Detention is boring. It's worse than G&T, because at least in G&T it's unsupervised and we can talk and muck around and stuff. But this is like a whole day of supervised G&T, only worse, because Josh and Lana are here.
I've been watching them for the last fifteen minutes. They're only two rows in front of me, and at first they were kissing like there was no tomorrow. I kept seeing Michael throwing disapproving glances their way, but he never said anything. And they stopped of their own accord anyway. Now they're arguing in hushed tones. Michael's told them off once or twice, but they won't listen.
"…nothing, ok? As if!"
That was Josh. I can't quite hear all of their conversation, but from what I can gather Josh did something that Lana is angry about. Oh to be a fly on the wall next to them!
"…meant something…dumped me, me!" Lana started getting louder.
"Shh," Michael said again, looking them straight in the eyes.
"Shut up, Moscovitz," Josh said in a normal tone. "Lana, baby, listen to me. She meant nothing to me. I did because I thought I could get something out of it. It's not as if I actually felt something for the stupid girl!"
Ooh, this is getting interesting! Obviously Josh cheated on Lana, and she's pissed about it.
But wait a minute, when did he have chance to cheat on her? They only got back together this week because he was pretending to like me the week before…
Oh no.
Lana stood up, her chair flying backwards into the desk in front of me. "You just don't get it, Josh, do you? You left me for her! Her!" She threw an accusing finger in, you guessed it, my direction.
I sat back in my chair, my mouth slightly open in shock. So much for my boring day in detention.
"Lana, sit down," Michael commanded.
"Moscovitz, I thought I told you to shut up. I'm handling it, ok?" Josh yelled, now standing too.
Michael stood up too. "No, Josh, you listen to me. You guys aren't supposed to be talking, so calm down, sit down, and you shut up. Maybe you guys need to sit apart from each other."
I was shocked at Michael's strength. Who knew he actually had the balls for this job?
But I didn't have too much time to revel in Michael's bravery. Lana ignored him and kept yelling, only this time, it was directed at me.
"Did it make you feel good, Mia? Did you feel special when he asked you to the dance? Well how did you feel when you found out he only wanted you for your publicity? And how do you think I feel to play second fiddle to someone like you?"
I didn't say anything, what am I supposed to say? It felt great, Lana. Until he ripped out my heart and threw it to the paparazzi for all the world to see. Thanks for asking.
"That's enough, Lana," Michael said, stepping forward towards her.
"Stay away from me!" she cried, near to hyperventilation point now. It was kind of funny really, I mean if the situation hadn't included me it would have been. Because I never thought that people like Lana would get this worked up. I didn't think it was possible.
Josh tried. "Lana, babe, calm down. If you want, next time there's a dance, I'll take you. I promise."
"God, Josh! You don't get it! It's not about you and any stupid dance anymore, it's about her!"
You didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know who she was talking about.
I sat frozen in my seat. All eyes in the library were turned to me.
"Stand up!" Lilly hissed. "Stand up, face her. Take her down! Do it!"
Sure, if I had the Moscovitz gene for standing up to people like Lana and Josh it'd be no problem. But I don't. So I can't tell Lana where to go, much as I'd like to.
"Don't look all innocent like that, Mia!" Lana cried, actual tears falling from her perfectly made up eyes. "I know you planned to steal Josh from me all along, I know it was you, not him!"
I looked at Michael, he had a blank expression on his face, he didn't know what to do either. But then he sort of smiled at me, and unknowingly gave me the courage to say something back.
"I did not," I said. Just like that. It may not have been as loud or as strong as I'd hoped, but at least it was something. "And you know it."
She mustn't have been expecting me to say anything in reply, from the look on her face.
"Go on," Lilly hissed again. "Keep going!"
I stood up. It was as if the Moscovitz courage gene had somehow been transferred to me through Michael's reassuring eyes and Lilly's encouraging words.
"I didn't steal Josh from you; he left you of his own free will. I was just the pawn in his little Get-Famous-Quick scheme. Too bad for him it didn't turn out very well and he had to turn back to his plan B. The At-Least-I-Can-Still-Screw-Lana-Over scheme. Only looks to me, as if that one's not turning out so well now, is it, Joshie?"
I walked past her towards the exit, leaving her and everyone else staring after me. Who knew I had it in me to say all that stuff? I sure as hell didn't.
As soon as I got out the library door I sat down against the wall next to it to catch my breath.
After a minute, the door opened, but I didn't dare myself to look up. Who was it going to be? Lars to see if I'm ok? Lana to say something catty back to me? Josh to punch me for calling him Joshie? He told me last week that he hates that name. Or maybe Lilly to congratulate me for finally growing a back bone. Or will it be…
