"What did you just say?" Allison asked, her voice dropping to a barely heard whisper.
"You heard me. Don't you dare try to slap my sister."
She looked at Fred who now had a frown on his face.
"Fred, are you just going to allow this fool talk to me like that?"
"You scratched my face." he answered with a shrug.
"Joyce?"
Joyce replied with a shrug with as well.
Wow, she is going to win friend of the year.
Allison huffed and flipped her hair before facing Dustin who gave her a defiant look.
"You will pay for this." she seethed.
"Can't wait." he replied.
She walked out of the diner, not even stopping to give a chaste kiss to her boyfriend.
After she had gone, Joyce and Katrina stood up from their respective seats and left. Well, Joyce managed to give Clark a peck on the cheek and Katrina gave him Caesar a side hug.
"That escalated quickly." Chase said.
"Oh shit! The patties are burning." Fiona said and ran to the kitchen.
"You gonna go over there?" I heard Chase ask me. I could feel his hot breath on my neck.
I looked at the table where Dustin was still standing, trying to console Hermione and focused my attention back to the black haired boy behind me.
"They don't want me there."
"I don't give two shits about those boys. I'm talking about Hermione. You don't have to talk to them."
I looked at the table again and nodded my head at Chase.
He sighed.
"You're really that hurt uh?"
"Yup. After the shit she pulled on Dustin, he didn't trust her again. But I did and she played with it like it was a huge Angela doll."
"Well, I'm going over there. She's still a mess and if she continues, you know what pops would do."
"Yup."
He patted my hand before standing up and going over to the table where Hermione was.
I looked at the table. Both Chase and Dustin were talking to Hermione not even focused on any of the four boys. Maybe I should I go over and talk to her.
I stood up and proceeded to walk there until I saw Clark's brown eyes on my face.
I changed my direction and went to the bathroom.
Nope, can't do it.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror and almost cringed. My hair was a rat's nest and let's not even go to my makeup.
I am so glad I don't wear mascara.
I was so focused on trying to tame my hair that I didn't notice when the door opened and another figure entered the bathroom.
"Tracy?" the person called.
"Deja vu, huh?" I said throwing off a nervous laugh.
I did not prep for this.
"Tracy?" she tried again.
I closed my eyes and opened it again not glancing at her face.
"Yeah."
"Do you hate me?" she asked softly.
"What? No!"
"Then why aren't you looking at me?"
"Because I don't want to look at the friend who betrayed me."
"Tracy, I didn't betray you."
Now I looked at her and I saw her stumble a bit.
"Oh really? Who took my trust for granted? You. Who lied to people I just started calling my friends just so they could fuck one of them? You again. Who went to the enemy's side even after all your claims of hating them? Once again Hermione, it's you."
"Tracy, if you will just -"
I held up my hand to quiet her.
"No Hermione. I'm not listening to you. Because if you think the person you hurt the most was Dustin, well you are wrong. It's me."
"I'm into porn." she shouted.
I stilled and looked at her.
"You are what?"
"I know. It's crazy. But I need you to listen to me."
"Alright. I'm listening."
"You know how my parents like to remind us that will soon go to college and all our problems will no longer fall on them anymore. My dad said if possible, the moment we are in junior year, we get to pay for our own accommodation and I really tried to get a job Tracy. But no one was hiring. And yes, I tried Gin but he just hired Heather and wasn't looking.
"There was this guy I bumped into after Gin told me he wasn't hiring. He said he had a job for me and gave me a location where I should meet him. I had no idea that it was for porn and when I did, I tried to back out but then he offered me a money I couldn't refuse. He promised not to show my head though and well I did it and the money was a lot."
"Wow, but what about Allison and you making your parents throw Dustin out?"
"I'm getting to that. Allison threatened to tell you guys if I didn't work for her or do as she says. This was a day after you were friends with Fred, Caesar, Jayden and Clark. I swear I didn't want to do it but I also didn't want you guys to know because you would see me differently and I didn't want that."
"So throwing Dustin out?"
"That was purely me. I was angry and jealous because he could get away with anything and me on the other hand, I can't even afford a mistake."
"So you threw him out."
She shrugged, "it sounded logical at that time."
"No it didn't."
She looked at me. I gave her a smile and she returned it, albeit watery.
She wiped her nose with the back of her wrist.
"Friends?"
"You gave a logical reason for your bitchiness so yeah. Of course we're friends."
I hugged her and she returned it back.
"Does Dustin know?" I asked.
"I'm guessing they are telling him right now."
"So you and Jayden?" I asked raising my eyebrows at her.
Her face turned red.
"Yeah. At first it was just to get closer to them. Lord knows Caesar won't talk to me and Clark will only give me sarcastic remarks, Fred was already Allison's. Jayden was just the right match."
"So you like him?"
She looked at me and gave me a small smile before nodding her head.
I squealed.
"Yay. I can see cute babies in your future. Maybe you'll be the one to disvirgin them."
"Yeah maybe. Listen Tracy, I'm really, really, realsy sorry."
I shrugged and wrapped my arms around her shoulder before leading us out of the bathroom.
"You're a pornstar?" Dustin asked, shock evident on his face.
Hermione and I cringed.
Yeah, Hermione had a lot of explaining to do.
-*-
So the reason for Hermione's attitude was all Allison.
Woooow.