Jamie and Caitie sat at the back of the empty library engaging in
conversation before the others returned.
"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Jamie prodded gently.
"What do you mean?" Caitie replied innocently.
"Well, you seemed upset after you left the bathroom. Did that blonde say something to you?"
Caitie thought in silence for a long moment. "She was my best friend. Things weren't resolved well."
Jamie arched his eyebrow in surprise. "You and blondie? Wouldn't have guessed."
"It was a long time ago, when she was a different person. I was a different person. It was a lifetime ago," Caitie added trying to end the conversation.
"I doubt that," Jamie muttered under his breath.
Caitie fixed her gaze downwards. She focused on her silver thumb ring. "Did you ever have one of those friends, you would give your life up for? Val and I had that type of bond, and I thought nothing could break that. After junior high started, Val hung around a different crowd. She changed. She started becoming . . . someone I thought she couldn't be. Eventually everything that was uttered by her perfectly painted lips was criticizing and harsh. She didn't have the guts to simply end the friendship; instead she decided to toy with me. She was embarrassed of me, so she decided to embarrass me."
Jamie took a deep breath. "That's harsh."
"I ended it. Simple and clean. After that, we never spoke . . . yet alone acknowledged each other again."
Hank and Tyler entered the library, focusing their attention on Jamie and Caitie.
"Look, the quiet girl is speaking to that guy," Tyler commented to Hank.
"Yeah. Looks like they've teamed up," Hank replied taking his seat.
*
Val took a few extra minutes in the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were slightly covered with tears.
::flashback:: Junior high
Val observed Caitie from her locker with her new cheerleading friends. Caitie was wearing torn jeans and a black sweater. Her long dark brown hair was sectioned off into numerous tiny braids. Heavy eye makeup with dark red lipstick completed her look. A silver pendant hung around her neck. She approached Val, with a smile displayed on her face.
"Hey Val!" Caitie exclaimed.
"Hi," Val replied uneasily.
Caitie ignored the awkwardness of Val's response. "What's up? Want to go shopping later?" she asked, well aware that shopping was one of Val's favorite pastimes.
Val made eye contact with her cheerleading co-captain, Heather. She gave a disapproving look.
"I wouldn't want to shop at any freak store with you Caitie, so not my style. You know?" she managed to reply. A little giggle was voiced as a finishing touch to her stabbing comment. The other members of the cheerleading squad joined in, chuckling.
Caitie covered up the damage made by that comment. She tried to laugh it off. "You're right, we do have different styles. Maybe next time." With a weak smile, she headed down the hallway to her locker.
:: end of flashback::
The memory made Val cringe. That was only the beginning of what had happened between them. She couldn't blame Caitie for being so angry. She put up with a lot of crap from Val before she had enough. That was only one instance, out of many. Caitie did something very uncharacteristic of her. She held back, allowing herself to be walked on.
Val took a deep breath and composed herself. She regretted what had happened between Caitie and herself. It was a long time ago, but it still hurt like a fresh wound. She collected her makeup bag and walked out of the girls' bathroom.
*
Carlson entered the library. "Where's the other one?" he asked noticing Val's absence.
At that moment Val walked through the door. "Sorry, female stuff."
Carlson nodded his head, not wanting to hear any further explanation. "Keep quiet and do something productive. I'll come back when it's time for lunch. Until then, don't kill each other." He left the room without waiting for any responses.
A/N: What did you think? Please review!
Thanks MM for beta-ing!
"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Jamie prodded gently.
"What do you mean?" Caitie replied innocently.
"Well, you seemed upset after you left the bathroom. Did that blonde say something to you?"
Caitie thought in silence for a long moment. "She was my best friend. Things weren't resolved well."
Jamie arched his eyebrow in surprise. "You and blondie? Wouldn't have guessed."
"It was a long time ago, when she was a different person. I was a different person. It was a lifetime ago," Caitie added trying to end the conversation.
"I doubt that," Jamie muttered under his breath.
Caitie fixed her gaze downwards. She focused on her silver thumb ring. "Did you ever have one of those friends, you would give your life up for? Val and I had that type of bond, and I thought nothing could break that. After junior high started, Val hung around a different crowd. She changed. She started becoming . . . someone I thought she couldn't be. Eventually everything that was uttered by her perfectly painted lips was criticizing and harsh. She didn't have the guts to simply end the friendship; instead she decided to toy with me. She was embarrassed of me, so she decided to embarrass me."
Jamie took a deep breath. "That's harsh."
"I ended it. Simple and clean. After that, we never spoke . . . yet alone acknowledged each other again."
Hank and Tyler entered the library, focusing their attention on Jamie and Caitie.
"Look, the quiet girl is speaking to that guy," Tyler commented to Hank.
"Yeah. Looks like they've teamed up," Hank replied taking his seat.
*
Val took a few extra minutes in the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were slightly covered with tears.
::flashback:: Junior high
Val observed Caitie from her locker with her new cheerleading friends. Caitie was wearing torn jeans and a black sweater. Her long dark brown hair was sectioned off into numerous tiny braids. Heavy eye makeup with dark red lipstick completed her look. A silver pendant hung around her neck. She approached Val, with a smile displayed on her face.
"Hey Val!" Caitie exclaimed.
"Hi," Val replied uneasily.
Caitie ignored the awkwardness of Val's response. "What's up? Want to go shopping later?" she asked, well aware that shopping was one of Val's favorite pastimes.
Val made eye contact with her cheerleading co-captain, Heather. She gave a disapproving look.
"I wouldn't want to shop at any freak store with you Caitie, so not my style. You know?" she managed to reply. A little giggle was voiced as a finishing touch to her stabbing comment. The other members of the cheerleading squad joined in, chuckling.
Caitie covered up the damage made by that comment. She tried to laugh it off. "You're right, we do have different styles. Maybe next time." With a weak smile, she headed down the hallway to her locker.
:: end of flashback::
The memory made Val cringe. That was only the beginning of what had happened between them. She couldn't blame Caitie for being so angry. She put up with a lot of crap from Val before she had enough. That was only one instance, out of many. Caitie did something very uncharacteristic of her. She held back, allowing herself to be walked on.
Val took a deep breath and composed herself. She regretted what had happened between Caitie and herself. It was a long time ago, but it still hurt like a fresh wound. She collected her makeup bag and walked out of the girls' bathroom.
*
Carlson entered the library. "Where's the other one?" he asked noticing Val's absence.
At that moment Val walked through the door. "Sorry, female stuff."
Carlson nodded his head, not wanting to hear any further explanation. "Keep quiet and do something productive. I'll come back when it's time for lunch. Until then, don't kill each other." He left the room without waiting for any responses.
A/N: What did you think? Please review!
Thanks MM for beta-ing!