Ocean of Secrets

I sat down at our usual table the next day at lunch and after a few minutes of me sitting alone, Bridget sat down with a plate of salad. I had only gotten an apple myself because the thought of what I was going to have to do today sent my stomach into overdrive.

A small smile played on Bridget’s lips and I could tell that she was also thinking about my evening to come. “Aurora isn’t going to know what hit her. Malachai won’t even look at her tonight.” Even with Bridget’s words I couldn’t help but doubt this idea. What if Malachai just thought I was some kind of stalker? I voiced my thoughts and Bridget grimaced at me. “I doubt he’ll think that. He’ll probably just find your jealousy irresistibly cute.”

This night was going to be mortifying. I could see the embarrassment already. I set down my apple, which I hadn’t even bitten into yet, and placed my head in my hands. “I don’t think I can do this Bri.”

“You’ve said that twenty times already. Take your panties out of their bunch and put on your big girl pants. If you can’t walk into a drug store then how are you ever going to do anything?” I looked up at Bridget and could tell that she was becoming annoyed quickly. She shoved a large forkful of lettuce into her mouth and chewed slowly.

“I’m sorry,” I started. “You’re right. It’s just that I like this guy a lot Bri, and I don’t want him to think that I’m some kind of freak.” I picked my apple back up and rolled around in my hands.

“I know,” Bridget was smiling again when I looked up at her, but it didn’t exactly reach her eyes. I knew she still liked Malachai and was grateful that she was being as understanding as possible. “There’s Aurora,” Suddenly her voice became a whisper. “Her and her friends are coming this way.”

I glanced up behind my shoulder and saw for myself. There were dodging tables and gaining ground pretty quickly so I should have been able to guess that she thought this was very important; or she wanted to yell at me for something. Aurora’s blonde hair swung behind her, and the boys she walked past tried to get a glimpse of what was under her skirt.

Luna and Micah were walking a few paces behind her and whispering to each other. I wondered if they even knew about Malachai. Aurora mostly liked to keep boys a secret from them until he was obsessed with only her. Bridget talked about it all the time, but I wasn’t completely sure that I believed it.

“Bridget,” Aurora once again let a false grin light up her face. She was sickeningly sweet to Bri, “How are you?”

“Fine and you,” And Bridget was always nice back. It didn’t matter that Aurora had always planned on making my life miserable since Bri left her circle.

“I see you’re still sitting with Lucy,” She didn’t even take a breath before her next sentence. “Stay away from the store today or I’ll have to do something awful.” I waited for her to explain more but she seemed intent on keeping me in the dark.

I glanced over at Bridget with wide eyes but she wasn’t looking at me. “How are you doing Micah?”

“I’m good.” My eyes wandered over the newest edition to Aurora’s exclusive group. At one time I had envied her, Luna and Bridget, but seeing the dark circles under Micah’s eyes and that her cheeks had hollowed considerably suddenly made me change my mind. Bridget must not have been lying about the hazing.

Aurora snapped her fingers as she began to walk away and Luna waved at us before walking away. I watched the three of them and wondered if Micah was going to have to dye her hair since Luna and Aurora were blonde.

“What am I supposed to do now?” I was once again surprised by the fact that Bridget hadn’t stood up for me. I thought after a little while of getting used to not being in the shadow of Aurora she would suddenly become a force to be reckoned with, but no such luck.

“What do you mean?” Once again my eyes widened considerably and Bridget actually saw it this time. Her eyebrows rose on her forehead, but she didn’t say anything else.

“She threatened me!” I tried to keep my voice low, but it was hard since I couldn’t talk without squeaking at the moment. “She said that if I go to the store today,” I shook my head.

“And,” Bridget didn’t seem to understand my predicament.

“And I think she might just kill me.”

“Don’t be so over-dramatic. Just go and say that you’re mom sent you or something to grab some stupid thing.”

I felt like standing up and leaving Bridget to sit by herself, but then remembered that I had no other friends and she had been considerably nice about the Malachai situation. “I don’t know Bri. I think she was being serious with that threat. I don’t know what she’ll do exactly, but it will most likely be horrible.”

I watched as Bridget rolled her eyes, and felt my cheeks redden. “She can’t kill you or anything like that so stop tripping.”

I let out a deep breath tried to relax, but the thought of Aurora tormenting me wouldn’t allow me to loosen up. “I really don’t think I can do this. For one, Malachai will think I’m an idiot, and two Aurora is now going to barbeque me if I step in the door.”

Bridget rubbed her forehead and let out an agitated sigh. “I don’t understand why you’re going to let her push you around.” She stood up and grabbed the salad before turning away. “Do what you want though.”

My eyes burned as I watched her dunk her plate into the trash and then walk out the door. She wasn’t acting like a very good friend at the moment, but I sort of understood her anger. Malachai was a big problem, and the fact that she had been shadowed by Aurora for years doesn’t help either. I let out a sigh and made up my mind right there. I was going to go and no one was going to stop me.