Rich Status

The truth

The controversial pic was the talk of the town when the five girls took their seats in the bus.

Most people were on Isa's side while the rest were on Janine's side.

"How dare she come here and steal somebody's boyfriend?! It's not fair!" A girl was heard saying to her friend.

"She's pretty and pretty things deserve eachother" her friend replied with a sigh.

Everything went smoothly at school and for a while, everyone forgot the fight brewing.

Then at lunch, everything unfolded.

As usual, Isa grabbed her tray and walked over to the usual spot. As she approached, everyone began to murmur.

They wondered if Matthew will deny his relationship with Janine and destroy what he and Isa had for years.

"Umm, can I seat?" She mumbled nervously despite knowing that again, Janine had taken her seat.

"I hope he won't break up with her. Even if he wants to,he should do it in private and save her dignity" Ixora whispered to her friends.

"They're even wearing matching clothes" Hannah said.

Truthfully, Matthew and Janine were wearing matching blue varsity jackets and shoes.

"Please walk away Isa, you deserve better" Quinn added.

Of course, poor Isa didn't hear them.

Before Matthew could say a word, Janine stood up and cross her hands over her chest.

"There's no space for you. Sorry".

"Technically speaking, where you're sitting is my spot. You sat there yesterday and today, I need it" Isa replied boldly.

Janine scoffed.

"Look around Isa, I don't know if your thick glasses is affecting your eyesight but nobody here wants you around. You're uncool, nerdy and unfit for any of us!"

The entire room went silent. Even the lunch ladies gasped.

Janine did not just call Matthew's 'unsocial but a bit popular' girl uncool and unfit to hang with them. Even if she was an odd one out, noone spoke about it. It was an unwritten rule at school.

All eyes settled on Matthew begging him to do something, pick a side even.

He stood up. Isa looked at him hopefully. Defend me, her eyes begged.

"Watch your tongue Janine, she's my girlfriend,".

Everyone released the breath they didn't know they were holding.

"Ex girlfriend," he added and Samelle choked on her water.

Eyes threatened to fall from their sockets.

"Ex?

What do you mean ex?" Isa asked and Janine smirked.

He ran his hand through his beautiful blond hair, something he did when he was frustrated and didn't know how to solve a problem.

Isa noticed and swallowed her tears, telling herself to be strong.

"I'm sorry Isa but I'm breaking up with you".

"Oh s**t! He did it!" Camryn, one of Matthew's friends laughed.

"This is bad, really bad" Zara said.

"But I -, how? When? I didn't do anything wrong!" Isa stammered. When did he start considering to dump her? What happened to 'together forever' a vow they took when they were six years old?

"It's not you, it's me. We don't match. I'm me and you're...you".

"What is that supposed to mean? Wait, are you choosing Janine over me?!" She demanded.

"Yes, he is" Hannah said under her breath.

"No, I'm not. Just because I like her doesn't mean I'm doing this because of her.

I just think I'm holding you back. I need to set you free to grow" he replied.

Ixora rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you think she's too uncool for Mattie Mattie the hottest boy on school".

"You mean I'm just not cool enough for you!" She spat with moisty eyes. It was tough holding the tears back while clinging onto her tray of food.

"I just-"

"I thought you loved me"

"I do, I just don't anymore".

"You heard the man, he doesn't love you anymore!" Janine added rolling her eyes.

A tear slipped down. "Matthew please..." She still wanted to savage what was left of her relationship.

"Walk away Isa, he doesn't want you!" Janine spat.

She let her tray fall to the ground as she hurried away to the bathroom, locked herself in a stall and began to cry.

The five friends rushed out after her.

"Isa?

Isa, are you okay?" Hannah asked banging on the door.

"Just go away and leave me alone!" Isa cried out.

"Don't listen to what they said, you're not uncool. You're sweet, nice and beautiful. You're just you" Ixora told her.

Isa cried harder, she knew the truth. She wasn't deaf or blind and had heard the whispers and rumours floating around the school about her. She put on a big of weight over summer and became chubby so the girls nicknamed her 'Choppa'.

They wouldn't say it to her face because she was dating Matthew but they said it behind her back.

They laughed at her clothes too when when she wasn't looking and called her childish or stupid because of her love for overalls and brightly coloured outfits.

Isa didn't own a phone, wore sandals all the time, talked of boring things like goats and Inventions instead of music or videos, didn't know any celebrity except for politicians and was basically a grandma at 18.

She was just that.

"I'm not stupid okay? I know I'm not like you guys but I'm a human being, I'm allowed to do my own things".

Samelle nodded. "Yes, and you deserve to have someone else way cooler than Matthew. He doesn't deserve you".

"No, I don't deserve him" she answered sniffing.

"Don't say that" Quinn replied.

The door opened a few seconds later and Isa came out with blotchy face, red eyes and puffy cheeks. She didn't cry pretty and looked even fatter when crying.

She faced Hannah squarely.

"Tell me what I did wrong".

"Nothing, you-"

"Don't tell me that! Tell me how different I am from the rest of you!" She shouted.

Hannah jumped at the sound of her raised voice.

"Uhm... you're kinda boring. You're nerdy but that's okay".

"What else?"

"Your clothes are childish or old and outdated".

"What else?"

"You drive a rusty pickup truck when the rest of us own lexus or Mercedes Benz cars" Zara added.

"And?"

"You never wear heels or any of the trendy shoes. Your sandals are...proof of how unfashionable you are" Ixora put in confidently.

"Is that why he picked Janine over me?" Isa questioned.

"He didn't pick her over you".

"He didn't say it but he did".

Quinn sighed. "Look, forget about him. I get that you two have been together for a long time but that's over now. Clean your face and have your lunch or else Janine will think she won" Zara adviced.

Isa thought for a moment.

She wiped her nose and walked out. Everyone thought she would go back to have lunch but that wasn't the case.

Isa left the building, walked down the road and disappeared.

Noone saw nor heard from her till the day of graduation.