Excelsior

Chapter 6: Fake apologies

"I have no doubt it was on purpose." Diane shook her head, "They convinced you to go and take me there so I could see them. Sending a picture would not have been enough!"

Diane was telling her theory to her friends while sitting on a bench in the school garden, who didn't stop insisting that such stories might be the result of her flying imagination, and the resentment she kept for her rivals. Her face was still withered, and no tears were streaming from her eyes anymore.

"What I cannot believe" Chloe said, "is what I saw."

"What were you expecting?" Diane crossed her arms. "If even European royalty is involved in drugs, affairs, pederasty, and even worse things, did you really thing that people here were different?"

"But they're the heirs of the very best families. They are always acting with good manners, and what I saw was not elegant at all."

"I met many people into that in France. I told you these parties were not that spectacular. Parents go away and their children take off their masks, and this city is only a mask ball because even adults are involved in this... even Sabrina! Yet, my honor prevents me from revealing such secrets." She raised her nose.

"What?" Chloe got up, "Do you know if they do inappropriate things, like consuming drugs? Does Sabrina do drugs?"

They were followed by a brief pause. Diane's eyes were jumping from side to side without finding anything to say.

"Hi darlings!" A sweet voice said.

Chloe jumped terrified. She saw Sabrina along with Monica and Angelica behind her, and she greeted back.

"I could not help but notice that your absence the rest of the evening after we talked. I hope that you all enjoyed it."

"You are a hypocrite!" Diane stood up and stepped forward.

Sabrina's face turned pale and she took a step back.

"Diane! What are you saying?"

"I do not think it is a good moment," Meryl said, "Sabrina."

"You all three are the worst! And you!" she said looking at Monica, "You have reached a new low!"

Diane's eyes became wet.

"You lose your dignity by doing her will, like a loyal maid —there are limits to what you can do to your former friends."

"Diane, can you calm down?" Sabrina said putting her hands in front of her. "We have no idea what you are talking about, and you know it is not wise to make a scene in public."

"You know I do not care about the rest. I know you, Sabrina Russell, and I know what you're capable of. You can fool anyone but me. I thought you were smart," Diane stepped forward again, "because you know I am well aware of your dirty tricks."

"Come on," Sabrina said to her friends, "if you will excuse us."

"And do not come close to me again, because I learned from you, and you know what I am capable of."

In a scene of confusion, and terror, Sabrina walked away. She said nothing to her friends along the way, who also remained silent. Her eyes moved from side to side, reviewing what had happened.

Such was Diane's reaction, that Meryl and Chloe decided not to discuss the matter again, and they did not flinch in reproaching her for the exaggeration of her attitude, partly out of respect for her, and mainly out of fear. Diane turned to them, a tear brushed her cheek, and she rushed to the building. Chloe suggested that they should let her friend have a moment alone.

Already in the afternoon and after the school day, Diane was reading a book in her library, immersed in the reality of her books, since there was no other way in which she managed to disconnect from her own, when she was interrupted by the vibration from her phone.

"What do you want?" she answered harshly.

"Diane, could you please listen to me? I would like to apologize. I know that our friendship ended tragically, and I am really sorry about that, yet..."

Diane was about to end the call.

"Monica told me everything, ok? I didn't have any idea of what had happened, and I cannot blame her. I sympathize with her, she was a little scared..."

"Sabrina", she interrupted.

"I would also have been..."

"You can save your fake apology for society because you know I do not believe anything coming from that mouth." she laughed. "I would even think that you are apologizing in private, something you never do, because you are with your friends and you are mocking me and my attitude towards you, or because you are really afraid of the threat I represent to you... you fear that I will take revenge, and you know I keep my word, don't you?"

"Diane, I just want to..."

"Do never call me again, and you do good in being afraid."

She ended the call and placed her phone on her lap. She gazed for a moment at the black screen, which was distorted by the tears that fell on it.