The Richardson List

“Wow, I mean I never liked her before but… wow,” Nina breathed out at a loss for words.

Audrey buried her nose into one of Nina’s smooth pillows, groaning audibly. Her thoughts had become chaotic she could hardly think straight, it was difficult to even attempt to explain the situation at hand, let alone the emotions raging inside.

However, that didn’t mean she didn’t try.

“I know right? Seriously, we were supposed to be best friends and then she goes and does something like this!” the blonde continued to vent, flipping on her backside and staring up at the pasty ceiling with a sour pout on her face.

Nina hummed in agreement, toying with the ringlets in her hair while staring at her reflection. She had already offered her input- that Audrey should have dropped Carter weeks ago, and the girl was simply dragging her down.

Audrey wasn’t able to bring herself to wholeheartedly agree with the statement; even though she was infuriated with Carter she wouldn’t ever wish that they weren’t friends. Because even though in a sense Audrey felt betrayed, it wasn’t enough to crave that she could erase all her memories with the girl. Those she still held dear.

“I just don’t understand why she would do this,” her voice trailed off, confusion compressed in her sapphire eyes. Audrey gazed up at the ceiling with question as if it would reply with an answer.

It didn’t.

Nina though patently did, a scoff escaping her lips. “There are so many reasons; I don’t even understand how you can’t understand.”

The girl rummaged around in the chip bag lying next to her, popping on into her mouth.

Audrey shifted her gaze towards her friend, confusion written upon her features.

“What reasons?” she asked with curiosity. She’d always wondered what Nina thought of Carter, and maybe it’d help her mood.

The brunette cast her a look as if the answer were clearly obvious and sighed. Audrey ignored this and continued to stare at Nina in question, patiently waiting for an answer.

“First off she’s a whore.” Nina said, twisting her lips as if a sour taste was living on her tongue. “Let’s face it, she was fucking around with Skye behind your back, and she so knew you liked him.”

Audrey gathered this and she’d already deemed it true. Of course she wouldn’t put it to such an extent, but the main idea was there.

“Yeah, but I did weed behind her back and lied about,” she admitted, traces of guilt in her voice.

Nina dismissed Audrey’s remorse with a wave of her hand, spinning in her chair to face the girl.

“Seriously? Doing weed, which isn’t that bad really everyone does it, and you guys didn’t really say that you wouldn’t, or fucking around with the dude you were so obviously crushing on? Which one’s worse?”

The question was seemingly rhetorical, or that was how Audrey took it when she saw Nina’s expression.

A frustrated groan pressed on Audrey’s throat as she smothered her face with one of the many magenta pillows lying beside her.

“But like… I don’t know. I really didn’t like him that much and he always walks around like he’s the shit. And I know he kind of is, but it doesn’t mean he should walk around like it, modesty much?”

Nina eyed her sceptically, cocking an eyebrow.

“Um, if you don’t like him then why’d you cause a scene? Or are you just trying to be a shit disturber?” The tanned girl’s calculating eyes narrowed as she continued to devour more chips.

“Because well… she lied to me,” Audrey confessed, her voice faltering slightly at the finish. She was relieved that she could finally form her lips around the words that had been begging to escape.

Nina conveyed a deadpanned expression before letting a dramatic sigh tumble from her lips, getting to her feet with sympathy in her eyes.

Audrey tentatively watched as said girl stole a seat beside her, causing the bed to dip slightly at the recent weight added.

“Audrey, Audrey, Audrey,” the name easily danced down her tongue, doused in empathy.

“Why does it matter? So you guys have a little bit of history, oh well. She doesn’t matter anymore, no one likes her, people only like you; you’re the only one who really gives a fuck about her anyway, other then little Tiffany.” As before her lips pursed bitterly, the name visibly not settling well with the girl.

Audrey took notice to this with interest. “Hey, what happened to you guys anyways?” she asked the question echoing in the depths of her mind.

Nina sighed, apparently finding this trivial and unworthy of her thoughts. However, she continued. “We used to be friends.”

When the brunette paused Audrey nodded, encouraging for her to continue. She did.

“Basically when we were younger we were best friends. Wherever I was, she was. Wherever she was, I was, you know, the whole deal.” Nina sent her a look to see if she was keeping up. The blonde nodded, genuinely interested in the story pouring from her friend’s lips. She would have never guessed that Tiffany and her were friends.

“Anyways, when we got to high school she was okay, and we were still friends, but I pretty much just kept her along because I didn’t want to be a flat out bitch. But then when she got that super low rating on The Richardson List I dumped her ass. I have a reputation you know.”

Nina shrugged casually, stretching out her arm and seizing the chip bag.

Audrey alternatively was gaping, trying to fathom the words that were floating in the air. She wondered if she had heard them right, finding that it was crazy if it were true.

Nina however revealed no sign that she was troubled by this, chewing on another chip completely unfazed.

“And this is why,” she continued, “you just have to forget about it. Listen, Hun, we’re better then them. We’re nines. They’re sixes. It’s basic math.”

“But-” Audrey blurted out.

“But what? Seriously, it’s life. People are always going to be on top, and others are going to be on the bottom.” Her voice was definite.

The blonde fell silent, obeying her friend’s hushed demand. Her gaze fell onto the crumpled bag, wordlessly stealing a chip for herself. The sound of their chewing struggled through the tense air, otherwise it was completely silent.

A smile toyed on Nina’s lips as she stood onto the rug nestled at her feet, her hand clasping around the bag.

“Come on,” she urged in a cheerful manner. “Let’s go watch a movie.”

Her voice was incredibly pleasant, weirdly so.

Audrey scrutinized her movements as she disappeared out the door, the girl’s footsteps becoming faint. On most other occasions, whenever anyone used that breed of tone with her she wouldn’t stand for it, like she was a child or something. She hated that, being felt like she was just a kid and everyone else was babying her. And to accept defeat so easily without another thought, it was definitely not normal for Audrey.

Even though, she mimicked Nina’s actions and followed her out the hall without any objections, advancing down the corridor towards the living room.

Nina had already gotten comfortable on the leather couch, a remote in one hand and the bag of chips to the other. She hadn’t shown any sign of acknowledgement of Audrey’s presence and continued flickering through the channels, her chocolate eyes seemingly dazed.

Without a word passing her lips Audrey stole the spot beside the girl, her gaze falling upon the shifting television screen, flashing with new life every second.

“What are we going to watch?” she asked in a gentle tone, her fingers brushing the inside of the bag.

“Um,” Nina hummed, her gaze never faltering. “I don’t know, oh! Mean Girls is on, don’t you love that movie?” she asked lightly, a feathery giggle tumbling from her lips.

Audrey remained unconvinced and murmured a barely audible “yeah”, shifting unnervingly in her seat.

Another silence fell upon the pair as they watched the movie exposed before their eyes. Audrey was scarcely regarding it though, finding herself too busy sneaking looks at the oblivious girl beside her.

How could her attitude shift so quickly, she wondered? How could she say such things and truly believe them, not a doubt in her mind, and then act as if nothing ever happened?

Putting her questions to rest, Audrey sunk into the leather skin, finding another chip to distract her. They were Sour Cream and Onion, her favourite. It helped, even if slightly.

Soon enough she found herself entranced by the movie, actually enjoying herself vaguely. The movie was considerably amusing and it wasn’t any surprise, considering the many times she had watched it before. It was a classic, really.

It wasn’t until Nina had gotten to her feet; crunching the empty bag in her fingers did Audrey even remember her surroundings. The sound caught her attention and she blinked repeatedly, her eyes feeling dry.

“What are you doing?” she asked, loosely concerned.

“Oh, you know, the usual,” came her mechanic reply, which Audrey had no time to question as Nina vanished before she was able to.

Patiently Audrey waited for her return, her eyes focusing on the screen but her mind wandering to what Nina’s words had meant. The usual, was something that the blonde found herself unfamiliar to. Never had she heard those words from Nina, and she wondered what that girl could possibly have as “the usual”.

A few excruciatingly long moments past before Nina appeared in the doorframe, a bead of sweat settled on her temple and her skin fairly paler. A smile adorned her lips.

“What the usual?” the question instantly flew passed Audrey’s lips as she waited for the answer, anticipation building in her being.

In a blasé manner Nina dumped her body on the couch, laughing lightly. “Oh you know, just a little release if you know what I mean.”

Audrey shook her head, she really didn’t.

“Come on, aren’t you going to? We ate that entire bag of chips, you better go throw up or you’ll get fat.” she advised her friend, patting her stomach with a grin.

“Are you… bulimic?” The word felt odd around her lips, like it didn’t belong.

Nina pulled a face, obviously troubled by this. “Ugh, I hate that word. I stay thin, that’s what I do. How do you expect to keep a high rating by becoming a fatty?” Her voice was once again revolted as she uttered the word.

At this Audrey placed her palm against her forehead, swallowing the limp in her throat. In a mere matter of moments she was on her feet, her perception suddenly sharper.

“Nina I can’t do this. I can’t hang out with you, you… You need help. Seriously. How can you just ditch your friend like that, for what? Some guy said that she wasn’t pretty. Fuck him. And just so you know, Tiffany is a lot better of a person than you. You shouldn’t do that to yourself, you shouldn’t care this much. And you…you are just a fucking bitch.” Her voice was threateningly calm, steady, as she took a deep breath before walking out of the room. Her head felt light and hazy as she desperately needed some fresh air.

The girl that Audrey had once deemed her friend remained silent, motionless on the couch. But she could care less she decided. She didn’t need Nina.

Once she had escaped, she ran. Pumping her legs, all she had on her mind was home. The comfort of her house was simply the only remedy to soothe her troubled feelings, and she needed to reach it. And soon. Because with every passing moment her gaze watered and her muscles felt weaker and all she needed was home.