Lost In Purple

Chapter 53: Don't Oppose The ROR's

Melanie's POV

Today is the day where I get watch Johnny and the RORs participate in another Scare Games event. This event is apparently about refraining from Scaring teenagers, which sounds kind of…boring. Like we've already found our way to the grassy field where the event is being held and it's just a maze with supposedly no actual obstacles other than wooden boards that pop out. How do we go from one of the most messed up events (that I had to be a part of), to one of the easiest and seemingly most unchallenging events ever devised. I clearly have the worst luck since the event organizers must have run out of ideas at this point. I found myself thinking quietly the whole way here as well, noticing Johnny look at me every now and again up until we all started getting swarmed by monsters that began cheering us on like they usually do. I already knew the drill, so I ignored every little thing that was said to us. I instead thought about everything that's happened since Johnny idiotically took me out for a run after feeling dehydrated. Things don't feel the same way between us anymore, which makes me think about whether or not we were truly meant to be. The difference in personality, the difference in upbringing, the difference in philosophy...everything is telling me to rethink our relationship. I've been hoping for a day where things feel normal again, but they don't. It's just constant reminders that the people I consider friends are malicious.

These past few weeks I've just been staying in my room all day everyday, except for when I went to my classes. Professor King's class has sadly been a bit uninteresting recently as well, so I'm constantly being tortured by the cyclical motions of boredom. That's really all that's been going on. I haven't wanted to deal with the rest of the RORs recently after seeing that performance they put on in front of everyone, and I haven't had a hankering to go anywhere because people don't see the real me anymore. I've really just returned back into the odd, introverted Melanie that I was back in high school because I've figured out that I don't belong anywhere anymore.

"Hey Melanie, are you sure you don't want to take my place? I really don't mind," Randall asks after tapping my arm, snapping me out of my daydream at the start of the maze.

I look at the maze once more, observing its' many wooden boards of various colors. They all look flimsy and near breaking point, showing everyone that it's obviously only a temporary presence. It looks like it'll take only one monster to run into them for everything to collapse. There's really isn't any obvious physical dangers this time which is just rich…everyone has to worry about getting splinters while I had to worry about being thrown 200 feet in the air out of a library and plummeting at nearly 10 meters per second. My frustration is interrupted when I realize that the Greek Council just got done explaining the event, and I completely just ignored every rule that oozed out of their mouths. I guess this means that it would be a good idea to skip this event anyways. "I would rather sit out for the rest of the games. Thanks for asking though, that's better than just being forced into them," I respond.

"O-Ok, I understand. The last event was too much for you wasn't it?" Randall questions further.

"Yeah," I sigh before staying silent for a couple seconds. "Hey, Randall… Have you ever felt like you didn't belong somewhere?"

The gears that live within his head begin turning, going into overdrive as he decides what he should spill and what should probably remain a secret. "Actually… yes. If I'm being honest, I sometimes wonder if I'm meant to be in this fraternity. I've always just kept to myself and never really bothered anyone, but now I have to be the complete opposite with everyone else. I've... always wanted to be a part of something bigger though, so I have to change."

For a second there I thought that I might not be alone, but it appears that Randall is on one of those cliché quests to gain popularity. I respect him for attempting to change himself for the better, but I don't think joining in on humiliating others and gaining an unjustifiable sense of superiority to others is the best way to change. I'm certain that once that gets out of control, he will be the downfall of himself, but it seems like he still has a long way to go before that happens.

"Is that really what you want though? Don't your aspirations reach further beyond being a part of a fraternity?" I ask.

"Uh…I mean I would like to be the best scarer and maybe have a family of my own and what not, but it's more or so a baby step for me. It's always the small things that count… at least that's how I think of it," Randall answers with a small chuckle.

What baby steps can I take to make everything ok again? What small things can I do to find my self belonging again? I'm starting to wonder if anyone has every felt this lost before, and if they've ever felt like they've been walking on the thinnest ice no matter what path they take.

"I-I'm sorry to leave you all alone Melanie, but the event is about to start. We'll all see you at the finish line in a couple minutes," Randall says interrupting my thinking once more.

After saying, "Ok…Have fun Randy," I turn away and saunter to the end of the maze. It's pretty lengthy so it takes me a solid three minutes before I'm able to see the platform with the planks that show what fraternities and sororities are still qualified. It's really odd seeing the Oozma Kappa board still up there after everything that's happened. I never thought I would think this, but I kind of wish Oozma Kappa got eliminated during the first event. I wouldn't be reconsidering my first real relationship if they just went away. Johnny's clearly obtained some sort of obsession with proving himself to be better because of them, and all I can do is wonder where we would be at if it wasn't for them...god that's so mean! I feel like I'm a dramatic teenager all over again! I try to shake all the antagonizing thoughts out of my head, focusing on the event at hand. I can hear the Greek Council members counting down from five all the way at the starting line, and when they finally tell everyone to go, the crowds surrounding the flimsy maze go wild. The noise of course only lasts a few seconds since we all lose vision of the four groups, but everyone still looks to be excited to see who comes out on top. As much as I would like for Johnny and the boys to win, I wouldn't mind seeing Oozma Kappa come out on top and essentially teach them a lesson.

That lesson might have to wait though. I can hear several roars coming from the maze, of which I can assume to be from ROR. The vocalizations are deep and cause the ground to vibrate. They could be from Rosie or Sullivan, but its the fact that there's several deep roars back to back to back that makes me think that hypothesis is incorrect. All those roars are soon followed by half assed screams that sound like a uninterested monster would make, followed by several beeps. Since I wasn't listening to anything this time around, I have no idea what this means and can only wait for the contestants to come sprinting from the exit.

Johnny and all the RORs are coincidentally the first ones to come out from the maze.

"First place, Roar Omega Roar!" The griffin council member announces.

They all let out their built up energy, screaming out hyperactively or throwing their fists up in the air. Randall just gives a nervous wave to everyone who's cheering in the crowd. Their celebration is quickly ended, however, all because Oozma Kappa comes dashing out the wooden entanglement behind them almost immeaditely after.

"Second place, Oozma Kappa!" The council member announces while both impressed and in astonishment.

I observe Johnny's response to this not so surprising result, seeing jealousy and slight panic develop within him after it's announced that HSS takes third place. He turns around to the placement board to see PNK get knocked off the board, meaning that they're likely still in the maze or trapped or something. I'll admit that I'm fairly surprised that PNK got knocked out on this one considering that they're one of the sneakier sororities, and bigger monsters like Rosie, Nadya, and Rhonda tend to have a harder time being fast and being wicked clever in tense situations, but I guess they proved everyone wrong this time. There's also the fact that the PNKs are valedictorians like ROR, so you'd think that they would take at least third place.

Johnny's eyes narrow and he growls to himself before stomping away in a quiet rage. The rest of the group stands confused and unsure what to do as he seethes by himself, heading back home. I take the time to amble over to them and tiredly congratulate them while they're focused on Oozma Kappa right now. "Congrats…I'm sorry you don't feel like winners right now," I sigh.

I take Javier and Chip by the wrists and pull them as I begin heading in the direction that Johnny went, trailing behind him as if we were adventurers hoping to discover new land. Randy, Bruiser, and Chet all follow like mindless drones as disappointment takes over their faces. The colored trees block out the sun for us as we continue down the sidewalks of campus, which seems almost poetic. Everything is melancholic on a day that we should be celebrating their first place.

"How in the hell did Oozma Kappa get through that almost as fast as us?" Chip asks all of us once I let go of both his and Javier's wrists.

They all shrug and I just keep my head down with my arms crossed, occasionally peeking up at Johnny who's managed to speed up and create even more of a gap between us all. I have no idea why the results of this event have hit him this hard and made him furious, but it's childish and borderline narcissistic. I might even go as far to say that his reaction is neurotic at this point.

"I don't know, but they must be cheating or something. Should we teach them another lesson? Give them a good scare?" Chet answers snootily.

That comment was sadly the one to make me snap.

"There is absolutely no way you just said that Chet. How would they possibly cheat in the easiest obstacle course, in order to prove to everyone that they have the ability to scare, and not get caught. You all can't possibly be this vindictive over a competition that means nothing for you in the end!" I growl.

They all stop dead in their tracks, looking at me in bewilderment. Chet moves his claws up to his mouth so that he can cover it, and Randall lifts his hands up while taking a few steps back. Chip and Javier look at each other, thinking about what I just said and are most likely trying to find some way to tear my argument apart word by word. "Melanie, they know nothing about Scaring. There's no way they got through that easily," Chip counters.

"Oh so now you're telling me that you're more worried about their performance rather than your own?! Sounds to me like you're obsessed with them, and that you're scared of losing. You're all babies, get over it," I snap back.

After I say that, I realize that I've messed up. I try my best to hide that epiphany which seems to work, but that doesn't help suppress the dread that I added onto everything I've been feeling. Now I've made them all think that I'm siding with Oozma Kappa, which was the nightmare that I was originally attempting to avoid.

"What's got into you Miss Everett? You had better not tell me that you think they have any kind of redeeming qualities to their so called 'Scaring'," Javier asks while narrowing his eyes.

"W-what I'm trying to say is that they have the same qualities as you and I, and that they have the potential to become just as good at scaring as you guys, they just haven't been polished as well as ours," I answer.

Chip laughs while taking a couple steps forward, successfully intimidating me. "They're nothing without each other. The moment they step foot in the human world, they'll die. They're nothing like us, nothing like everyone else who's been unfairly treated by that deal made by Hardscrabble. Who do you think you are comparing us to nobodies like them?!"

I find myself nearly stumbling backwards as my eyes start watering. I knew I was stupid! Why would I ever imply something like that?! I didn't mean it! You're destroying everything before your very eyes Melanie! Say that Melanie! Say that it was a joke right now!

"I-that's-no," I stammer uncontrollably.

"H-hold on Chip. I'm sure that's not what Melanie was trying to say…right?" Randall chimes in.

"N-no… I didn't. Just forget that I ever said anything," I whimper.

Before I know it, I find myself walking away from the group, knowing that there's nobody who can save me this time. While Johnny rages a couple hundred feet ahead of us, I chose to isolate myself just like I did back in high school. They'll end up being the ones to tell him about what I said, and it will only be a matter of time before he turns on me. I'm apparently too different from the RORs now, and never should have even been allowed to join. Our philosophies, personalities, and potential are too divergent from each other...and my relationship with Johnny...it's shattered. I won't ever be able to think of him the same way that I used to, and so, I'll just have to return to thinking about myself. I think about where I can go because I don't feel comfortable sleeping at the ROR house anymore. It's going to feel like a battlefield from now on, with no escape from the conflict between us. I don't have any other real friends on campus. The PNKs and HSSs are more or so friendly acquaintances, the JOX are a big no, and I don't know anybody else on Frat Row. It's also very odd to go around asking any of my Professors or random classmates for a place to stay, so maybe there isn't anywhere I can go. I could of course go to my parents, but I'm not going to spend an hour traveling to and from Cormeadow for the rest of the semester. The ROR house is where I'll have to uncomfortably stay.

For some reason I end up at Troll Bridge, the walkway that goes the river side where Johnny and I had our first non-confrontational interaction with each other. Those memories are supposed to make feel warm, but all I can feel now is a frigidity within my chest when envisioning everything that happened that pleasant summer afternoon. I can literally feel my heart tearing apart knowing that I won't ever have another monster genuinely have an interest in me, asking questions about me and what I do, trying their best to get me to open up to them. I should have known it would end up like this. I was warned plenty of times, and I can hear them replay in my head like a record player that loops without a fix. They're the nastiest on campus…they might be the best fraternity on campus but they're vain, ruthless, and grotesquely confident…I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF THEM! I TOLD YOU SEVERAL TIMES THIS SEMESTER THAT THEY'RE VAIN, APATHETIC, AND EGOCENTRIC PIECES OF SHIT!

Faust...Faust really was looking out for me. Everything I said to him before the first Scare Games event was untrue…I was manipulated into befriending them all. I was used as a stepping stone for them…to bring all the attention to them so that they can clear their names and be seen as people who are professionally competent Scarers that won't let anyone stand in their way. There's also the fact that I was told that Johnny's had several girlfriends over the years, all of them ending on sour notes, only to then drift off into a sea of forgotten memories. Soon all the memories I made with him will disappear too. Johnny's Dad will make sure of it too… He will do everything in his power to make sure that I never even said a word to Johnny.

I…I wasn't meant to be with him was I? All the red flags were there and I just…ignored them, letting myself become corrupted by the disease that is lust, gluttony... denial. You ruined your future Melanie…Now, you're just going to have to think about that as you lay down on the grass for a couple hours before going home. Conflict will be the only occurrence if you ever show your face again.