Sensual Politics

nine

picture: I am ash from your fire

09

nine

The daylight grew shorter as the weeks passed by, transitioning the sweat filled summer into the lazy days of autumn. Cold winds swept through the streets and between naked trees. Even though it was a good couple months ahead, the residents of the town got excited over the beginning of holiday season. Their coffees and bakeries reeked with the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin spice.

It was the second week of September when a new batch of freshmen joined the Wisteria High School and the rest prepared for a new year. Between the senior years, a tell-tale like rumour was slipping around – for the ones out of loop, or who were away for the summer – and curious glances from students were passed among them.

August merely took a step in the school grounds when she felt the aura around her shift. Small clusters of students stood around the ground, greeting and chattering. But every now and then, she felt their gazes upon her. Some pointed shamelessly in her direction and shook their heads. A rather rowdy group of guys whistled as she passed by. August kept her eyes down and tightened the grip around her project binder. With a few quick steps, she stood near the comfort of her locker and took a deep breath.

She didn't doubt everyone would know about her relationship with James. They've been quite public over the summer and didn't make an attempt to hide it. A pang of fear hit her as she pondered over her thoughts. Why would she need to hide it? Why was she thinking like that?

Shifting with her new time table, and collecting her books for the first few periods, she clicked her locker shut. August gasped when she saw a face behind her door but quickly composed herself. Standing behind the door was her closest friend, Abigail, a rather curious look on her face.

"Is it true what they're saying?" Gail whispered as a greeting.

"About James and I?" August shrugged casually, hoping she could hide her anxiousness. "You know it is. I told you, remember?"

She had called up her friend about a couple times over the summer and updated on her affair with James. It had been extremely overwhelming and she needed to vent it out to someone. In reality, no one knew about her fascination with James, except for Gail, who merely thought it was a simple crush. But August kept the depth of her feelings safely tucked away for herself.

"No, I know that. But that's not what they're saying." Gail ushered her towards the direction of her own locker, and August could not help but follow the students' gaze that led to her.

"That's not? What else are they talking about?" The fear from before came clawing back to her and for some reason, she dreaded the words that were about to slip from Gail's lips.

"They're saying that James cheated on Betty."

"What?" She whipped her head to the side and took in Gail's sympathetic eyes. "With whom?"

Gail let out a dramatic sigh and slightly rolled her eyes back. When August didn't respond, she raised her eyebrows and counted the seconds on her freshly manicured fingers. When the fourth finger went up, August felt like the ground shifted beneath her feet. Like her world had collided with ice-cold water.

That's when she understood.

"No," her low cracked voice said, "That's not -not possible." Her eyes involuntarily found a few students with scornful gazes. Her heart thundered and her view spun, and she felt like she couldn't stand anymore.