HEAVY SILENCE
1145 Words
** KIM'S POV **
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, slowly leaning back into my chair. “Care to explain whatever it is you think I’m doing?”
She scoffed angrily. “ You wanna play this game with me, right?”
“No, I don’t want to play any game with you, as a matter of fact ... I hate anything that has to involve you”, I said.
She leaned towards me with a cold look on her face. Her hands gripped the edge of my desk so hard I feared they would break.
“ I know you’re stalking me, and you better hope I don’t catch you in the act”, she whispered menacingly
I giggled so loudly that it caught the attention of the whole class.
“ How about you pull your head out of your ass, Skyler?” I shot back with a serious face, “You’re not all that... you’re not even any of that.”
She jumped back, a shocked look on her face as her lips struggled to say the words forming in her head.
I revelled in the warmth of her hurt.
It must have been a long time since someone pricked that ice-cold heart of hers.
“ How ... dare you.. say that... to ..my face”, she stammered.
“ How dare you come here accusing me of stalking you, Skyler?” I shot back, standing up and raising my voice, “It’s your problem if you keep seeing me everywhere, but you should know I don’t swing that way.”
Ooohs and Aaahs rang throughout the class, followed by giggles and chuckles.
Skyler stormed out of the room with her two friends in tow. I fell back into my chair and heaved a sigh of relief as soon as I heard the door close.
“What do you think we should do now, K?im” Allison asked with panic in her voice “ I think they know”
“ They don’t know anything yet, moron”, Becca shot back at her “ Why else would they come here to confront us if they already know?”
“ I still think we should be careful”, Allison responded, shooting Becca a cold, dark look “This could get worse if they find out the recorders we planted in their lockers “
“ Those dimwits can’t tidy their lockers properly. How will they find it when it’s buried under forgotten books?” Becca said.
Allison sighed, holding her head. “ All I’m saying is that you can’t be too...”
“ We’re taking those tape recorders today, guys”, I cut in.
They both stared at me in surprise.
“ I’ve got a plan, and I’m sure it’ll work out”, I added.
“ What if we don’t have enough evidence? This would all be for nothing,” Becca complained
“ Anything that hasn’t been said already will not be spoken of again, I think we’ll be fine”, I pointed out to her
“ Kim’s right!” Allison said with conviction, The earlier we get rid of those things from the hornet’s nest, the better for us all.”
I was seated in the principal’s office the next day, humming a tune excitedly, waiting for Mrs Thorne to come back from heaven-knows-where.
Camille stared at me, visibly surprised by my sudden behaviour, but I couldn't care less.
I had spent the better part of yesterday with my friends retrieving the tape recorders.
Skyler’s locker proved the hardest.
We spent over five hours after sneaking back into school, evading security cameras and prying open those lockers like a couple of amateurs.
It was all worth the risk when I pushed the play button.
“ You know you could just admit to what you did and apologise to me, and this will all be over”, Camille said, still staring at me
“ Is that your guilty conscience speaking? I suggest you save it for later,” I shot back.
“ What do you mean by that?”
“ You’ll know soon enough, Camille. It’s just a pity your queen isn’t here to save you,” I replied in a menacing tone.
The door opened behind us, and Mrs Thorne strutted in hurriedly. She peered at us through her glasses as she sat down, her gaze hovering over us like a judge in a courtroom.
“ Good morning, ladies. Now, where were we?” she asked, leaning back into her chair.
“ We are at the moment of truth, Ma’am”, I quipped excitedly, a confident smile crept up my face.
“ I would sure hope so, Kimberly”, she replied, shooting me a bewildered look “ You said you had something to show me.”
I brought out the tape recorders, and the look on Camille’s face made the past few days all worth it.
“ What is all this?” Camille hissed, shifting uneasily in her chair.
“ Oh, it’s just the singing of three birds I caught on record over the past few days”, I quipped, patting the recorders proudly.
“ It’s a lie, ma’am. Whatever she has to say is all a lie!!” Camille said frantically.
“ Relax, Camille. You’ve not even heard it yet,” I drawled, giving her a mischievous wink.
“ I think I’ve about had enough of you two this morning, so let’s make this snappy”, Mrs Thorne said suddenly “ What is that on my table, Kimberly?”
“ Evidence, ma’am.... good old solid evidence”, I said confidently
“ Evidence of what, Kimberly? I don’t have time for this back and forth,” she snapped.
“ I have Camille on tape planning to go on a shopping spree with her friends using the said money, and Camille admitted to falsely accusing me,” I said.
“ This is all a lie, ma’am. I never said such a thing. She’s trying to manipulate you!” Camille retorted alarmingly.
“ There’s only one way to find out who the liar is, then. How about we get this over with?” I sneered, waving the recorder in her face.
Mrs Thorne sighed, “ Play the tape, Kimberly.”
“ No, no, no wait ... this is not right, you can’t possibly believe..” Camille stammered
“ You’ll get your chance to explain your side of the story”, Mrs Thorne cut her off impatiently.
“ Hold on to your horses, ladies and gentlemen”, I said with glee as I picked up the tape.
Camille’s breath was becoming heavier by the second.
I pressed the play button.
It clicked, whirred for a few seconds...
And stopped.
I pressed it again.
It whirled for a few seconds.
Silence.
- Writer
