So here is the twelfth chapter, my lovelies!
I'd been writing the story for a while and then realized I only had a few days in the story to fit everything I'd planned before the characters had to leave for Thanksgiving. So if you were wondering, yes, that's why I'm action-cramming.
The story is also coming to a close. There are only going to be a few more chapters after this-four at most. Maybe an epilogue, though I don't know what I'd write in that. As I said, the characters are going to be leaving for Thanksgiving and the story was designed to take place in Canterwood only.
Halloween is only in ten more days! EEEEKK! I mean, free candy. It can't get better than that. I will be a butterfly this year, yay! You are never too old to dress up.
Read and comment!
-MuseGoddess
Chapter Twelve
Through the Grapevine
My boots thumped hard against the icy sidewalk as I raced away from the stable. I held on to my hood as I pushed past people, afraid it would fly off and reveal my hair. My identity was the only thing Brit didn't have now.
I stopped in the middle of the courtyard and turned. No one was following me, but that didn't mean anything.
I pulled up the picture and stared at it. Their postures suggested familiarity, easiness, even maybe attraction. I stuffed the phone away, overcome with an overwhelming desire to smash any evidence the Brit and Jacob might be together.
Where to now? I needed comfort. Jacob was definitely not an option—he was the cause of my angst.
Charm? Definitely he could calm me. But there was no way I was going back to that stable until I cooled down.
My room? Maybe. I could definitely use some hot milk, warmth...plus there was the ginormous pile of homework waiting for me. But no. Brit could've returned there, and there was no way I could look her in the face and pretend to be okay. There was only one place left.
I cut across the courtyard and behind the science building, keeping hidden eyes peeled for any sign of my roommate. I briefly debated moving out, maybe in with Paige or Heather and Alison, but then I'd have to tell Brit why. And talking to her was out of the question.
Five minutes later I'd entered Orchard through Stephanie's private door, returning the key under the rock she kept it under. I walked carefully through my dorm, but no one recognized me. Brit wasn't present either. I wondered if she'd returned to go riding with Jacob, or was still trying to find the mysterious paparazzi.
I knocked on a door. It opened a crack. "Can I help you?" a voice hissed.
"Yeah." I pulled down the glasses. "It's me."
Heather pulled open the door, snapping her watermelon Bubblicious. She wore comfy purple velour pants and a stretchy white tee. From the gray eraser residue on her shirt, I guessed she'd been doing homework.
"So." Heather sat me down on her bed and pulled my Ray-Bans off my face. "I can tell by your expression Operation Stalker didn't go so well. Want to tell me what happened?"
Wordlessly I pulled out my BlackBerry, thumbed to the pic, and handed it to her. She didn't say anything for a long time.
I could feel her gaze on me. Gently, she asked, "Do you still want to talk?" She didn't even mention me hanging up on her without warning.
I stared at my cold hands. Heather didn't press me. I let out a big breath.
"He came," I said hollowly.
"You don't have to tell me," Heather started, but I shook my head. I needed to get it all out before they ate me up inside. "I didn't realize—how close they were. They've been hanging out way more than I actually realized. How could I have missed it?" I asked Heather, chewing on my bottom lip. "Another thing—how could Brit not tell me? I would be fine if she hung out with Jacob. Totally fine!"
"Yeah, about that," Heather began, twisting her blond hair nervously. "I, um, asked around. Brit isn't—never was Jacob's science lab partner." She side-glanced me.
"Oh." Another lie. I'd always suspected it, but hearing it from Heather was equal to a punch in the gut.
We sat in silence for a while. I stared at the rerun of Pretty Little Liars playing mutely on the Trio's plasma screen without seeing anything. Brit is a pretty little liar, I thought. Prettier than me…which is why Jacob left to be with her instead of me…
I pulled a piece of horsehair off of my jeans. "And, um, Heather," I started. "Could I stay in your—in the—well, like sleep over? Just for tonight. I mean, I don't think I could—with things between Brit and I being what they are—if you don't want to it's okay...I guess I could always sleep at Paige's—"
"Omigod, would you stop talking already? You're welcome to sleep over," Heather said. Then she leaned closer and added, "And if you tell anyone this I will make sure your life is over, but—" she swallowed "—it's kinda been a little...lonely, with only Alison and me. Without Julia." She stared at the closed door of Julia's former room for a second, sadness in her clear blue eyes. But it was like her emotions were on a switch—one flick and she was back to sassy, snarky Normal Heather.
"Okay, so that was like a lame Dr. Phil episode." She stood and grabbed her phone. "I'm texting Alison to stop by the Sweet Shoppe and pick up cupcakes or something. We are getting you out of this funk." Seeing my face she said, "Hey, it's going to be alright. We'll have fun tonight. You still haven't seen the new Bryce Oliver movie. And I'm having a serious talk with Brit tomorrow. That girl is messed up." She tapped at her BlackBerry's keypad impatiently, muttering to herself.
"And Sasha..." she smirked, "you might wanna change out of those straw covered clothes. Just a suggestion."
I looked down at my black spy clothes-dusty and covered with stalks of hay. "Good idea," I murmured, heading out.
I hurried back toward my dorm, praying Brit wasn't back yet. The last thing I needed was for her to look me in the eye and say she was still my friend after all her lies. I didn't know if I'd explode, burst into tears, or call the police for theft. All I was sure of was that I wasn't going down without a fight.
Which was pretty pathetic. The logical thing to do was fight for Jacob—but how to do that when even thinking about him was painful?
I reached my dorm and slowly slipped my key into the lock. My brain kept creating scenarios that could happen if Brit was on the other side of the door, each one more horrifying than the last. I wondered vaguely—if I opened the door and found Brit and Jacob making out on the other side, what would I do? For the first time I was grateful for Stephanie's no-boys-allowed-in-Orchard rule.
I pumped the handle once and pushed the door open, which swung open noiselessly. I stood stock-still at the threshold, green eyes flitting across the length of the room warily. Nobody. I examined the muddy rug beside the door where Brit and I kept our riding boots. Only one pair remained—mine. I stepped in and locked the door securely behind me.
I shimmied out of my dirty clothes and tossed them in a wadded-up heap at the laundry basket. I locked myself in the bathroom and turned on the water. The hot water felt good on my straw-covered body. I washed the dust from my arms and hair, watching the brownish water swirl down the drain.
I stood there until my fingers started pruning. Then I stepped out and wiped down my shiny-clean body. I opened the bathroom door, letting loose an avalanche of steam. Still no Brit. I blew out my hair only halfway, just so wet strands wouldn't run down my back. I changed quickly into a sky-blue cotton tee, heather-gray sweatpants and a white sweater. Checked my phone for "I'm late" or "I'm cheating with your boyfriend" messages from my AWOL roommate. Nothing.
That was better, I guessed. I'd have no idea how to respond. I grabbed my overnight bag from behind the shoes in my closet, pulling it open. I filled it with a few handfuls of clothes and zipped it shut. I quickly packed up my school things and slung the bags over my shoulder.
The halls were noticeably more crowded when I stepped out, carefully locking up behind me. I set off for Heather and Alison's room, trying not to hit people with my stuff in the close quarters and keeping a sharp eye out for the one person I didn't want to see.
As I passed the entrance to the common room I stopped suddenly. Someone pushed into me accidentally and shot me a frustrated look before hurrying off. I inched closer to a cluster of girls talking in the corner. I'd heard a really familiar name...
"And then Brit gave me advice on intermediate testing!" a brunette with long, curly chestnut hair said.
"You're sooo lucky, Kayla. She's the best dressage rider on the eighth-grade YENT team," her petite blond friend said. I recognized her as the one who'd caught me in her horse's stall earlier. A blush spread on my cheeks, and I hid my face in my hood. Sometimes it felt like my whole life was a game of hide-and-spy.
"Plus she's really pretty," a tall, auburn-haired girl pointed out.
"That's so true, Ashley! She could get any guy she wanted." the blonde sighed.
I rolled my eyes and started to walk away.
"Speaking of guys, did you hear she has a new boyfriend?" Kayla asked.
I froze and turned around slowly. Ashley gasped.
"So not fair! Half the guy riders in my math class already want to date her," she whined, flipping her dark red hair over one shoulder.
"What's his name, Kay?" the blonde asked.
"So you know that really hot eighth-grade football player, Cass?" Kayla began.
"Which one?" snorted Ashley.
Cass smirked. Kayla continued. "The one with light brown hair and green eyes. Jacob Schwartz!"
I nearly had a hernia. Unaware to my choking, Kayla continued. "I saw them at the Sweet Shoppe, sharing a plate of cookies. And no," she said, cutting off Ashley, "there were no books between them, so they weren't studying."
Cass' eyes widened. "Oh I remember! I was at the stable and saw them trail riding!"
"See," Kayla smiled.
Ashley pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Wait, doesn't Jacob have a girlfriend?"
"N—" Kayla started, but Cass cut her off.
"Yeah! Sasha Smith or something. She's on the YENT too."
I was too busy listening in to be offended at the name mix-up.
"So he can't be dating Brit," Ashley corrected, a tad smugly.
"No," Kayla persisted, "Natalie saw them kissing."
I made a really loud choking sound. Cass looked at me, part concerned and part weirded out. Before she could say anything Ashley kept talking.
"What does Natalie know?" she scoffed.
"Get this, Ash. She was walking by the science building when she saw Brit talking to Jacob's rider friend Andy. He said something and Brit replied, "I'm sorry, I can't." She's broken up with him to be with Jacob!" Kayla's voice had risen to a near shout.
That was it. I turned and pushed through the crowd in the common room, a weird combination of sniffling and sobbing escaping me. My flailing bags smashed into some people, but I couldn't hear them over the ringing in my ears.
I never wanted to see Brit, not now, not tomorrow, not ever again.
