Freaks Have More Fun

Chapter Twenty

 

Chapter Twenty~

 

 

 

Paige found Charles at Entropy, like she knew she would. He was sitting at the bar, chatting with the bartender. The room itself was basically empty, most people didn't arrive until later. That was good Paige decided, she didn't want an audience. Gathering her courage, she walked right up to her “boyfriend” and tapped him on his shoulder. The guilty look in his eyes when he turned around was enough.

 

“So darling, care to tell me how a cheerleader knew something about me that I only told you?” She asked sweetly, her smile nothing short of sickeningly sugary.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Charles snapped defensively. She laughed.

 

“You can stop pretending, I'm not an idiot. Tell me the truth, you fucking asshole.” The smile dropped from her lips as betrayal set in. “I thought you cared about me.”

 

“You thought I cared? God, you must be more gullible than I thought. People don't change overnight, Little Red. Especially not people like me. Although I am kind of upset that Ashlee wasn't careful with what she told Jenny... You weren't supposed to find out yet.”

 

“So you never really cared? This was all some- some joke to you? This was all just a way to break me or whatever? It's funny, I thought you were above that.”

 

Charles laughed, voice cold and mocking. “I'm not a good person Paige. I thought you knew this. You think I loved you? Cared about you? I didn't. Not for one minute. You were a game to me, something to play with because I was bored and you were interesting. Ashlee, despite being very good in bed, is boring after awhile. You made things more entertaining.”

 

Paige laughed, trying to keep herself from crying. “You know what? Fuck you Charles. Fuck you!”

 

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “You think that I need you? You think that I'm gonna be nothing without you? Cause you're wrong, Charles, you're dead wrong. I don't need the picture perfect boyfriend to be happy. I don't need popular friends to be worth something. My weight, the number of parties I go to, or how I spend my Friday nights doesn't define me. I'm my own person, I am worth something.” She took a deep, shuddering breath.

 

“Maybe it took me a long time to figure this out. I know I'm not the best person, I know I make mistakes. But I'm allowed to, I'm human. I don't need assholes like you, I don't need friends that weigh me down. I have people who care about me, the real me. And that's enough.”

 

The brunette turned away, not giving Charles a chance to reply. She stalked out of the room with her head held high. She was strong.

 

 

 

The weekend passed slowly, every second killing her. She didn't tell Haven or Dean what had happened. She wanted to explain in person. The days passed without rest and at some point she decided she'd tell them everything. About why she had started hanging out with them, about Charles, and about what she had figured out. It was three in the morning on Sunday night when she finally fell asleep.

 

Monday morning dragged by slowly. Each minute felt like a small eternity. Paige was falling asleep in class, eyes focused on the clock. She was anxious, worried about what haven and Dean would think. She didn't think she could stand to lose her two best friends. Because that's what they were, really. Her best friends. The best friends she had had in a long time.

 

She sent out two quick texts, telling them she needed to talk to them at lunch and waited. Minutes later they arrived, sitting down and watching her carefully.

 

“Does this have something to do with why you and Charles were both MIA all weekend?” Haven asked before Paige could start talking. A sharp glare from Dean made her shut her mouth quickly.

 

“Sort of,” Paige began nervously. “See, I haven't been exactly completely honest with you guys...” She took a deep breath and launched into the story, how Sadie had kicked her out, how she was supposed to hang around for six months. She explained the twisted ultimatum, her conflicting feelings. And then she told them about how things had changed, how she had started to care about them. They listened in silence, faces revealing nothing.

 

She finished her story with the events at Entropy, how Charles had used her, tricked her. She told them what she had realized, that they were the best friends she could hope for, how she didn't think she wanted to go back to her old life. And she admitted that she was scared, so scared, of what might happen. And then she waited.

 

Haven was the first to react, pulling her into a hug unexpectedly. Dean joined a moment after. The two pulled away and Haven offered Paige a small smile. “Look, you're our friend. We care about you. And you were honest, you told us the truth. And, hell, I think you've been through enough. As far as I'm concerned why you befriended us doesn't matter. You've changed and that's good.”

 

Dean nodded in agreement. “You're one of us now, Paige. You're my friend, I care about you. And I know you're going to apologize and I just wanna say I forgive you.”

 

Before Paige could reply, she spotted Holly and Jackson sauntering over to her table. She froze, calculating the days in her head. Six months. It had been six months. Sadie was expecting her to backstab and betray today.

 

The odd duo arrived at the table, stopping a few feet from Paige. “Well, six months are up, bitch. Come on, Sadie wants to know all the juicy details...” Holly asked, bitchy as ever.

 

“No,” Paige replied softly.

 

“What the hell do you mean, 'no'?” Holly snapped, crossing her arms. “Don't tell me you're choosing these losers over us. Your real friends.”

 

Paige straightened her back. “You have never been my real friends,” she replied, voice calm, louder. It seemed to carry through the cafeteria.

 

“Please, Paige, come back... I really like you. Hell, I'd love to date you. Just come back and everything will go back to normal,” Jackson pleaded. Paige just sighed.

 

“No. I'm sorry Jackson, I can't go back to that. I have real friends now, people who actually care. Besides, I've realized I don't need to have a relationship to be happy.”

 

Holly glared and Jackson shrunk back. “Why the fuck now, you stupid bitch? You know life is going to be hell. Sadie will be pissed. Just think for half a second and make the right choice.”

 

“I am making the right choice,” Paige stated, voice condescending.

 

“Why the hell are you choosing these freaks over us Paige? Why?”

 

Paige laughed, smiling at Haven and Dean. The words they had uttered when she first sat with them replayed in her ears. She looked at Holly, the girl who had once been a friend, with pity in her eyes. “Haven't you heard? Freaks have more fun."