I arrive to school and walk to my locker. As I am about to open it Andre comes around the corner.
"What's up Tori," He says to me, "How is everything?"
I stare at my locker; slowly turning the knob. It finally clicks and I open my locker lacklusterly. That's when I realized Andre said something and I quickly snapped my head to him and forced a giant smile.
"Oh, hey Andre. Nothing really. I just have this huge project in theatre class that I need to work on and I haven't even started it yet; plus I have to memorize lines for that short play I am doing and I have to write a classic R&B song in one of my classes and…"
"Tori," Andre said, he was giving me a very serious look and didn't seem all that enthralled with all the stuff I had told him I needed to do.
"Tori," He said again, "Please, Tell me what's really going on with you?" Andre stands there and looks at me sympathetically.
"What do you mean Andre? I just told you everything. I have several projects and I need to do and I'm just stressed out."
"Tori, please," Andre began, "I know you better than anyone. And I know you haven't been acting anything like yourself for the past couple of weeks. Now I understand if you don't want to tell me or if you're not ready to tell me. But really Tori, don't lie to me and tell me nothing's wrong when you and I know that something is deeply bothering you."
I stare inside my locker. I was trying not to look at Andre but he was right. Andre knew me better than anybody. I couldn't just come up with some mundane lies that even I knew he won't believe easily. I quietly grabbed one of my books from my locker and slapped the locker door shut. I turned on my heels away from Andre and was about to walk away when I saw Jade and Beck, making out at her locker. I felt this sharp, thick pain creep into my chest slowly, sneakily. I stood there for a minute and just watched them kiss.
Their kisses seemed less passionate than before. Before Jade and I kissed, she would always kiss Beck with a sense of flirtyness and desire. Almost, like she was angry about something he did and kissed him as a form of punishment for him. Now, their kisses would appear empty. Almost, dry and tiring. Like they were kissing each other because they had to, not because they wanted to; I have seen play kisses with more emotion than Jade and Beck kissing right now. I completely forgot about Andre when he came up from behind me and I took a step back bumping into him.
"So, is something bothering you?" he said and without thinking I shook my head yes, "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked. I didn't look at him. I just kept staring at Jade and Beck kissing.
"I don't think I can or should," I said and with that Andre shook his head in understanding and softly walked away.
I just stood there at Jade and Beck until I saw Jade look out at me. She peered from the corner of her eyes and just stared at me. She ripped herself away from Beck and walked off. He followed her asking if something was wrong. She, of course, didn't answer. The bell rang and snapped me out of my trance. I hurried off to class.
It was lunch time. I walked over to sit next to Andre and Robbie. They were busy talking about some type of lunch meat that could cause an allergic reaction. I saw coming to eat with us. Right when she passed Jade's table, Jade stopped her. Cat looked over at me and then sat next to Jade. They talked what seem to be hours and Cat stood up, almost like she was frustrated, and grabbed her tray. Jade yells after Cat but Cat ignores her. Cat then sits down next to Robbie.
Robbie asks, "What was that about?" Cat shakes her head.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Cat asks.
"Well, with you and Jade?" Robbie said.
"Well, that wasn't anything. It had nothing to do with anything. We talked about nothing or anything?" Cat said, seeming confused with the statement she said herself.
"Cat?" Robbie pressed.
"It wasn't anything, ok," Cat exclaimed, Robbie seemed stunned and nodded his head. Cat looks over at me and stands up from the table.
"I have to go," She said, "I'm not hungry today."
"But you just ate all of your lunch," Andre said.
"Yes, exactly. Which explains why I'm not hungry. So I'm going to leave now," Cat grabbed her tray and runs off.
"I wondered what that was all about," Robbie said.
He and Andre continue talking about meat. I finish my lunch in a rush, and rise up from the table without saying anything. I leave and throw my tray away.
I see Cat walking in the hallway and go into the bathroom. I run after her. I bust into the bathroom. Cat, at the sinks, turns around. I look under all of the stalls and then I walk close to Cat.
"Listen Cat," I began to say.
"Look, I don't want to hear it Tori," she said. I glance at her, shocked and confused, "Tori, I don't know what happened between you and Jade but I know I didn't like it, at all."
"Listen, Cat. I know seeing Jade and I together was probably uncomfortable for you. But it happens. Sometimes two people fall for each other, regardless of gender, and I don't think it's fair to judge us for that. I wasn't planning on liking Jade or any girl for that matter but it happened. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I'm not sorry for liking her."
Cat shook her head.
"You don't get it, Tori," Cat said, "It has nothing to do with the fact that you and Jade are both girls. I'm not judging you because of that or because I fell 'uncomfortable'. I'm judging you both because Jade has a boyfriend. And no matter who, cheating is still wrong and hurtful."
I stand there and listen to Cat, and every word she said was true. I glance at the floor and the bathroom mirrors and then back at Cat.
"And if you thought I was actually uncomfortable with the simple fact of you and Jade being together simply because you two are girls shows that you don't even know me at all. Or even respect me enough to know I will be ok with it."
"No Cat, I'm sorry."
"No Tori I'm sorry for."
Someone walks into the bathroom and Cat looks at me, shakes her head and walks out the bathroom. I chase after her. I yell at her down the hallway then the bell rang. I try to follow Cat but I lost her in the crowd.