It had only been a few days but the tension could be felt throughout the school. The school paper released with the headline "Dangers of the Swamp: The Calamity Girls Tell All." Anne didn't bother reading it, she could already hear the gossip in the school about how it painted Sasha as some sort of hero looking after her crazy friends. The jeers and stares were annoying but it wasn't worse than how it was when she first arrived in Wartwood. Eventually they would get bored and life would be back to normal. Still...
"Uh excuse me."
"Whoa!" Anne jumped.
"Ah! Didn't mean to scare you." A frail mousey looking girl cowered in front of her. Behind her was a small pod of physically challenged students equally perturbed.
"Sorry I just wasn't expecting anyone to actually talk to me." Anne rubbed her arm in embarrassment.
"Oh, sorry we just had a question." The mousey girl perked up quickly. "We're in the chess club and we've been practicing really hard for a big tournament, but we haven't seen our champion Marcy all day. We were hoping you'd know where she is."
"Oh, well sorry wish I could help you but I haven't seen her today either. It's actually kind of weird."
"Aw. Well hopefully she's just late today. Ok thanks byeeee." With that they were off.
"Oh, and don't worry about what that stupid paper says." The girl turned for a moment.
"Aw, thanks." A smile restored.
"I heard Thai people eat bugs all the time. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Gee thanks." Smile and optimism, gone.
Anne prepared to open the door but hesitated. She then pushed open the doors before walking through. The bucket fell immediately leaking dead frogs and slime across the ground. "Ok guys I get it I'm the swamp girl, but the bucket of frogs was lame the first time!"
She mumbled to herself as she picked up each frog and returned it to the tomb. "I feel bad for the janitor."
Unsurprisingly, from the moment she grabbed her food to the moment she sat down students were staring and laughing. They would get bored eventually. Still, it was a lot nicer when Marcy was there with her. She began to consider Marcy may have gotten herself into another accident and began to eat to take her mind off of it. It was almost thanksgiving so thankfully the food wasn't as disturbing today.
The sudden thud of a tray hitting the table interrupted her silent feast. Above it was none other than the "hero of the swamp" Sasha with as cold a stare as ever. Anne ignored her and continued eating. Sasha sat down and for a while stared quietly with her arms folded.
…
...
"Look." Sasha sighed. "I know we've been through a lot. Some things were said some swords were swung, and maybe it was all a bit dramatic."
Anne focused on packing food in her mouth, but kept her ear open.
"But I get it."
Anne hard swallowed, now both shocked and in a bit of pain.
"So, in light of our history together..."
Anne stared in amazement. This couldn't be real.
"I'm willing to forgive you!" Sasha flashed her brightest smile.
This COULDN'T be real.
"...what?"
"Like I said, I totally get it. That was a new and scary place and you went a long time without me so I can understand how all of that was a lot for you to deal with and why you'd act so crazy. But I forgive you and we're home now so you don't have to worry about any of that anymore. Yay us! Hang on we should totally take a selfie to celebrate."
"You. Cannot. BE SERIOUS!" Anne slammed her hands against the table.
"Come on Anne, I'm here willing to put everything aside so you can stop your moping. So, no more of all this negative energy."
"You really don't get it do you?" Anne couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Sasha's demeanor began to change. "What's the problem now? I'm trying here."
"My only problem, was ever being your friend! My only problem was ever thinking you cared about me at all! My problem was ever, EVER, thinking you'd ever change from being the self-centered, evil, manipulative bitch you are!"
With that the entire cafeteria dropped dead silent. No more whispers, or laughter, not even the sound of mash landing on a tray. Sasha sat petrified; eyes wide as if she had just been shot.
"If this is all you have to say then I'd be better off with you pelting me with frogs or whatever. But I'm so, SO, past listening to this kind of crap from you."
"UGH! I knew it!" Sasha voice began to waver. "Why did Marcy think this would work you are so impossible!"
"Wait, Marcy put you up to this?"
"Of course, she did! You think I'd ever stoop this low on my own? Whatever!"
She stood up ready to walk away, but something made her laugh. Something made her stay.
"You want to know why she asked me to talk to you? Because she feels sorry for you. Anne Boonchuy the weirdo with no friends!"
"I... have friends."
"What, you mean those slimy frogs?" She had herself a belly laugh. "You know I wasn't going to say this but you're a big girl now, aren't you?"
She slammed a hand on the table, staring Anne in her eyes. "You're never going to see those stupid frogs again."
"Shut up."
"I tried to warn you that overgrown snake was bad news, but of course you wouldn't listen because you just had to be the hero had to be Ms. goody two shoes riding on her white snail of justice. Well now thanks to you your weird little frog family is probably dead! No more gross swamp, no more annoying frogs, no more crazy newts-" She began to choke up.
"No more stupid ugly toads... All because YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOURSELF!"
With one swift motion Sasha flipped her tray of food at Anne's face. The "ooo's" echoed in the cafeteria as students took out their phones.
Without a word as the mashed potatoes and turkey slid down her face Anne stood up.
It was brief but for just a moment Sasha realized how far she had gone. Unfortunately, it was too brief. Anne struck her in the face with enough force to send her tumbling back and falling on her rear.
Sasha wiped her chin, surprised to see a small stain of blood remain on her hand.
"You just made the biggest mistake of your life you ungrateful little shit!"
She pounced like tiger throwing Anne against the wall from across the table.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
"TAKE HER DOWN SASHA!"
"GLOBESPARK! GLOOOOOOOOOBESPARK!"
The cheers from the peanut gallery resounded. Anne kicked Sasha off of her and chased her to the ground. They struggled, rolling through the cafeteria trying to overpower the other until Sasha managed to pin Anne to the ground, pressing her head against the ground. Before she could take advantage, Anne wrestled enough to bite the hand that bound her.
"OW! You little-"
Before she could finish Anne pulled her in for a headbutt that sent her falling back.
Anne rose to her feet in time to be met with Sasha's fist to her face, almost dropping the girl to the ground once again. Anne composed herself in enough time to dodge the second punch, but not enough to avoid Sasha grabbing her hair and slamming her against a nearby table. Anne found her hand in a fistful of the mashed potatoes and instinctively launched it at Sasha's face, preventing the next attack. She charged at Sasha with a punch to the jaw, Sasha replied to with an uppercut of her on. From here the two girls locked hands, fighting for dominance as little more than two angry beast. Even this close, this trapped in each other's gaze, they could see nothing in each other but an enemy.
"And frankly it was the most obscene display of violence seen in these halls for quite some time." Principal Amelia was fuming from behind her desk. The office was small and Anne was wedged between her less than pleased parents. With all her bruises and aching head, it was suffocating sitting there.
"We're so sorry our daughter caused such disruption." Mrs. Boonchuy hung her head in shame, before grabbing Anne's ear.
"OW!"
"We'll be sure to discipline her much more carefully from now on."
"Yes well, nonetheless I'm afraid we'll have to suspend Anne for no less than two weeks."
"Suspension? Don't you think that's being a little harsh?"
"Yes Mr. Boonchuy given your daughter's recent troubles we understand it can be difficult readjusting to society."
Anne noticed one of the school papers on a shelf and rolled her eyes.
"Other students can be reluctant to give you that space to readjust, however we cannot condone acts of violence on school grounds."
"If you think you're going to have a vacation after all of this you got another thing coming. I'm talking 4 times the chores late shifts at the restaurant."
"Oh, come on mom."
"Eh, not this time kiddo. Your grades were one thing but picking fights at school, and with your friends? I know we raised you better than that."
"If it helps, think of it as time to collect yourself." Amelia chimed in to the family dispute. "Besides we know you weren't the one who started it. That's why you're only getting suspended and Sasha is getting expelled."
"Wait. Sasha got expelled?"
"…yes." Mr. Boonchuy made a not-so-subtle fist bump.
"Dad!"
"Oh yes indeed. Sasha Waybright has been a menace to this school for far too long. Cutting classes, stealing school supplies, pranking teachers. We had to cancel a science lesson just this week because she stole all the specimens for study. Picking a fight in the cafeteria is just the final straw. No amount of time in the wilderness could make up for a track record like hers."
"Oh...I never realized she was on thin ice like that."
"Clearly a rotten apple spoils the bunch. Best we just throw it away."
Suddenly it wasn't just her headache making her feel sick.
She walked behind her parent's out of the school building. The Autumn sun was already beginning to set. The view was nice at least. Some other students were still gathered around the building, failing to be inconspicuous with their chatter.
"Did you hear? Mad Franne got suspended and Sasha's getting kicked out of school for good!"
"Good riddance. I never liked her anyway."
"Oh yea you still coming to Sasha's welcome back party this weekend right?"
"Of course, I am. That pool is awesome!"
The walk to the car seemed to stretch endlessly. Eventually they would get bored and life would go back to normal. It was one bad day, if nothing else it was clear where she and Sasha stood now.
"ANNE, WHY IS THE TRASH STILL HERE?"
"I'm on it!"
The sun had lowered until the sky was a luminescent orange. Anne walked to the curb dragging the disgusting can behind hoping the day would be over soon. She didn't even notice the van that had pulled up to the curb as she left the can behind. Before she got too far, she did notice someone approach the gate.
"...Marcy?"
"Hey Ann-"
She could barely finish before Anne embraced her. She held on so tightly you'd think she was going to fall if she let go.
"MARCY! Where've you been, girl?" She quickly released her in embarrassment. I uh...missed you at school today."
"Yea I heard things got bad."
Anne finally noticed the van behind Marcy, it was loaded to the brim with suitcases and bags, one even needing to be tied to the roof.
"Whoa your mom has a lot of junk in the trunk. What's going on?"
Marcy's sheepish smile dropped. "Listen Anne, I came here to say sorry." She began to tremble "And... goodbye."
Anne quickly grabbed Marcy's hand.
"Mar-Mar what are you talking about? Did something happen? Did Sasha…"
"NO! No just." Marcy let go of Anne's hand and backed away slightly. "On the day we left, your birthday, my dad said he got a new job out of state. I uh, didn't take the news too well." Now even her voice was shaking. "So, I ran away until I saw a box that I recognized from a book… A box that could take you to other worlds."
It was quiet for a moment, Anne backed away slightly covering her face with her hand. She then began giggling.
"That's a good one Marcy." She dropped her hand and the color had left her face. "Because it sounds like you knew what the box would do."
"I know it was really dumb!" Marcy broke. "I didn't think it would actually work, but it did and, and."
"No way...Marcy how could you? "
"I know..."
"We were gone for months! We could've gotten hurt or worse!"
"I know ok, I know! I just didn't want to lose you guys."
Anne paced for a moment. Marcy stood still shaking, unable to lift her head to face Anne.
"That's...that's a lot Marcy." Marcy braced herself like she was going to be struck by the next words. "It was a really stupid thing to do." Anne then came to Marcy and put a hand on her shoulder.
"But I guess it worked out in the end. We're home now, right? So…it's ok."
"NO, ITS NOT OK!" Anne removed her hand in shock.
"When we got back my dad had already left but my mom she stayed! She stayed here alone in that house waiting for me. We're going back to live with my dad in New York. I have to."
"Marcy..."
The light was fading, those comforting orange hues began to fade.
"I thought I could at least get you and Sasha to be friends again but that was stupid too. The damage was already done and all of it, ALL OF IT IS MY FAULT!"
"Marcy this is too much. You can't just say all of that and leave! It's not...it's not fair!"
"Marcy!" Mrs. Wu's voice accompanied the honking of the van. "Let's go, we're already going to hit traffic now we're losing the light."
Marcy backed away slightly, trying to hide her face in her hood. "I…have to go."
"MARCY YOU CAN'T!"
Anne grabbed Marcy's hand as she tried to retreat. The shades of violet and blue started to bleed into the sky as she fell to her knees.
"You promised me..."
Marcy's trembling stopped, all her movement did. It was quiet enough that the only sound stirring was the sobbing of the girls. Marcy faced her before letting go of her hand.
"I'm sorry...for everything."
With that she made for the van. The sun faded away, the fall leaves stopped floating and the night settled in. Anne was left staring as the car drove off. She wasn't aware of the time, any cars that passed or any birds chirping. Before she knew it her face was dry sullen and empty as the moon rose above her watching.
"ANNE!" A voice rang out from the house. It could've been the first, second or fifth time it was called but it didn't matter.
"…Whatever."
Life went back to normal.
