Red

Chapter Six

Veronica POV:

I walk into school and then immediately to the bathrooms. I have to think this through.

Heather Chandler kissed me. The supposed 'demon queen' of high school kissed me of all people. I approach the sink, running the water and splashing some on my face. Ok, maybe that wasn't the best plan, but at least I'm slightly less detached from reality now. I grab a paper towel and dry my face, heaving a sigh as I look into the mirror at myself.

What could someone like her see in me? I'm decent-looking, sure, but I'm no gem. She could have found a gem. She could have found herself multiple gems. Instead, she found me, and she kissed me. What do I even say to her? Do I speak to her at all today, or did she regret her decision?

I'm overthinking this. She was probably just emotional. I get emotional sometimes, and sometimes I get super cuddly and- God, but I wouldn't kiss someone if I was emotional! I guess Heather Chandler experiences emotions differently than I do.

The bathroom door swings open, and I brace myself to see Chandler standing in the doorway. Instead, I see Martha. I breathe a sigh of relief. "Hey, Martha," I say.

"Hey," she replies. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Oh, I... I was sick," I say. "Migraines, I mean. You know how those can be."

"I don't believe that for a second," she tells me. A smile spreads across her face. "You were with Heather, weren't you?"

I can't lie to my best friend. "Yeah..." I admit.

"I knew it! How'd it go?" she asks.

"How'd what go?" I reply.

"Whatever you two did yesterday!" Martha seems excited. Why is this making her so happy?

"We didn't do anything," I say, almost too quickly. "I mean, we went to the mall. She bought me some sunglasses, and then she got a skirt, and she drove me home. It's really nothing."

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

God, she knows me too well. Should I tell her? Would Chandler be mad? Probably not. Hopefully not. I mean, you'd think she'd understand me telling my best friend and all. "Ok, well she sort of, um..." There's no way to phrase it nonchalantly. "She kissed me," I say finally.

"She kissed you?" Martha asks excitedly, and rather loudly.

"Hey, not so loud," I say nervously. "Do you want the whole school to know?"

"I knew you liked her." A smug smile spreads across Martha's face. "You just didn't want to admit it."

"How did you know?" I ask. "I didn't even know. I still don't know..."

"It's ok if you're not sure yet, but I sense a crush," Martha tells me. "It's good. It'll give you something to distract you this year. You're too focused on college. You have to take time to enjoy things, Ronnie!"

"But she's not a distraction, Martha, and she definitely isn't things. She's..." I try to think of the right words. "She's so much more than that. It's not something I can really explain."

"Well, I'm glad you found someone unexplainable," Martha replies, smiling brightly.

"If she even feels that way about me," I say. "For all I know, she regrets it."

"I'm sure she doesn't," Martha replies. "Why would she?"

I hear a stall door open, and my heart stops. Someone's been in here the whole time. I turn my head to see who just walked out of the stall. Heather Duke stands there, looking rather pleased with herself. "Well isn't that sweet?" she sneers. "The greasy little nobody finds love with the mythic bitch of Westerburg High. That's touching, really."