone was trying to snap my neck with their eyes," Thea said and smiled.

"So humorous even after your mom's death," Jessica said and had effortlessly hit a sensitive spot. Thea looked at her with a glare, and soon realized Jessica had done it intentionally.

"I have no idea what I've done to make you hate me this much to do these kinds of things, but at least now we both know how far you're willing to go to remain the queen of the nest," Thea hissed and walked away. Thea could almost sense Jessica smiling with pride. She calmed down after a while, though she felt disappointed in herself for letting Jessica get to her. She kept a low profile as she walked amongst the other students, it took her a few minutes to notice the pattern. Everyone was chatting happily and excitedly, not a sign of tiredness from today's classes. Soon Thea began to see new faces, faces she'd never seen before and they were all sending filthy looks to the people Thea recognized. And they in return did the same. What is going on? Thea asked herself as she tried to figure out where everyone was going. They were all on their way to the basketball court. Oh, the final game. I might as well go since I don't have any other plans, I might get to see Hussin score a few times.

"Hey, isn't that Thea Miller?" Thea heard someone whisper to their friend behind her. Thea stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. The two that had been whispering behind her back, literally, were two students from the opponent's shool joined by a few of their friends.

"Thea Smith," she corrected them coldly and they looked at her in silence.

"Pleasure to meet you," one of them said and stretched out his hand with an attempted charming smile. Thea looked at his hand, then back up at him. "I guess it's all my pleasure then," he mumbled and pulled back his hand.

"How many people are staring?" Thea asked quickly, hearing low whispering voices and catching people stare through the corners of her eyes.

"A good handful," they quickly replied and Thea nodded slowly with a little smile.

"I'm sorry for being rude, you just caught me off guard by switching my surname like that," Thea said and held out her hand. The same boy as before shook it with a smile.

"Understandable," they said and without anyone mentioning it, they all began to walk together towards the court, Thea included.

"Please excuse the stares and glares, this university is filled with rather... jealous and easily upsetted people, though they have their charms."