Best friends or Enemies?

Chapter Three Wednesday

The cafeteria was bustling with students when I entered and I couldn’t spot my friends anywhere. I decided to get in line waiting behind a lanky boy with red hair and glasses who I recognized from Spanish class. He was quiet and kept to himself.

I followed him through the line grabbing my tray and filling it with cheese pizza, French fries, and chocolate milk.

“Lunch number,” The lunch lady asked when I reached the end.

“118253,” I said preparing to walk away.

“That will be $1.80, Miss Mathers,” the lunch lady said stopping me.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I reached into my pocket pulling out a ball of ones and some change. I was on a reduced lunch plan because my parents didn’t make enough to disqualify us from paying but they made too little for me or my siblings to be required to pay the full amount. This also wouldn’t be the first time they forgot to add money to my account.

“Can you put all of this on my account please?” I asked handing her the wad of bills and loose change.

“Yes,” she said and I walked into the flow of students moving to find their seats.

My table was usually near the middle with Kennedy and Chad but I didn't see them sitting there today. I had left gym class early because I still couldn't see without my new glasses.

Looking around one last time I started to make my way to the back of the cafeteria when Kennedy appeared in front of me. Her arm shot out knocking my tray of food onto the front of my shirt and splattering ketchup in my hair and across my face. My fries stuck in my hair and my pizza clung to my shirt.

“Oops sorry, Phebs, better watch where you're going,” Kennedy said stepping back and smirking.

I couldn't tell if she had done it on purpose or not. This wasn't like my friend.

“I—,”

“You what?” Kennedy asked. “Forgot how to walk again?” She snapped cutting me off.

“No, I-I didn't see you there, I'm sorry,” I apologized turning to walk away. I dropped my tray in the trash can and knocked as much food off as I could.

Chad tried to stop me as I ran from the cafeteria dipping into the bathroom. Tears streamed down my face as I hurried into a stall. I didn’t want anyone to see me cry.

“You in here Phoebe,” the principal called.

What could she want right now?

“Y-yes,” I stuttered.

“Could you step out here for a minute?” She asked.

I opened the small door wiping my tears as I stepped out.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you lately Miss Mathers however faking injuries, skipping class, and causing commotions in the cafeteria are not allowed. We will see you for detention this afternoon,” she told me.

“W-what?” I asked confused. “I will admit I missed class the other day because I was in art but I—,”

“Enough excuses Miss Mathers, Miss Smith told me all about it, detention this afternoon,” She ordered.

With that, the principal left me alone in the bathroom tears smattering my cheeks. The extra puffiness from crying accentuated the already nasty purple bruises from the incident on Monday and I wondered how she could say I faked the injury, everyone had seen it. The nurse had documentation even.

I picked the rest of the fries from my hair and tugged my T-shirt over my head. My tank top underneath kept me covered as rinsed the pizza stains away and then held my shirt under the hand dryer. When it was almost dry I put it back on and leaned over the sink once more to rinse my face.

While I patted it dry the bell rang. My favorite class awaited and the ideas were already flowing as I made my way to the art room.

It was far from finished when it was time to go but the painting meant something to me. It showcased two friends going their separate ways.

How one cried while the other laughed.

How one fell for the other to rise.

My art was always an extension of myself and today yet again it showed my pain.

Walking into English I was met with the desks arranged in our groups. Ashley sat with Kennedy in chemistry this morning. The two stuck together along with Marissa in gym class. And they were both with Kennedy for the incident in the cafeteria.

When would this newfound torment end?

I took my seat next to the girls and they ignored me. Not that I wanted them to talk to me however I didn't want to hear them keep talking about me either.

“Settle down class. Today, I would like you to start reading your lines with the emotional depth of your character. Feel their emotions, pain, longing, love, sadness, anger, and betrayal as you read. If I hear anyone reading the words without their inflection I will make you practice with me,” Mrs. Long said, her eyes flitting around the room to meet each of ours as she spoke.

A few groans go throughout the room and people flip to the page in their book where their act starts. I flip to act four scene three and wait for my group to get there. They get to the right page and both stare at me.

“Are you going to read your lines?” Ashley asked snarkily.

“I was waiting for you to be ready, never mind,” I said.

I picked up my book cleared my throat and prepared to read Juliet's lines aloud. My lines start in Juliet's bedroom when she and the nurse enter.

“Ay, those attires are best. But, gentle nurse,

I pray thee leave me to myself tonight, For I have need of many prisons. To move the heavens to smile upon my state, Which, well thou knowest, is cross and full of sin.” I read my voice conveying Juliet's need.

“What, are you busy, ho? Need you my help,” Ashley read snickering at her lines of Lady Capulet.

I ignored her continuing my lines.

“No, madam, we have culled such necessaries. As are behoveful for our state tomorrow. So please you, let me now be left alone, And let the nurse this night sit up with you, For I am sure you have your hands full all, In this so sudden business.”

“Good night. Get thee to bed and rest, for thou hast need,” Ashley read sounding bored.

“Farewell,” I said a sigh of relief on my lips.

I paused the rest of the lines mine to read. “God knows when we shall meet again,” A pang hits my heart as I imagine never speaking to Kennedy again.

“I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, That almost freezes up the heat of life. I'll call them back again to comfort me. — Nurse! —” I yelled frantically.

“What should she do here? My dismal scene I needs must act alone. Come, vial. What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married then tomorrow morning?” I paused.

Juliet would be laying down her dagger now.

“No, no.” I shook my head. “This shall forbid it. Lie thou there. What if it be a poison which the friar, Subtly hath ministered to have me dead, Lest in this marriage he should be dishonored, Because he married me before to Romeo? I fear it is, and yet methinks it should not, For he hath still been tried a holy man. How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo Come to redeem me? There's a fearful point! Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes? Or if I live, is it not very like The horrible conceit of death and night, Together with the terror of the place —” I stopped my speech cut short.

“Boring,” Ashley said while Marissa fake snored.

“Ladies, what seems to be the problem here?” Mrs. Long asked approaching our desks.

“Phoebe's voice was boring and putting us to sleep,” Ashley pouted.

“Miss Mathers did I not say you would be reading with me if you did not use the proper emotion?” she asked me.

“Yes, ma’am, I was reading my lines as written and they are long which I cannot help,” I answered her.

“Read your next line for me,” Mrs. Long instructs, and by this time the whole class is watching.

I gulped around the lump in my throat and found the place I stopped.

“As in a vault, an ancient receptacle, Where, for these many hundred years, the bones Of all my buried ancestors are packed; Where b****y Tybalt, yet but green in earth, Lies festering in his shroud; where, as they say, At some hours in the night spirits resort —,” I stopped where my lines cut to a new runaway thought of Juliet's.

My eyes still glued to my book I took a deep breath.

“Bravo Miss Mathers,” Mrs. Long clapped. “Everyone back to your scenes and try to read them the way Pheobe did. Feel the character, be the character.”

I finished reading my lines and we started over from the beginning. Marissa had no lines she was just there and Ashley spoke hers with little inflection. When class ended I escaped before they could say another word to me.

Much to my luck Kennedy wasn't at her locker when I arrived and I was able to sneak my social studies book without being seen. Only a few people dotted the classroom when I entered meaning I was actually early for once. I took my seat and waited for the bell to ring. My phone dinged as I waited and I pulled it from my pocket. Tapping the screen I opened the message Jpg.97.

It was a picture of me covered in food from lunch. Who would take a picture of that? More dings echoed through the classroom and out into the hall as the picture was sent to everyone at the school.

Tears threatened to spill over yet again and a sob choked me as I forced it down. I placed my head in my arms and hid my face from view. My leg bounced under my desk and my nails dig into my arms. I wished I could disappear.

“Hey Phebs, are you okay?” Chad asked sinking into his seat. I could see his black Converse from my seat and knew he was facing me.

“I'm f-fine,” I said my voice cracking.

“Are you sure? I don't know what going on but I'm starting to think you were right when you asked me if I thought Kennedy was acting weird,” He said placing his hand on my back and rubbing soothing circles over my shoulders.

I let out a deep breath my body shaking with the exertion.

“I will be okay Chad, I just need time to figure this all out. She's still my best friend,” I told him honestly feeling the silent tears spill over.

His hand was removed when the teacher spoke and I forced myself to sit up pretending to be fine.

The class went about as normally as could be expected and I focused on reading chapter twenty-seven. It was about the beginning of the civil war and we had to write a summary of the events of the chapter for homework.

The bell rang and didn't get up. The history teacher ran the detention program after school on Wednesdays so I would be here for another hour. It would allow me to finish my homework for this class anyways.

“Aren't you coming?” Chad tapped me on the arm.

“Huh? Oh, no, I've got detention,” I replied trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

“Why?”

He tapped my arm again. “Why?”

I looked up at him placing my pencil on my desk.

“Well, according to the principal, I faked injuries, skipped class, and caused a commotion in the cafeteria,” I related my list of apparent wrongdoings.

“Are you serious?” Chad looked confused.

“Yep,” I said popping the “p.”

“That’s ridiculous, I took you to the nurse and everyone just saw that picture,” He stopped looking embarrassed to even admit he'd seen me covered in food.

“Yeah, oh well, it's only an hour,” I shrugged.

“I'll stay with you then and help you study and I can take you home after,” Chad offered.

“Thanks, that's sweet of you but you don't have to,” I said.

“I know I don't but I want to Phebs,” He replied.

We were the only two in detention and because we were studying Mr. Jenkins allowed us to leave early. We walked to my locker and then Chad led me outside to his car. He had parked in the back parking lot.

I could see the cheer team practicing in the field from here. Kennedy looked in our direction and her eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at us.

Chad opened the passenger door for me and I slid onto the seat. He waited until my legs were all the way inside and shut the door like the gentleman he was. It felt surreal to even be alone with him in his car. The red Mustang sat low to the ground and its engine purred to life with ease. The leather seats added to its appeal and it occurred to me is never been in his car before. I always rode with Kennedy.

“Seatbelt,” Chad said.

“Oh yeah, I forgot.”

“So,” he hummed.

“So?” I asked.

“What movie do you want to see Friday?”

“Um, I don't know anything is okay with me,” I answered picking at my nails.

“What do you think about an action movie?” Chad asked.

“That sounds great.”

He pulled up outside my house and it made me sad because I didn't want our time together to end yet. He had been the only one being nice to me recently. Chad can't changed much since we met in kindergarten when his family moved here to the city. He was still the sweet boy who cared for all the animals he found in the park and made me feel safe.

“Do you need a ride to school tomorrow?” Chad questioned stopping me as I unbuckled my seat belt.

“Well if you're offering,” I giggled “I’ll accept a ride.”

“I'll pick you up in the morning then.”

“Thank you,” I smiled at him.

“You're very welcome.”

I got inside my house and headed straight for the kitchen my stomach felt like it was eating itself after not having lunch for the second day in a row. I made a quick sandwich and snuck to my room hoping to avoid my family for the night.