Coffee Works Wonders: Chapter 6
One Day After KatesVid:
"Come on Kate! You need to eat something! I'm worried about you, you haven't left your room all day", a pause, "please just let me in, I want to help you", Bonnie sighed, resting her head against Kates's very silent door.
"Just admit you watched the video and leave me alone!" came the wobbly voice of Kate. Bonnie sighed, feeling tears collecting in her eyes once more, that's all that she's felt like doing as of late, tears pooling in her eyes in an unstoppable force of sorrow. She had felt so many emotions in the last 24 hours that it all overwhelmed her to oblivion. She couldn't concentrate, she couldn't think straight, and the only emotions pushing through were sadness and sympathy, all for Kate. Her feelings and happiness with Nathan were squashed down, keeping quiet as sadness took over.
"I promise you, Kate, I haven't seen it, why would I, I'm your friend", her voice trembled, "I would never do that to you, just please, let me talk to you, or at least get you something to eat, its been hours Katie, you must be starving".
Silence.
"Just let me help you", she whispered, her voice raw, head gently tapping against the door.
Silence again.
Two Days After KatesVid:
Her back against the door, two bagels straight from the diner resting by her side, her eyes wandering aimlessly against the all too familiar hallway. The hallway that she had been staring at for nearly enough two days. Bonnie had briefly gone out to the Two Whales Diner for her shift and came back with bagels in hopes to sway Kate into coming out of her room but to no avail.
Her back hurt from leaning against the door, and her ass had gone numb. Maybe next time I'll bring a pillow, she thought. She was going hungry, but she would wait, she would eat with Kate. She will wait for her. She will stay at Kate's door, she will cope with a bad back, a numb ass, and a rumbling stomach if it meant Kate would leave her room.
She watched as people walked past her, always glancing up and seeing Kate's door before giggling and scampering off, Bonnie made sure to give anyone who giggled at Kate's door an extra mean Bonnie glare. Whether it worked or not was a different manner.
She didn't know how long she had sat there, waiting. It could have been hours; it could have been minutes, Bonnie wasn't sure.
Time worked in mysterious ways after all.
Feeling her eyes getting heavy, her eyes almost closed, desperately trying to keep them open. Groaning in frustration, she got up, staggering and swaying her way to her room, ready to crash on her bed, and pass out.
She left the bagels by the door.
Just in case.
Three Days After KatesVid:
The bagels were still there.
Stone cold and left untouched.
Her shoulders drooped slightly at the sight, anxiety crawling its way through her brain, skittering around, pinging off a thousand different thoughts in one.
She hadn't eaten the bagels.
As far as Bonnie was aware, Kate hadn't eaten anything since that night. That night was three days ago.
Clutching her bag tighter, she marched towards Kate's door, determination set in her features, her face scrunched up, she would win this.
"Kate, I'm leaving for class, but on the way, I'm going to get breakfast, I will get you some, and I better see that door open", before she could hear a response, although, in hindsight, she knew she wouldn't get one, Bonnie strode away. Maybe if she was sterner, she would get a response, a new approach. She was determined. Kate had been in her room for far too long now. Feeling a small smidge of hope rise in her face, her footsteps were lighter, her arms swinging slightly. This would work.
Four Days After KatesVid:
It did not work.
Bonnie was once again sitting by Kates's door. This time a sketchpad in front of her, her hand moving so swiftly it was almost a dance as the pencil touched the paper. The lines curling around a delicate face, darker shades forming a nose, the lead eventually developing into a small, nervous smile, a nervous smile so recognisable, so Kate. Bonnie was so lost in thought she hadn't even heard footsteps coming towards her. A deadly intent behind them.
"Oh, Bonnie, it is so good to see you after your little sexcapade with Nath", Victoria's haughty voice captured the artist's attention. Looking up from where she sat cross-legged, she was faced with Victoria, possibly the last person she wanted to see right now.
"My what?!" Bonnie shrieked, only now had Victoria's words sunk into her brain and figured out what she was saying.
"Oh, come on, everyone knows you two had sex", Victoria scoffed, examining her nails as if it was the most interesting thing in the hallway right now. Bonnie's cheeks flushed, her face getting hot, her heart dropping, sexcapade?! What did that even mean, sexcapade?! I didn't think anyone even used that word anymore!
"I'm sorry?", she squeaked, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Oh, you are such a prude, I have good sources saying that you and Nathan were kissing outside of the dorms the other night at the Vortex Party, and neither of you were seen afterwards", she dismissed, grabbing her phone as she texted someone, continuing the conversation as if it had no effect on her. "Plus, everyone saw you two dry-humping against each other in the middle of the dance floor" she snorted, "Bit risqué of you BonBon. Didn't know you had it in you".
"We did not have sex!", she blurted out, standing up, frustration building up within her at all the lies spreading around Blackwell.
"Sure hun, just let me ask one question", she wandered, her eyes holding a mischievous glint, Bonnie felt a sense of dread as if she had no choice in the matter, she didn't, "is it as big as they say it is? I mean, I've been his best friend for years, I'd never sleep with him but that doesn't stop me from wondering you know? What's the term people say now, hung like a horse? I mean, it wouldn't surprise me, what with–"
"Please stop talking!", Bonnie shrieked, her face getting redder and redder as Victoria continued on and on about Nathan's– don't think about it Bonnie, come on, you're better than that.
"Well, excuse me for thinking about it, it's not like I'm the only person who's talked about it, have you ever been in the bathroom Bonnie? So much gets revealed, so many secrets get spilled in that dingy bathroom", the girl huffed, glancing down at her phone again, Bonnie marvelled at the number of messages the other girl seemed to get in a matter of seconds.
"Well, it's no secret that nothing happened, because nothing did, and can you all stop with the gossip…please, it's so damaging, and all of this", she growled, gesturing around her, "it's hurting Kate, so please, just stop", Bonnie glowered, eyes rife with anger, her blood was boiling over in frustration of the girls at Blackwell.
She scoffed.
"Get over yourself BonBon, why don't you stop acting like you're special, like your god's little favourite, because you're not. You are just as bad as the rest of us, everyone has watched KatesVid, and it's honestly her own fault if anything", she had put her phone away now, annoyance clear on her pointed face, "I'm just supplying the information to people, so they know how much of a whore she really is".
"You take that back".
"You haven't even seen the vid, have you? How sad", before Bonnie could even react, Vicky, had whipped out her phone with so much speed, her nails clicking against the screen, before turning her phone to Bonnie.
It was Kate.
But not how Kate would normally react. She looks completely out of it! how are people thinking this is Kate being a whore and thinking about the fact she looks completely fucked up!
"That's not Kate", Bonnie said defiantly. Or at least, it's not a sober Kate.
"Wow, denial much? You take back what you said yet, you've seen the evidence now girly", her haughty voice responded, a disgusting smug, smile, widening on her face.
With a click and a door was opened.
Bonnie whirled around in shock and embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed. In front of her was someone she had been begging to see for four days. Who had locked herself in her room, and not eaten a thing. And she didn't look great. She looked ill.
Kate's bleary, red eyes focused on Bonnie, before slowly moving over, crawling to Victoria's phone. Her eyes were unable to look away from what was being played on screen. Before her brows furrowed.
"Bonnie, I…I had expected this kind of behaviour from Victoria but from you? You were supposed to be my friend and you're watching me like everyone is, watching my body", Bonnie spluttered, trying to get a hold of her words but Kate continued, "I am asking you, please stop sitting by my door, it's getting creepy", Kate hesitated, "just leave me alone". And within another second, Kate had left, walking down the hallway to the exit, her head bowed, ignoring the leers, and sniggering from the girls surrounding her.
Bonnie couldn't move.
Her mouth was agape, what had just happened? Was that the end of their friendship? She couldn't believe it. Her mind moved too fast to think of what to do next. Her chest heaving as if she had just run a marathon, she couldn't think.
"So, now that's out of the way, you want to go out tonight? Me and the girls are going to go shopping out of town", Bonnie looked over incredulously at Victoria, who was looking intently at her slightly chipped nail polish.
"No", came out her whispered reply before she walked off, following Kate. Her boots clumped down the hallway as she went.
Five Days After KatesVid:
She was outside her door again.
This time she wasn't alone, Brooke was with her. Bonnie was sketching, and Brooke was on her iPad, looking at hundreds of equations that Bonnie didn't even bother to try and figure out. She left that to Brooke. Neither girl knew how long they had sat there. All they knew is they were there to support their friend, they wanted to be there for her. Even though one of them wasn't wanted.
"So, you've watched the vid?", Brooke asked quietly, as if afraid of being heard. Bonnie nodded, sniffling slightly, still hurt from Kate's words. Bonnie knew Kate hadn't meant them, she was emotionally vulnerable and seeing one of her best friends watch the video that was tormenting her… well, it certainly didn't help.
"It's not like I meant to, Victoria shoved it in my face", she whispered, "and now Kate hates me".
"Don't be stupid Bon, she doesn't hate you, you just need to talk to each other", came the voice of reason. Bonnie sighed and closed her eyes; her head was pounding.
"Bit difficult at the moment Brooke".
"Yeah, I know, but it'll all blow over soon. And then we can get back to sitting on our bench and pretending to do homework. You know? Normal times, I can't deal with all this drama crap", her tired voice replied, "so much bullshit happens here you'd think it was a drama series, how do people actually get any work done around here? Because I certainly don't", she slapped her iPad on her brightly coloured red tights.
"And you think I do? I just want things to go back to normal", her phone beeped, looking down, her eyes widened at who it was from.
"Oh, speaking of normal", Brooke joked, looking over her shoulder, and reading the same message as Bonnie.
Nath 12:03 PM:
U still have my jacket. I want it back.
Haven't seen u in days.
Not that I miss u or anything.
"Bonnie Wells, do you have Nathan's jacket? What kind of romance story are you in?", Brooke teased, her laughter bouncing off of the walls of the hallway. Red bloomed on Bonnie's face. and not just from Brooke's teasing. She had completely forgotten that Nathan had lent her his jacket, a strange heat flooded her heart and stomach, a tingly feeling, a nice feeling as she thought back to Nathan and his jacket. How did I forget?
"It wasn't like that", she lied, "I was cold, so he gave it to me".
"You were cold?", the other girl mimicked, "oh come on, Bonnie, the man legit gave you his jacket, when's the wedding? I'll need to book the day off, I want to be the bridesmaid", Brooke cackled, finding this all too amusing. Bonnie, on the other hand, couldn't keep her cheeks cool, her face a voluminous red, and her laughter, in actuality, was a nervous giggle.
"Oh shush, I can go there you know, I will", Bonnie rebutted, a mischievous smile toying on her lips. Her eyes held a fight within her.
"Go where?", the innocent girl asked, unable to recognise the mischief in her best friend's eyes.
"How's Warren? I heard he asked you to be his partner for your new science project. Now how come, I heard that from Stella and not you? Keeping secrets, are we?", the blonde teased, her smile widening even more as she saw the blush rise on Brooke, which Bonnie felt quite proud of, Brooke didn't blush often, she was all academic and science-driven, refusing to admit she had emotions. When she did reveal that slip of emotions…it was nice to see.
"I…uh– Listen, I've been caught up! And it's just lab partners, it's not like it's a date or anything", the dark-haired girl muttered. Her shoulders slipped down, and Bonnie felt a frown replace her smile, she knew how much insecurity Brooke dealt with, believing herself to be ugly, and thinking she wasn't good enough, all of which Bonnie knew wasn't true. Bonnie knew Brooke. She knew that she would get jealous easily, and sometimes put up a mean front to hide that insecurity. And Bonnie always tried her best to combat that, to help her.
"No, you have to do a science project, he knows that he will have to spend a lot of time with his partner, so he chose you", an idea formed in her head, "listen, I heard that the drive-in in Newberg is doing the 70s Planet of the Apes marathon, you should totally by tickets and take him with you! Anyone who has even talked to Warren for 5 minutes knows he loves those films. Me, personally, I'm okay", she paused, watching Brooke's reaction, she continued, "Brooke, doing this shows initiative, that you're interested, and if you find out he doesn't like you…which happens. You say you thought it was just a friend hang-out, and then if he says no. Which! He won't! I'll go with you, it's a flawless plan, and you need to make a move otherwise someone else will snatch him up".
"But–"
Bonnie interrupted.
"He's an attractive guy, Brooke. Make. Your. Move", she emphasized, trying to hammer the point down, nudging her shoulder for a response, a small grin appearing as Bonnie saw Brooke's sigh of defeat.
"Okay fine, I'll do it, and if it doesn't work out, I'm blaming you, and you take me out for ice cream".
"Scout's honour", Bonnie promised, her heart feeling lighter again at Brooke's new bit of confidence.
Bonnie glanced back at Kate's door, an unsettling feeling forming, she couldn't help but worry. About the shame that gripped her when she was caught watching her video, she was angry at herself, she could've looked away, and she didn't. And Kate caught her in the act, Kate was right to be angry at her, and feel disgusted at her. Bonnie could only feel shame that kept tumbling out of her when she thought back to that moment, if she could turn back time, she would. What Bonnie couldn't understand, was how had Kate gotten like that. Kate didn't drink much, she had texted her in perfect grammar that night, with no misspells. And when she did drink, she certainly didn't get like that. When Kate got drunk, she would be all giggly, happy, laughing at everything but not moving much, she didn't go around every guy she saw and get handsy, that's just not how she is, I don't understand. She was completely out of it! And I can't believe I just left her at the party, what kind of friend am I? I know she said she would have a ride home, but I should've checked with her, IN PERSON, to make sure she had a safe way home, not just leave without a thought in the world. Another thought hit her. Oh my god, Jefferson was there that night why was he–
"Hey, can I sit with you guys? I heard what happened with Kate and thought I'd…check. See if she was okay", came the soft voice of Max, breaking Bonnie out of her downward spiral of anxiety-inducing thoughts, tumbling around, going every which way. She released a heavy sigh, shaking her head as if to rid the thoughts physically.
"Of course, you can, Max. You are always welcome here" came Bonnie's sweet reply, "I feel like I haven't had time to talk to you much recently, what's up with you, you doing, okay?", Bonnie asked, hoping the delicate voice of Max would take her out of her thoughts, distract her with something else.
"Well, actually, not really, I've only been here for a few weeks, and I already feel like I'm drowning in work", she hummed, sitting cross-legged across from them, bringing out her camera, fiddling with different parts, checking the film.
"I hear that", Brooke mused, showing her list of equations to Max, "Mrs Grant is great but boy she really loads on the homework, especially for her best students, and wants us to push ourselves, reach our full potential in the world of science, her words, not mine".
"Looks complicated", Max replied, eyes widening at the numerous symbols, numbers and letters gracing Brooke's screen.
Bonnie scoffed, "oh please, you love her really, we all know she is your favourite teacher here, she's the only teacher who really pushes you, and you enjoy the challenge", a cheeky smile on her face.
"Yeah, yeah, all right, but still, it's tough work", Brooke snapped back, "plus Mrs Grant isn't the only teacher who pushes, Mrs Hack still up your ass about your project?"
"Ugh, don't get me started", Bonnie looked back up to Max, finding her nervously wringing her hands together, "You sure you're okay Max, you seem nervous".
Max let out a sigh, "well, I'm sorry to bore you but, well, I used to live here five years ago, I had a best friend called Chloe, and well, I haven't spoken to her in a really long time, and I was hoping to find the courage to speak to her again when I came back, but…well it's been weeks and I still haven't talked to her. and the longer the leave it, the more I feel like I can't talk to her anymore, and I miss her", she paused, her hands stopped, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to unload on you both like that, but it's been bottled up in me and I don't know what to do".
"Talk to her", came Brooke's blunt response before looking back down at her equations.
"As much as Brooke is so blunt about these things…she's right, it's going to be difficult to pluck up the courage and talk to her, but it will be worth it, you said you were best friends, right?", Max nodded, "well you said you miss her, I can only assume she misses you too. And she hasn't messaged you right?" Max silently shook her head, "listen, Max, things like this, you have to remember it's a two-way street, she didn't message you and you didn't message her, you have to do what I told Brooke, make the first move. You won't regret it", Bonnie let out a breath, recently, Bonnie felt like all she was doing was giving out advice to people.
"I…I guess you're right", Max mumbled, looking down at her camera again.
"All right, enough with this mushy bullshit, I actually would like to get some work done so I don't fail my favourite teacher's homework", came Brooke's snarky reply, the girls giggled before falling into silence, a comfortable silence, a silence that lasted so long that all time was lost, like that hallway was an endless cycle of nothing happening and everything happening all at once. Yes, the two girls did not know Max that well, but they were willing to let her in, and give her a chance. And they took that risk. All three girls did their work, all unknowing of the future to come, of what power those two girls might possess, the third, a woeful bystander, ready to watch by the side-lines.
But for now, before there became betrayal, sadness, the questioning, the torture.
The three girls sat.
Wanting to support their friend.
Their friend that was crying in the corner of her room, on the other side of that door.