Chapter Thirteen - Best Served Cold

"Sarah! Sarah!" Tasha called out, running toward me like she was being chased by an apocalypse of hungry zombies.

I turned and smirked at her, my backpack hung loosely over my shoulder like it had been five days of the week. "What's up? Escaping a fire are we?"

"Have you seen this?" She held out a bright green flyer with a stupid grin on her face. On it, there were large bolded and black letters that read

*John Adam's
Fairytale Themed Dance;
where your dreams come true! ;-)
February 5th, 7-10pm.
Admission fee 5$ .
Your date is whoever comes dressed as your Fairytale match! Be original and have fun! See you there!*

I hadn't seen it but I really wasn't all hyped up about it like she was either. Her brown eyes had an excited sparkle inside them. I tried to suppress the giggle that built up but I couldn't help it.

"You're such a geek." I teased.

"What?" She looked at the flyer herself once more before discouraged look washed over her face. "I think it'll be fun! Not to mention romantic. Maci from home-ec said that you aren't suppose to go with a date, that's what it means when it says your date is your fairy tale match." She rambled. She was such a girly girl. Which was kind of funny considering I was pretty well the opposite but we had connected like long lost sisters almost instantly. Tell me how that makes sense. "That way nobody is under pressure about taking someone. How can you not want to go? It's the best idea they've had so far! Besides, it isn't for a weeks anyways, so you have plenty f time to think about it. Come on. Pleeeease?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to go.. But I will probably find an excuse not to." I teased her. We started walking aimlessly down the hall. She pouted and shoved the paper into her pocket.

"I think you're just being a poor sport because Jason is a big stupid butt." Tasha said as a matter of fact like. I went to interject but she spoke again before I got the chance. "Speak of the devil." She mumbled. My heart did a little flip when he walked towards us. What could he possibly want? Especially right then.

"I saw you girls looking at the flyer." He said. Eric wasn't far behind. But that wasn't a total surprise.

"Yeah, what's your point?" I snipped back at him. My day wasn't exciting or full of awesome events at that point but it was decent and the last person I wanted to ruin that was him. Funny how you can go from really liking someone to wishing you wouldn't run into them anywhere at all.

"I think you should go, Sarah. Who knows, maybe somebody will come dressed as a toad and you'll get lucky." he smirked. "Oh wait, I forgot, that's an everyday look, right?"

I glared at him. "Drop dead."

He chuckled. "Nah. Then I wouldn't be able to bug you like I am right now, princess. Later." He walked away happily and Eric followed but not before a shrug and the mouthed words I'm sorry.

"Seriously. What's his problem?" Tasha asked glaring after him, arms crossed, that excited flicker turning into an angry one.

I shrugged. "He has a penis. Need I say more?"

Tasha let out a loud giggle. "Oh how right you are, girl friend."

We passed a bunch of the same flyer and she looked at me hopefully. "Come ooon. It'll be fun. And do you know how jealous he would get if he saw some other guy draping his hands all over you for real?"

I looked at her and stopped walking. "What are you getting at?"

"I mean," Tasha walked in front of me and moved a piece of my hair off of my face. "Jealousy drives boys mad. Maybe if you go, and he sees you with another boy, he'll realize he was stupid and fight to get you back."

I thought for a minute. "Nah. It doesn't matter, Tash. Him and I weren't serious or anything. He was probably just looking for an excuse to break off anything he did have with me so he could move on to the next.. victim, who struts her stuff his way."

"Don't give me that. I know it matters. I may not have known you since we were kids or anything but I've known you long enough to know when something bothers you. Plus, you could make yourself look extra hot and make him drool while he's realizing what a moron he is." She winked.

"I have a feeling that it doesn't matter what I say. You'll make me go anyways, won't you?"

"You really do know me well," she smirked.

Oh joy. I wasn't a fan of dances to begin with and now to be roped into going to one just to try and make Jason jealous wasn't exactly not adding to the pressure of going. I wasn't looking forward to it one bit. But hey, who knew, maybe it would be worth going to. It wasn't like I had a crystal ball and could see anything bad happening, so what was the harm in it? I was a strong believer of everything happening for a reason. So I guess I was more or less going to test that theory. Whether I truly wanted to or not. I didn't quite understand why he felt the need to be mean though. He was the stupid one that assumed something before digging for the truth. I never understood boys and he didn't per-sway me into wanting to either.

Tasha's locker was a few away from mine so it was definitely convenient. She opened hers, shoved her things inside of it and waited for me to do the same. I let out a small sigh and looked at my locker sadly. What a jerk. Tasha was right. It did bother me, a lot more then I let on, but I wasn't about to admit it to anyone. Not even her. I hit it rhythmically twice and when it popped open, a large amount of green goop shot out at me, hitting me in the face, covering my shirt and splashing all over my feet. It was cold, sticky and didn't seem to ever stop. I let out a scream when it first rocketed out and I'm sure the entire school heard it. I took a few steps back right before it was done and shook some off of my hands. Tasha looked horrified and her hands were covering her mouth. Everyone around us had stopped and all of their eyes seemed to be glued to me. I breathed sharply and felt my eyes prickle with hot tears. I had never been so humiliated in my entire life. It started with one chuckle which turned into many. I think the only person who didn't end up laughing was Tasha. I gave her one last look before taking off and attempting to take cover inside of the washroom, leaving a trail of goop behind me like Hansel left bread crumbs to find his way home. Harley stood beside the door with a proud grin plastered on his face like it was stuck that way.

"I told you not to mess with me, Makinley." He moved close to my face, his breath hot against the cold slime that was caked on it. "And believe me when I say, this is only the beginning."

Joey cackled and Frankie stood silently behind him, a grin plastered on his large face as well. I let out a whimper and shoved past him, not caring if the door slammed behind me or not. Any fight I would have normally had was far gone along with any shred of dignity I had once had. Luckily, there was no one else in the bathroom. God only knows how much more embarrassing it could have been if there was. I stood in front of the mirror and frowned. The tears that had prickled earlier seemed to fall endlessly. My light purple sweater didn't even look purple anymore and my hair didn't even have hint of blonde left. I didn't know what they had used to make whatever I was covered in, but it stunk horribly and definitely knew how to stick. I grabbed handfuls of paper towel, wetted them quickly and attempted to get some of it off. It was no use. I let out a frustrated groan and threw them in the sink, barely phased and still as white as before.

The door slowly opened and I was ready to dive into a stall, until I saw it was Tasha. She gave me a half hearted smile and came over to me. "Hey."

"Hi." I mumbled out.

Tasha grabbed paper towels and did what I had done a moment before. She wetted them down and tried to wipe some of it off of my face. "I'm sorry they did this to you. What dicks."

I shrugged and let her. "I deserved it."

Tasha gave me another fake smile. "Nobody deserved that."

I shrugged and took the paper towel from her. It was definitely easier getting it off my skin versus my clothing. Tasha then took off her sweater and handed it to me, exposing a fluorescent yellow tank top with a kitten and a ball of string underneath. I gave her an odd look.

"It was a birthday gift from my grandmother .. My mother insisted I wear it because she's coming for dinner tonight." She explained. "I figure, if you have to walk around looking silly, I can match you."

I suddenly didn't feel so bad. I took her sweater from her and gave her a small smile. "Thank you." I practically whispered.

"Anything for a friend."