White is for Virgins

Chapter 21

Enough was enough. Nick, as awesome as he was, was a totally different person around Lily and Fox. It was like he was trying to impress them. And they weren't any better, sitting all close and talking suggestively. I stabbed at my salad.

"Is anyone going to tell me what's been going on?" I asked as soon as I'd swallowed a bite. The table was silent. And quite frankly, I didn't care anymore. I deserved answers. Nick stared at the deep blue hue of the lunch table. Fox was glaring at Nick, while Lily was staring at me, fearfully. Nothing. "Because I'm done humoring you all," I stated. I found that when I was angry I was a force to be reckoned with. "This is immature, and I'm done. What's this all about?" I demanded.

Fox opened his mouth as if to say something, but he closed it and ran a hand through his hair instead. I shook my head, looking right at Lily.

"Nick wouldn't tell me what went on between you two," I told her, "But considering we were each other's only friends here, I figured you'd have the decency to tell me. I didn't want to push you Lily, but not knowing bothers me." Her eyes watered, and she put her face in her hands. I could hear her breathing from across the table.

"Nick won't tell me anything, Lily doesn't trust me, and I sure as hell can't count on you," I muttered as I glared at Fox. My strength was wearing thin, thank God the lunch period was almost over and it was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving weekend. I got up and headed for the exit, dumping my salad into the trash can on the way. I paced through the empty hallway, but it wasn't long before I heard someone behind me. A strong hand gripped my arm and spun me around.

"Done playing this game?" he asked, "You seemed pretty damn into it on Monday."

"That's because I was pissed that you started all this shit and got me dragged into it!"

"I set it up, Lily took the bait, and Nick sure as hell did too," he explained.

"As if that justifies what you did!" I countered, "Screwing with your friends like that is sick, Fox. Why can't you ever just mind your own damn business?"

"I was only screwing with them to get them to admit they were stupid in the past and that they still fucking care about each other!"

"And you think Nick would get jealous by seeing Lily with you? If anything, he'd get angry that you're moving in on his ex. You weren't all that believable Fox, that came out of nowhere."

"Obviously he did get jealous, because he asked you out," Fox said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked through my teeth.

"It means he was trying to get even," he explained.

"That doesn't make any sense, I can't compare to Lily. If anything, it ruined our friendship, because I broke the girl code," I said in a shaky, but still furious tone.

"Emery, it wasn't supposed to be like this," he said, a bit calmer. He lifted my chin so I was looking up at him. Just as the space between us slowly started to decrease, something snapped.

"Well it ended up like this, Fox. That's what happens when you screw around with people's feelings," I growled, "Lily probably hates me now. All I wanted was to get by this year, maybe make a few friends... Why are you making that so damn hard for me?"

Before Fox could say anything else, I wiped my eyes and walked towards the girl's room. From behind the door I heard the bell ring. It not only signaled the end of lunch, but the end of the game.

***

"Corn? Mashed Potatoes?" I asked, blowing at the small wisp of hair escaping my hair net. The woman nodded slightly, and I asked if she wanted gravy. She shook her head and moved on. Seeing her look so solemn put a dent in the whole point of this Thanksgiving. This was about forgetting your hardships for a day, and celebrating what you were grateful for.