Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 12

Caoilainn

I'm just about to get up and flush the toilet when the outer bathroom door opens and I hear an unwelcome voice enter. I'm not in the mood for a confrontation at the moment. I pause in my actions and quietly button my pants. Then I climb on top of the bowl so no one knows I'm there. I'm in the very last stall. It's always empty when I come in and I'm grateful to find it full of cleaner each day when I enter the stall after lunch.

Closing my eyes in relief, I hear my company bang their way into the stalls further down the row. "Did you hear her today in Soc, Riley? Oh my gosh, what a naïve little twit. Always pining after Tadhg. Eh. She makes me want to vomit; Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes," I hear Suzy comment. "She's so hung up on Tadhg. Even if he hooked up with her everyone knows she'd just be a quick fling in a long string of others.

Oh, I think marriage is forever," Suzy repeats mocking me from earlier. "Yuk. Not like Tadhg's a keeper. He never stays with anyone for long, let alone forever. Caoilainn's stupid for thinking she'd be any different."

"How do you know? Maybe she'd be different. Maybe he's been waiting for her, Suze," Riley replies quietly. I suck on my chapped bottom lip and close my eyes. I can't stand Suzy Cambridge but I'm thankful to hear Riley somewhat stick up for me. I don't really know her; she's Suzy's friend not mine. It's nice to know everyone doesn't think so poorly of me, though.

"Yeah, right. Whatever," Suzy replies flippantly. "Well, I can tell you this, his forever girl won't be Coalhead, that's for sure. She's as cold as a cucumber. Little Miss Ice Queen. I bet bedding her is like sleeping with a statue. The freak."

"Suze! That's so mean. Why do you-" Riley tries to interrupt but is cut off.

"Because I can't stand that Irish wench. Always flitting around in her dance shoes. Always batting her eyes, teasing the boys in this school but never giving in to any of them."

"Sounds like you're just jealous to me," Riley comments turning on the facet after exiting her stall. "You have some kind of interest in Tadhg yourself, Sue?"

Flushing the toilet and banging open her own stall door, Suzy shrieks at Riley, who is pushing on the towel dispenser handle to get some paper out. "What? Are you nuts? Even if I did like him, which I don't, I'd never go after a guy like that."

"Why not?" Riley asks curiously. "I would. He's hot. I'd love to get my hands on that-"

"What do you mean, why?" Suzy laughs cutting Riley off. "The guy's going to be a Marine. He's outta here right after the semester ends. You know that. It's all he ever talks about every career day. Why the heck would I want to date a guy who plans to leave me?"

"It's not leaving, Suzy," Riley argues. "He's serving our country. My dad served, too. Tadhg's a good guy, in fact, I think his dedication to our country is-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," Suzy says blowing Riley off. "I need someone who's going to be there for-" Just then, my foot slips on the white porcelain beneath me. I curse at myself for moving and almost lose my shoe in the still-full bowl of urine.

"Did you hear that, Ri?" Suzy asks walking slowly towards my stall.

"Hear what? No. Come on. Our next class is about to start," Riley answers pulling on the outer door to leave.

"Yeah, ok. Let's go," Suzy whispers to herself while turning, and then louder starts up again. "I've wasted enough breath on Coalhead. I hope she chokes on her black gillie laces."

As the outer door closes I climb down from my perch and turn to flush the toilet. I turn the latch of my stall door with shaking hands and open it. I gather soap in my hands and wash them, while fighting back the tears threatening to fall. Why do I let her get to me like this?

Since we were kids Suzy has been a thorn in my side. I have no idea why she's always around and as spiteful as she is to me, she continues to finds ways to invite herself into my company. Hate is such an unkind emotion. For the life of me, though, I can't help give into it when it comes to Suzy.

I stand in front of the sink for a few moments and try to come up with something positive to think about so I can face my next class. Then I remember the time Jenny froze Suzy's bra and underwear during a slumber party so many years ago. I laugh and feel some of my tension release. Ice Queen indeed. Bet Suzy's netherlands enjoyed a brisk walk home that day!