Rat Race

Rosalynn rarely, if ever, lowered herself to eating in the prison the school called a cafeteria. But she was on a mission. After a day of snickers behind hands and disgusted looks, she wanted some answers. She fluffed her hair and touched up her lip stick as she stood outside the chipped double doors of the lunch room, dressed as if she were on the set of Clueless. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that in ten years, she wouldn’t remember half those people. But their opinion matters now, she thought.

She shoved the doors open with enough force to make them to bang against the wall. Her eyes trailed across the big room, making sure to hold eye contact with every other person. There was an eerie silence as all her peers stared at her, but she didn’t let that bother her. She was there for one reason only and she smiled as her eyes landed on him.

“Lucas,” she sighed out loud, holding a saccharine smile. She slowly walked towards his table, her black boots the loudest thing in the cafeteria. He was sitting with his rich, pretty boy friends and a bunch of girls, mostly underclassmen, surrounded them.

She stopped in front of the round table and slammed her hands down. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and stared into his eyes so he knew that even though she was smiling, she was still very pissed. He raised an eyebrow at her, silently telling her to continue, the dimwits around him giggling like they were in on some kind of private joke.

Rosalynn waited a beat and then started. “So, there’s this rumor about me…” she cocked her head to the side. “Would you know anything about that?”

Lucas placed his elbows on the table and leaned towards her. “Only that you fucked a geek so he’d do your homework and under a staircase no less.” He smirked. “We all know that all you would need to do is flutter those pretty eyes and he’d do anything. So you must’ve been askin’ for it. Who knew you were such a slut?” His friends all laughed together like it was the funniest thing ever. It started and ended like a rehearsed song.

Rosalynn dropped her smile and glared at him. “Cut the crap. We both know where I was on Friday. You just spread that rumor because I broke up with you.” She frowned in an I’m-so-sorry-your-grandmother-died way.

Lucas stood up and they were nose to nose. “Don’t flatter yourself, mamacita. My heart has survived that terrible disappointment. And… I don’t know where you were on Friday- well, now I do…” he corrected himself. His friends started laughing again.

Rosalynn huffed and straightened to her full height. She placed her hand on her hip and looked amusedly at his cackling friends. “Oh wow… it’s like a contest on who can laugh like a hyena the most. You’re, like, programmed to be Lucas’s followers and giggle at every non-funny thing he says.” she said sympathetically like she wasn’t stewing inside, leaving them stunned. She turned her attention back to Lucas. “We went to the movies.
Remember? Or were you too busy trying to feel me up to have any clue where we were?”

Lucas’s face turned red in anger and embarrassment and he opened his mouth to lash back. Someone beat him to the punch.

“Oh please, Rosalynn. Lying won’t get you anywhere. Just admit that you’re stupid and… a tramp.” A Barbie look-a-like said. She was hanging onto Lucas’s arm.

The blonde’s insult went in one ear and out the other. Rosalynn raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry… who are you?”

Barbie smirked. “I’m Tabitha Green. So not nice to meet you.” And then the laughing started again.

Rosalynn’s laughter was louder than all of theirs. She abruptly stopped and leaned close in Tabitha’s space. “Watch it Barbie. Daddy’s credit card won’t stop me from yanking my earrings out and kicking your ass on school grounds. Remember that my dad has friends in higher places.” With that, she calmly walked out the lunch room, leaving a thousand jaws dropped at the scene that just happened.