Skinny

Another Round Of Drama

Chapter Eighteen:

The fact that Mick was out of school for three days was the talk of the student body. No one got wind of me and Reese because they were too focused on who hurt Mick, Valerie viciously dumping Alex because of Alex's run in with the devil, who still remained anonymous, and Reese's dramatic scene on the stage.

I hadn't been present for the homecoming royalty announcement, but I hadn't won and I wasn't too upset about it. I was glad that none of the news revolved around me, that was until Gabe broached the subject on Thursday, at lunch.

"So, Raven," Gabe started, drawing out my name, "I heard you did the deed with a certain leader of the famous Argonauts." It wasn't a question and I wasn't going to answer, but as I looked around the cafeteria, I could tell that several people leaned towards our table to catch on the latest gossip.

"Gabriel, so help me, if you speak another word about anything you may or may not have heard, then I will end you. You get me?" I whisper yelled at him.

"Ha ha ha, well if the little princess hasn't come off her high horse," I turned to look at Alicia. She was dressed in a skin tight skirt and overly showy shirt. I could see that she had a bright blue bra through it.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, feinting innocence and putting on a bored front. I really, really didn't want Alicia to have a hand in any of the rumors spread about me and Reese. Not after the last rumors she spread about me.

"Well, word is that you went home with Reese on Friday night." She looked pretty triumphant, but I didn't take her bait.

"He gave me a ride home after your 'boyfriend' Mick tried to manhandle me. He was being chivalrous, but you wouldn't know anything about that. I mean, you're with Mick, the biggest jerk in school, after all." Now I felt triumphant as her proud face fell into a grimace. She stalked off in a pout with her flunkies tailing her.

Another bout of chatter erupted after that little encounter, but I didn't care as much. Let them talk about Alicia and how I had put her down. I let them speculate if I was the one who had, in fact, beat up Mick and sent him to the hospital. I didn't mind being classed as bad ass. It was better than being called a slut.

~~

It wasn't until the next day at lunch that the Argonauts made their appearance. I could tell by their demeanor that Reese had told them something of value.

They sat at my table as if they belonged, but Caleb sat furthest from me and engaged Gabe and Mia into a conversation. I wasn't sure if he was hurt by what I had done with Reese or just that it hadn't been with him. I wouldn't dwell on it unless he approached me with it. I wasn't his girlfriend and he knew that. I didn't need to remind him of it.

Boys.

"How are you doing today, Raven?" Jaxon asked me, clearly beating around the bush. He kept his eyes on me, completely focusing on my response. I liked that about Jaxon, he always made you feel like the center of his world when he talked to you.

"I know he told you," I said, effectively stopping all conversations at my table. "Stop acting like you don't know and come at me with it. But keep it down because of itchy ears."

I let my eyes dart around us, signalling all the eavesdroppers near by. Dane took care of clearing all the tables surrounding us and for that I was grateful. I nodded to him in thanks and he just smiled a small Dane-like smile in return.

"So are you guys like going to be dating now?" Mason looked at me eagerly, as if he wanted it to be true.

Jaxon gave me a knowing look, as though he already knew I would say yes. Caleb wouldn't look at me and Andrew looked bored. Dane was acting as security, but you could tell he was lending an ear to catch my reply. I looked at Reese because I wanted to make myself perfectly clear. He looked hopeful and I hated to crush him, but I knew he was a big boy and would get over it.

"No, Mason, we aren't going to be dating. It was just a one time thing and I don't regret it, but I don't want a boyfriend. Sorry, guys but I just can't date...anyone." I went back to eating my lunch.

Andrew was shocked to say the least. Mason seemed sad and Jaxon was perplexed. Reese looked understanding, but I could still see the hurt in his eyes. Caleb's reaction surprised me the most because he was the one who finally spoke.

"You don't want a boyfriend, but you went and gave it up  to Reese. You know, you girls pretend to be so much better than us, but you're no better than Andrew!"

He was quiet enough to keep it at our table, but I could clearly hear the anger in his tone. Now, I was pissed. I was tired of boys trying to run my life. All they would ever do was ruin it.

"I never claimed to be anything but what I am, Princess. I didn't go seeking to do anything with anyone, it just happened, but I'm not ever going to regret it. I'm not going to sleep with someone and THEN date them, I'm not that backwards. Maybe if you guys would pull your heads out of your asses and get to know a girl, then you would know that I don't like ridiculously corny romantic gestures. I want for a guy to be real with me and tell me that he wants me. Not kiss me and then date every girl on campus or be mine in public, but go behind my back and make ME look like a fool. I'm tired of getting hurt because of idiot boys who pretend to know what they want."

I could feel the tears streaming down my face and I knew everyone was looking at me. My eyes were on Caleb.

I felt Mia grab me and lead me away. I let her take me away from my problems. I knew Alex had seen my outburst and Mick was hanging with Alicia on the opposite side of the room. I knew everyone would talk about me and I really stopped caring, for the moment. I felt empty and numb. I had let out all my frustrations out and I was done.

~~~~~~

Mia came over to my house and we just hung out. We didn't bring up that afternoon at all and I was glad for it. I just wanted to forget about it, but I couldn't and I knew the guys wouldn't let me. Gabe had been hanging out with them all afternoon and had been updating us on everything via texts.

I now knew that Caleb was sulking because Reese had yelled at him for his outburst. Jaxon was ever the observer, but he had managed to send me some really nice texts and they cheered me up some. Mason kept calling me to see if I was okay and I kept telling him I was fine, but he would only call thirty minutes later to ask again.

Andrew apparently had a date and Dane was quietly guarding his best friend from Alex, who was at the diner trying to get information out of them because I had shunned him, as well. Well, actually, Mia had told him off pretty badly because I had previously told her my issues with him and she was just mad and wanted to yell at someone.

"You know, not every guy is like Mick. You should really give someone a chance," Mia finally said.

"It's not only Mick. Alex is already acting jealous of Reese and he punched Caleb at the dance for kissing me. Princess now seems jealous of Reese. It's too much! I know if I date anyone of them someone will get jealous and then if it isn't one of them they'll be upset no matter what. They don't seem to care about me and my happiness." I sighed.

"Look, Raven, they're boys all they want is the Holy Grail. The one girl at school that isn't falling at their feet and that just so happens to be you," Mia said rubbing my back.

"But I'm not some prize to be attained and I feel like if I dated Reese that he would see it that way. He just seems like the type of guy who always gets what he wants." I felt bad for thinking it after he had been so kind, but Mick had been kind to me at first until we started dating.

Maybe I would be better off just going lesbian and give up boys all together. Although, that probably would have been much easier if I hadn't had sex with Reese or any boy for that matter. It was good and I wasn't sure a girl could top that.