INFAMOUS ENDEAVOR:
Endless Effects

"Falling out of love is hard, falling for betrayal is worst, broken trust and broken heart, I know, I know" ~ Shontelle

Monday, January 10th
7:56 A.M.

"Let's drink to feelings of temptation"

"You know you have to be in homeroom in like two minutes." Massie glanced up and was met with Cam's soft blue, green eyes.

"No shit Sherlock," she muttered transferring books from her locker to her hand. He shot her a lazy grin and leaned against the locker next to her.

"I didn't know you cared so much about academics," Massie heard Josh say coming up behind Cam. That was when she heard it, Claire's melodic laughter. Her head snapped up. Claire was walking with Derrick down the hallway, right toward her. She felt a pang while also noticing Cam's face turned stoic. Gently, she placed her hand on his arm, giving him a small smile before slamming her locker door and walking off.

"So it seems that Claire and Derrick have a thing and we're all in some weird love chart," Josh began, keeping even pace with her.

"Guess so," Massie mumbled.

"Have you spoken to them?" Josh asked holding open the door for her; they were in the same homeroom.

"Nope and I don't plan on it," Massie said, sitting down and Josh shot her a look.

"People think they're dating, people saw them kissing at the party," Josh whispered.

"I don't listen to rumors," Massie snapped.

"Mass, you can't run away from this! Something happened with them," Josh stressed to her.

"What do you want me to do? Freak out because people are claiming they saw something happen? That my best friend is with my… crush."

Josh sighed but didn't press the issue any further, which Massie was grateful, but then he opened his mouth again and Massie wanted to punch him.

"What about us?" he mumbled as the bell rang and the teacher started attendance.

"What about us?" Massie asked through clenched teeth.

"That party Mass, it brought a lot of old feelings back and-"

"-Joshua Hotz!" the teacher yelled and he turned to attention "What ever conversation you're having with Miss Block can wait until after homeroom attendance."

"Yes, ma'am."

Once the teacher was done, Massie made an escape to the bathroom in which she waited in until first period.

Monday, January 10th
12:42 P.M.

"Last name ever, first name greatest"

Derrick decided not to go to lunch; he refused. He had no idea what was going to happen and he didn't want to sit somewhere feeling everyone's eyes on him for all the wrong reasons. Instead he wandered aimlessly through the empty hallways.

Every time he thought of Massie now his mind always went back to when he saw her with Josh. He couldn't even look at her. He was a hypocrite, he knew this already, but Massie always brought something out of him. Something he didn't quite understand.

It was as if karma was out to get him because when he turned the corner he saw Massie. She was dragging her feet against the floor, her eyes glued to her phone. He couldn't help it, he checked her out. He loved the way her curls caressed her face, he always loved running his hands threw them. Her jeans hugged her hips by a means to hang on, they looked a little big for her but she still looked like she was walking a runway. The Yankee sweater was what held his attention. Josh loved the Yankees. He wanted to kick something.

He watched her put her phone away; she closed her eyes leaning against some of the lockers and ran her hand threw her hair. He licked his lips. She opened her eyes and looked straight at him. He felt like he had been caught doing something naughty.

He expected her to yell, Claire must have spoken to her already if not then the rumors would have reached her ears by now. He almost wanted her to turn away crying to do something, like any other girl he's been with has done.

But she didn't. In fact it was as if she didn't see him at all, as if he wasn't there. She closed her eyes, her hair spilling over her face but she didn't touch it. She wasn't like any other girl.

Derrick never felt more invisible.

Monday, January 10th
12:47 P.M.

"I've never lit a match with the intent to start a fire"

Josh sat alone at lunch staring at his hamburger before taking a large bite.

"Josh likes 'em huge, don't you big boy?" Cam winked at him and Josh wrinkled his nose.

"Sometimes you're so gay you make me uncomfortable," Josh muttered looking across the lunch room. He could see Claire and Alicia laughing at something and he tried not to make his uneasy glances in the dark haired girls direction look too obvious.

Claire on the other hand looked worried. She kept glancing at the door. Josh turned away from them and he noticed Cam had been watching them like him, except probably for different reasons.

They sat in an awkward silence.

"This is our fault," Josh sighed and Cam let out a grunt of agreement.

"But maybe this is for the better, seeing what kind of bitches we got to deal with," Cam suggested and Josh snickered.

"That's one way to look at it," he replied but they both knew they screwed up.

Josh took out his phone noticing Massie wasn't there.

To: Massie

Where are you?

"What the hell is going on with everyone?" Cam asked noticing his friend's distraction.

"Alicia found Mass and I being friendly and now hates us. You got into a fight with Derrick over Massie, so Derrick hates you. Something's going on with Claire and Derrick so Massie hates both of them," Josh shrugged.

"Claire and Derrick, huh," Cam sighed.

"So basically we all hate each other." Josh shook his head as if to clear away last night's memories.

From: Massie

I'm not so hungry. I'll see you in class. Tell Cam I said hi.

"Mass says hi," Josh said shoving the burger into his mouth.

"Tell her I said hi." Cam grabbed a handful of Josh's fries, before snacking on them.

"I'm not your bitch, text her yourself," he replied, rolling his eyes.

The black haired boy shrugged in response, as if saying 'your loss'.

Josh turned back to Alicia. Suddenly he felt something, guilt maybe but it was more a yearning for her. She always knew how to make him feel better and in spite of her harsh stare he sent her a small smile. She blinked a couple of times in shock and turned away but he saw the rush of color to her cheeks and he couldn't help but think maybe everything was going to be alright.

Monday, January 10th
12:48 P.M.

"Now the party don't start till' I walk in"

Claire had basically spilled her guts to Alicia the moment she sat down and while she felt some sick enjoyment from Massie's drama with her best friend she also felt a pang of pity for the brunette. Claire however was a mess. She kept glancing back at the door. Whether she was waiting for Massie or Derrick she wasn't sure.

"Oh my God, what if I lost my best friend?" Claire wailed and Alicia stifled a sigh, as much as she enjoyed this bonding time she had her own issues to deal with. Like the fact that she couldn't keep her eyes off Josh.

"Look, Claire just calm down," Alicia said taking a bite out of her salad.

"How can I calm down? I just wish this wasn't so complicated. I wish I didn't like him!" she groaned.

"Look, you like who you like," Alicia shrugged glancing back at Josh. "If Massie is your best friend she'd understand."

Claire shot her an helpless look. "I took Massie's crush. The same person who I've been preaching about is so bad and I don't think it's a little oh I can ignore it and it'll go away crush."

"Well, it's not like they were in the perfect relationship. They cheated on each other all the time. She cheated on him with Josh," Alicia mumbled.

"I'm sorry about that," Claire sighed, looking down.

"The damage is done okay?" Alicia snapped. Claire looked surprised at her outburst.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"It's okay," Claire replied.

"Just, look I can't be a pacifier, Claire. Be a woman. Channel you're inner beast and suck it up. You like him, he likes you, and either Massie can accept that, move on and stay your friend or she'll sulk and mope around. Just do you, Claire, everything else will fall into place."

Monday, January 10th
1:25 P.M.

"I want you're love, I don't want to be friends"

Cam couldn't help but daydream to a simpler time while he was in his chemistry class. Claire was his lab partner and was glancing at him as she wrote something down.

Hey, she scribbled passing him a crumpled up piece of paper.

What? He wrote back.

I'm sorry was written under his own handwriting. He felt something in him stir but he ignored it.

So much for 'this is confusing we got to figure things out' looks like you knew who you wanted. He couldn't help it, he was bitter.

Don't be like that, Cam . He could practically feel the distress in her writing.

What do you want me to say? That I'm so happy for you and Derrick? I'm not. He's an asshole that's going to break your heart. He wasn't going to lie to her she needed to know the truth.

Stop

Just stop with all this bullshit, why can't you see it? He's going to go running back to Massie. Don't tell me you don't see the way he looks at her. You'd be lying if you said you didn't. And I'll always be here Claire. I want to send you gummies and mix CD's and drive you home and take you out on dates. You know you won't have that with him because you'll always be wondering if he's cheating. You can't change him. You and me, we fit. He poured his heart out into a note that Claire folded into her pocket. She didn't look at him after that. He always felt second best to Derrick.

To: Massie

Hey, meet me by the boy's bathroom?

Cam couldn't help it. His heart hurt and Massie was his go-to girl.

From: Massie

Sounds nasty but whatever.

Cam leaned against the painfully bright white wall. He tugged at the zipper of his sweater. He had no idea what to tell Massie all he knew was that he wanted to see her.

"Hey, Cam, what happened?" he looked up to see her amber eyes studying him carefully.

Cam sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Does knowing about Claire and Derrick make you feel like this? I feel like shit. You're the only one who could be with Derrick and Claire can't seem to wrap her head around that."

Massie was expressionless. She opened her mouth and then closed it. Her next words cam out in a whisper, "She would tell me."

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know as well as I do that she's always had a soft spot for Derrick," Massie sighed, shaking her head.

"I thought she was over it."

"So did I," she huffed. "Cam?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you? I want to know how it feels, sober. If there's something between us that we've just been ignoring," Massie said sheepishly.

Instead of replying Cam slipped is hand into her hair and tipped her head back to press his lips to hers. It wasn't like the first time they kissed. Their emotions spilled over into each other making them frantic and desperate as they clung to one another. He squeezed his eyes tighter together and held her closer. He felt what she was feeling too and his heart broke for the both of them.