Imaginary Friend

Chapter 20 - Celia's Confrontation

 I could hear Jack's voice echo in the hallways as he called out for me to stop and rethink my actions. But I ignored his voice, even though it was bouncing off of the walls and landing straight into my ear. I maintained my strong, angry face as I walked to Quinn's group. I knew they were across the school because there was always a crowd of people bustling about. People always wanted to be close to the popular kids, and it didn't help that Quinn's group stood right in the middle of where everyone usually is when they get out of their clubs. In fact, I just came from there and had to walk by Quinn, Elle, Cindy, and Josh, their smug faces staring at me, just taunting me with no words having to be spoken. 

That's the thing about them. They can taunt you and they don't even need to open their mouths. One glance from them and you can tell they're silently judging you. I normally didn't even care enough to approach them and explain that their actions are just crude and indecent and no human being alive should ever say the things they say or do the things they do because no one should ever feel like they have a right to judge others based on lack of popularity, money, whatever it may be. I admit, there have been times when I've wanted to walk out of my class armed with some really good comebacks that would definitely make them think twice about picking on me ever again. Although I have fantasized about putting them in their place on numerous occasions, I've never actually had the will to do it. Maybe because I'm shy or just don't want to get into a conversation with them. They're too stupid for me to even try to reason with them.

But this time, it was different. It wasn't me they had humiliated or isolated from their stone cold group, it was Jack. My best friend. The one boy that I cared about more than anyone in this entire world. You can mess with me, but you better leave him the heck alone unless you want a storm coming your way. After hearing from Jack about what they did to him at their stupid party and how they tricked him and how conniving and snake-like they were to him, I was not going to hold back anymore. I was going to finally, after years and years of enduring their unrelenting taunts, wisecracks, and nearly mental and social torture, I was going to finally inform them of their actions. I know that they know their actions are harmful and they like making people feel absoltuley worthless and humiliated on a daily basis with absoltuley no consequences to their actions, but it was definitely going to be different this time. There was going to be consequences, and those consequences were going to be someone finally saying something to them and telling them that they can't get away with everything just because they're popular.

I marched over to their group, seeing them talking in their little clique. My fists were curled out of anger, even though I wasn't planning on throwing any punches, and my teeth were gritted. My eyebrows furrowed and, to get everyone's attention, I slammed my foot down on the floor creating a loud thump and clack with my little heel that could be heard by everyone in a 10 foot radius of where I was. Everyone's heads whipped around to face me. The hallway was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Quinn turned back to me with a startled look on her face. Her face changed quickly back into one of disgust. "What do you want, freak?" She asked me in her nasally voice. "Did you have a party last night?" I asked, firmly. She looked back at her friends and nodded. "Yes," she smirked, "so sorry we didn't invite you, but there was no room for freaks that talk to imaginary people." Everybody started to laugh and the quietness of the hallway disappeared so no one could hear me.

I completely ignored her snide remark and stamped my foot on the ground again, creating a louder sound. Everybody seized laughing and turned back to me like deer in headlights. Quinn's face went back to surprised. "What is it that you want?" She demanded to know. Her boyfriend, Josh, crossed his arms to appear intimidating and her friends were still standing next to her with sassy looks on their faces. "Did you invite Jack to this soirée of yours?" I asked, even though I knew the answer. They started to lightly chuckle and cleared their throats. "Why, yes we did, did you not hear?" Quinn chuckled. I slammed my hand on her locker, slamming it shut instead of open like it was before. "This is not a joke! Quit your chuckling!" I yelled. I could tell everybody tensed up and focused on me more intently. 

"Jack told me everything you did. You lied to him, you said he'd be welcomed with open arms, and you dumped water on him and humiliated him in front of the entire school!" I yelled. Quinn crossed her arms. "That was the plan. Thanks for reciting it back to me." Everyone chuckled again. I curled my fists up. "How can you feel proud about what you did!? He was a new student, and by that one hurtful action of yours, you could've ruined his social life forever! Just because you're popular doesn't mean you get away with everything you do. I know that now." I glared at her. Quinn walked up to me, getting in my face a bit. "What's he going to do, tell his mommy? He doesn't even have parents. I know, I overheard your conversation. He's just some loser that happened to befriend another loser and believed that he could be sarcastic and smart to the truly popular kids. He's just someone who thinks he's cool and we put him in his place. He's just a freak." That was the final straw.

My eyes welled up with tears of anger for my friend. "You..you do not get to judge him like you do everyone else. Jack is the sweetest, funniest, most creative boy I have ever met. He is highly intelligent and witty, unlike you, and you don't even deserve to be in his presence. You were the ones who wanted to dump your boyfriend because Jack came along and he was so gorgeous, and you were the ones who didn't leave him alone. He was only defending himself and he was only defending me, and now you think that gives you the right to humiliate him and call him a freak and judge him this harshly!?" I screamed. Quinn was surprised, and so was everyone else. I had never yelled at anyone before, and definitely not to the queen of the school. I stepped forward, making Quinn shrink back and almost fall backwards. "You do not even have the right to deem him anything other than way above you and out of your league. He is amazing and if you can't get that through your thick skull, than fine." I huffed. "But you will never humiliate him in that way again." My voice went an octave lower than normal and they could tell I wasn't always going to be the shy girl everyone thought I was.

Quinn looked back at me, a shocked look on her face. She looked at the people that were gaping at us in awe and surprise, then back at her friends who were also speechless. She turned back to me and was looking at me in shock before she realized something and smirked at me, evilly. "Why are you defending him so much? I get that he's your friend, but those extravagant details about his personality and..you called him gorgeous? That's a bit much from just a friend." Her tone of voice sent chills down my back. "I'm defending my best friend, do you have a problem with what I say about him?" I growled. Quinn smirked and started walking towards me. I backed up cautiously, while still trying to remain firm. "Something makes me think you want to be more with him." My eyes went wide. "Y-You don't have a right to assume anything of the sort!" I yelled back at her. "Then tell me, Celia, why do you defend him like that? Why not just say he's your friend?" Quinn pressured, her friends swarming in around me with giant smirks on their faces. "I don't have to a-answer to you!" I stuttered. "Tell us if you aren't afraid!" Quinn shouted. "Leave me alone!" I screamed, tears in my eyes. "Tell us!" Quinn screamed again.

"Because I love him!" 

My eyes went wide and so did everyone else's. I covered my mouth to avoid blurting out anything else. I stood around, staggering a bit, looking at everyone with wide eyes. They were all so shocked and utterly speechless, as was I. Quinn smirked. "I knew it. You two are perfect for each other. Freak and freak." She turned back to her group. "Come on guys, we should go. Jack could be coming any minute, let's leave the lovebirds alone." Everyone started to walk away from me and eventually left me alone in the empty hallway. I couldn't believe what I had just admitted. I guess I did love Jack, in that way. I never really admitted it to myself, and others, until just now. What should I do? Does he even love me in that way? No use worrying about what could be, I have to tell Jack my feelings and see how he responds. Hopefully I don't get rejected by my best friend and now..my love.