Courtney didn't care at this point. She never wanted to be in the same room as Hope Rogers. She was the cause of her deep depression. Ever since Hope Rogers became popular at Lucky Junior, she felt this event traumatized her in some way.
She was glad that Hope had gone to another school, and not Lucky High. She felt relieved, but not long after, she was stuck in another rut, with all the changes high school had brought.
And now, she had to see the person who ruined her life, after she had been rid of her again?
She left her unappealing lunch she had dropped on the floor. The janitor would just have to clean it up. She opened the stall door, and bolted as fast as she could in last year's It shoes, out the door. Too bad, she tripped before she could reach the door.
"Courtney Gripling?" Hope stared in amazement.
Courtney said nothing.
"Wow. You seem so…..different."
Courtney stood up, and gave Hope the stink eye, "Thanks for noticing," she said sarcastically.
"No, it's just….I haven't seen you since 8th grade. I'm a military brat, so we had to move all the way to Australia. It was cool, it just….wasn't the same there. So my mom and I moved back to Sheltered Shrubs," Hope explained sincerely.
"Well, that's great and all, but I really must be going, Faith," Courtney said, knowing calling Hope Faith always peeved her.
She didn't correct Courtney, like she expected her to. Instead "Look. I just want to say I'm sorry. I had no idea popularity meant so much to you. I just wanted to fit in for once. I move a lot, and I never feel like I'm always on the outside. You probably have no idea…"
Courtney said nothing. She just glared at her angrily. She didn't have time to pity on Hope, and tear up at her little sob story. And to say that she had no idea what it was like to not be popular……it put Courtney on edge.
"Yes, I do have an idea," she finally said, "it's called being Lucky High's school crazy girl."
She ran out, Hope calling after her. She ignored her. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her, especially not Hope.