I can still see her crying face as everyone laughed at her. It seemed she would fall apart at any moment, and I was useless, watching her run away with her shoulders hunched like she couldn’t escape fast enough.
Regret hits me like a sucker punch. All this could have been avoided had I stayed by her side the whole time. I knew they weren’t friends, but I never understood the extent of Paige’s dislike for her.
No way I’m sleeping tonight. My bed might as well be made of concrete and nails. Every time I close my eyes, I’ll just see her devastated expression, the way her eyes glistened right before she bolted.
Should I text her again? Call her? What could I possibly say that would make this right? There’s nothing that can undo what happened tonight. And the worst part is, I’m not sure if she’ll ever let me close enough to try.
The next morning, after a sleepless night, I’m on the way to school, and the gnawing feeling in my gut grows. I can’t shake it. No matter what I tell myself, I keep coming back to the same point: it’s my fault. I dragged her out of her comfort zone. I put her in front of the people who tore her down.
Paige, who I considered to be just audacious and frank, unveiled her true colors—a cruel mastermind behind Chrissy’s takedown. The ease with which she torments others disgusts me.
Class sucks. Chrissy told her parents she’s unwell, and I don’t blame her. If I were her, I wouldn’t want to go to school, either.
Paige flips through her notes in Chemistry like nothing happened. She catches my eye and offers a smile, one of those charming ones she flashes to get whatever she wants. All along, her smile was a charade, making me believe she was just self-assured, perhaps a tad forceful, but harmless.
How wrong I was. But now I understand the true nature of that artificial smile.
Class drags on, the minutes feeling like hours. Nothing holds my interest, and I stare at the board knowing I should be taking notes, but all I can think about is Chrissy, the way she looked outside of that house, her face wet with tears.
When the bell goes off, I grab my things, ready to leave, but Paige steps in front of me, blocking my way.
“Theo, wait,” she says, her tone casual, as if we’re picking up where we left off right before she snatched Chrissy away from me. “What are you doing after class? Wanna hang out?”
A surge of anger builds in my chest. The audacity to ask me that! Is she really not aware of her own wrongdoing? I keep my voice steady as I say, “Why did you do it?”
Her eyes flash with confusion, a look I’m sure she’s practiced. “Do what?” Her tone is innocent, clueless, like she doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but I know better than to trust her bogus demeanor.
“Why did you embarrass Chrissy like that?”
She rolls her eyes, brushing back her hair. “She’s not one of us.”
My jaw locks, but I force myself to remain calm. If that’s her explanation, she better try again. “One of what?” I demand.
She shoots me a look of condescension, the one that says she knows something I don’t, like she’s in on some big secret. “I mean, she doesn’t belong in our circle, Theo. She’s . . . weird.”
So that’s how she sees it. Weird, meaning not worth respecting. Someone you can ostracize like they don’t matter, like they’re somehow less than everyone else.
“This isn’t some country you’re in charge of, Paige,” I lash out. “We’re all just high school kids. And if you think being part of some popularity pack means you get to treat people like trash, then maybe someone needs to teach you a lesson in ethics.”
Her smile fades, and in her eyes, I see a flicker of shock. But I don’t stick around for her reply. I turn and walk out of the classroom, pushing through the crowded hallway. The further I get from her, the calmer I feel, as if the distance between us cleanses her influence off me like the rain washes away a layer of grime after football practice.
I’ve barely made it ten steps when I hear her voice behind me. “Theo! Wait up!”
My shoulders stiffen. Every muscle in my body screams to keep walking, to not give her another second of my time. Not getting the hint, she cuts off my escape route with a swift sidestep.
“You can’t just walk away from me like that.” Her voice carries that entitled edge I’m finally beginning to notice. The hallway bustles around us, but she stands tall, unbothered by the curious glances from passing students.
“Watch me,” I mutter, attempting to step around her.
Paige shifts, blocking me again. “Why are you being so dramatic? It was just a joke. Everyone thought it was funny.”
I never knew anyone could make my skin crawl the way she does in this moment. “Everyone? Or just your little entourage who follow your every command like brainwashed sheep?”
“Wow.” She crosses her arms, her French-manicured nails tapping against her tiny bicep. “Since when did you become so sensitive? You used to have a sense of humor.”
“There’s nothing humorous about what you did.” I step closer, lowering my voice so only she can hear. “You set her up. You specifically invited her, made her feel welcome, then humiliated her in front of everyone.”
Paige’s expression doesn’t change, not even a speck of remorse crosses her face. Instead, she lets out an exasperated sigh like I’m the one being unreasonable.
