Chapter 6-Problems in Paradise
Gwen sighed and looked out the window. She was in the school counselor's office, waiting for Mrs. Phillip to come and talk for 30 minutes straight about Academic success, future possibilities and other subjects that Gwen considered as interesting as a patch of grass. Mrs. Phillip, the counselor, was known as 'the good cop-bad cop', because while in her office, you would feel like at a police interrogation. And some said that Mrs. Phillip's specialty was making you say exactly what you wanted to hide.
"That's the last thing I need: that woman getting into my head." Gwen thought.
The door opened and Mrs. Phillip entered the room smiling and holding a coffee mug with a picture of Freud on it.
"Good morning, Gwen!" she greeted, while placing the mug on her desk. "How are you today?"
"Fine, I guess." The Goth girl shrugged.
"I bet you're happy that you're going to skip 45 minutes of Biology by chatting with me." Mrs. Phillip smiled.
"Do I have to answer that?"
There was a moment of silence. Mrs. Phillips drank her coffee and made eye-contact with her 'patient'.
"I see your grades have been slipping a bit lately, Gwen."
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes, I've been informed that your Creative Writing grades aren't as good as last semester."
Gwen heavily sighed. She feared what was about to follow: an unpleasant question about the reason she received such low results.
"Gwen, what happened? Why did you get such low grades in Creative Writing? Didn't you like writing poems and stories?" Mrs. Phillips asked, adopting a concerned tone and look.
Gwen looked away for a few seconds. She wanted to avoid this subject, but she knew she couldn't.
"It's just that…This semester's theme doesn't really appeal to me." She answered.
"Romance doesn't appeal to you?" the counselor asked surprised.
Gwen didn't reply, instead she crossed her arms and avoided eye-contact. Mrs. Phillips smirked and began twirling a pencil.
"Then I think I know what your problem is, my dear. You have love issues."
Gwen blushed a bit. "Isn't that supposed to be a private issue?" she snapped.
"Gwen, it helps if you talk about it. What happened?"
"Nothing!"
"Did you suffer a break-up, by any chance?" Mrs. Phillips cocked an eyebrow and grinned. Gwen felt surprisingly embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, but it's not your business-"
"You miss Trent, don't you?" the woman asked.
Her jaw dropped. How did Mrs. Phillips know? Her face was as red as a beetroot now and she couldn't even form a sentence.
"I…how…?" she tried to speak.
"I watched the show, sweetie. In fact, all the teachers did. Each teacher had a favorite and we were all rooting for somebody in the teacher's lounge when the show was aired." Mrs. Phillips explained.
"Are you kidding me? Every teacher in this high school watched it?" Gwen couldn't believe her ears. She paused for a second, and then asked another question. "Who were you rooting for?"
"I didn't root for anybody. I was too busy observing you. You might be surprised, but as soon as I found out that a student from this high school was accepted on the show, I was delighted. I never get a chance to know students properly, unless they come to my office; so being able to see you on TV was an opportunity to discover the real you."
She drank from her coffee mug, while Gwen remained silent.
"And I must say, seeing you fall in love was very touching. And Trent…Oh, he seemed such a wonderful boy! You two seemed perfect for each other. But then, in Total Drama Action, problems in Paradise appeared…"
"Wait, why did you try to find these things out by asking me, since you already knew them from the show?" Gwen asked.
"It's always better if the student cooperates with the counselor. It makes things easier. But now, let's get back to the subject. You broke up with him. And you're sorry, aren't you?"
Gwen sighed. "Yes…I am."
"Do you regret breaking up with him?"
She bit her lip. "Yes, I regret."
"And do you miss him?"
Gwen felt like her eyes were getting watery. She didn't answer.
"That's why you can't write romantic stories or poems, isn't it?" Mrs. Phillips asked. And her question dropped like a bomb on Gwen.
The teenage girl couldn't help herself anymore. She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands.
"Yes! I miss him! I miss him every day and I hate myself for breaking up with him. Can't we just change the damn subject?" She said not taking her hands away from her face.
Mrs. Phillips offered her a box of tissues. "It's alright, dear. Let it all out."
"This can't be happening!" Kat muttered annoyed. "That idiot can't do this to us!" She shouted kicking one of the corridor walls.
"Kat, keep it down! Are you begging for detention right now?" Dean asked, looking around him with a concerned look.
Trent, Kat and Dean were standing on the empty corridor, reflecting on what the principle had told Trent earlier in his office.
"Are you sure that's exactly what he said?" Dean asked.
"Yes. The principle wants us to share our 'stage time' with Nate and Fiona." Trent replied leaning on the wall. "He thinks that our band along with theirs would result in a delightful performance."
"That moron also thinks that the Beatles will be reuniting soon." Kat muttered. "But I won't share the stage with cheap Fiona and her puppy!"
"Why, Kat, are you feeling threatened?"
Kat recognized the voice and turned to her left to see Fiona and Nate approaching. Fiona was another aspiring musician from Brightwood. She was the typical bitchy popular girl: always making rude, snappy comments and always stepping on everyone in order to reach the top. Kat had hated Fiona ever since Fiona sabotaged her audition for a 9th grade talent show.
Nate was Fiona's cousin. He didn't have a very active social life, so he was always around Fiona. But even though they were related, their personalities were very different. While being mean came natural to Fiona, Nate had to force himself to replace compliments with comments so that his cousin would accept him. And everyone who sensed this behavior felt sorry for him.
"What do you want, Fiona?" Kat asked her unimpressed by her threatening look.
Fiona was one of the skinniest girls from Brightwood. She always wore designer labels and was always covered in make-up. Trent once told Kat that if Fiona tried a more natural look, she would have had more success. And he was right. Fiona had beautiful brown eyes and lovely auburn hair, but you didn't get to notice these details because of the distracting make-up she always chose.
"Oh, I just wanted to give you some friendly advice." Fiona said on a fake sweet tone.
"Friendly?" Kat laughed. "When I hear that word coming from you, all I can think about is you advising me to jump off a cliff."
Nate chuckled, but stopped when Fiona threw him a threatening glare. When placed one next to the other you could see a few resemblances between them, even though Nate had brown hair, instead of auburn like Fiona's. But as Dean said once "They're not supposed to be identical, they're not twins!"
"I found out that we're going to share the stage at the dance." Fiona continued. "Looks like the principal finally realized who is a better singer."
"Dream on." Kat said as she rolled her eyes. "If you think I'm intimidated by you, then you have serious issues."
Fiona twitched her right eye. "Afraid of the truth? I'm a much better singer than you. I'll get the cheers, while you get the yawns. Your 'Excellent performer' label will go down in flames, loser!"
"Well if I'll go down in flames, I'm taking you with me, Miss Sabotage!" Kat started fuming.
"We'll see who'll get the applause in the end." Fiona said, crossing her arms. "Too bad two cute guys like you hang out with a girl like her." She told Trent and Dean. "I'm going to Pilates, Nate, be sure to come at my house at 6."
Fiona then turned around and left, swinging her hips exaggeratedly. Kat was still angry, Trent and Dean felt a little nausea because of her walking style and Nate just sighed.
"Why do you spend so much time with her anyway?" Trent asked Nate.
"Well, she is family." He shrugged.
"I'd rather live with a pack of wolverines." Kat muttered.
"Sorry about what she said earlier." Nate apologized. "She's just very competitive. And she kind of hates you." He said trying to sound as gentle as possible.
"Feeling's mutual." The blonde smiled. "But you're much better than her, Nate. I've seen you trying to change yourself for her. It's not worth it, trust me. Fiona is a bitch."
"She hit on me once." Dean added casually.
Kat turned towards him with a questioning glare. He quickly tried to repair the mistake and avoid getting her furious again.
"And of course I said no! There's just something about her that reminds you of that lesson in biology about sexually transmitted diseases."
Kat's expression became a shocked one. Trent shook his head as a warning.
"Dean, did you just imply-?"
"Alright, so how about we go out to eat?" Trent stepped between the two, trying to avoid the eruption of volcano Kat.
"Brilliant idea! How about you join us, Nate?" Dean joined in, not giving the girl a chance to say more.
"That sounds great, thanks you guys!" he replied, as his face suddenly lit up.
"Stop changing the subject!" Kat said irritated.
"Who's changing the subject? Come on, hon, let's go buy you a mozzarella pizza!" Dean added, as he grabbed her arm and pulled her across the hallway.
"Are you trying the 'cunning as a fox' maneuver on me?" She cocked an eyebrow.
"Not with you. I can never be as foxy as you." Dean said on a flirty tone.
"Oh, shut up." Kat laughed, playfully punching him in the arm.
Trent and Nate were walking behind the two, Trent chuckling when seeing their interactions.
"Man, I remember when Gwen and I acted like this. Good times…But that was before the break-up. I really miss you, Gwen." Trent thought.
"So…Are these two together?" Nate asked confused, interrupting the musician's walk on memory lane.
"Not yet. But something tells me they will be." He grinned.
So this is the end of chapter 6. I would like to thank all my readers and especially my reviewers. Your kind words motivate me and really make my day! Lots of hugs!
-PurpleFunkytown