To be Maria (22 page)

            "No, it won't. It's a homeopathic medicine. It contains natural substances that decrease inflammation, so if you follow these guidelines, you'll soon notice that your neck won't hurt so much, and you'll be able to move it more."

            Anya looks at her, impressed by her amount of knowledge on homeopathic medicine. "Where did you learn all this stuff?"

            "I'm a health nut, and so is Alex. Actually, he was the one who got me into this stuff." Marissa's face lights up. "I learnt well from a self-educated man."

            "Wow. He's smart. So, what's the Traumeel for?"

            Marissa explains that it is another homeopathic medicine used to rub onto the injury. This time, she launches into detail, describing every ingredient and how each ingredient stimulates healing. Anya listens with her eyes wide open. She is in complete awe of Marissa's intellect and she is so intrigued by this new information, she doesn't notice that Alex and Maria have just entered the room until she hears him say, "So, Anya, are you taking notes? There'll be an exam, you know."

            "I just learnt something new today. I think it's incredibly awesome that you guys know so much about this stuff," she says, grinning at him.

            "Yeah, totally," he says, winking at her.

            Anya gets the feeling that he wants to tell her something else, but he won't for whatever reason. Instead, he wraps his arms around Marissa's waist and presses his lips against hers.

            "Don't stop," Marissa says, clearly excited by his affection. But to Anya's relief, he backs away from her and says, "we'll do more when we get home, baby girl."

            "Alex and I finished Carly!"

            Maria's brusque comment ends Alex and Marissa's love moment and makes Anya forget about homeopathic medicine. She looks from Maria to Alex, then back to Maria. Suddenly and for no particular reason, she bursts into a fit of laughter.

            "What's so funny? What are you thinking about?" Maria says.

            "I don't know. I really don't know why I'm laughing," she says once she regains control of herself.

            "Well, you'll be happier after you hear about what Maria and I did to that bitch and her dick of a boyfriend."

            Anya stares at them, the grin still plastered on her face.
Revenge is sweet. You deserved it, Carly after everything you did to me. I hope you suffer the consequences for the rest of your life and beyond.
"Tell me everything."

****

            Carly walks down the hallway ahead of Shondra and Kirsten. Her face is hot red and her heart is racing. She hasn't expected Maria to march into the cafeteria with some punk and confront her the way she did. And in front of, like, half the student body. It wasn't humiliating; it was earth shattering. The word is out. People know about what the three of them did to Anya, and she knows that they are not going to keep it a secret either. The word is going to spread like wild fire, not just throughout the school, but throughout the city. The very thought makes her tremble all over.

            Already, several people she passes by flash her looks of condemnation. Some of them whisper to each other, but most of them yell insults at her: Shondra and Kirsten included.

            "Wow, I didn't know they hated Anya that much."

            "Yeah. What were they thinking?"

            "You're one screwed-up bitch, Carly. Hope you and your psycho friends enjoy the rest of your lives in jail."

            "Ha! They'll spend all of eternity in hell. It serves them dang right."

            "Yeah. They sure don't deserve a place in heaven."

            Every comment stings, but that last one is the worst. It feels as if that person has just thrust a sword through her abdomen. It leaves her breathless; Carly is afraid to breathe. She wants to run away and hide where no one can find her. But what good would that do? She would have to face humanity at some point.

            "Hey, Carly," someone yells. It is Andreas, Jose's younger brother. Carly feels a sudden sharp pain in the side of her head. When she looks down and to her left, she spots a half-eaten apple. Tears sting her eyes.

            "Why don't you do everyone a favor and go screw yourself," he shouts at the top of his voice.

            "Hey, Shondra. Kirsten. You should join her because you guys are no better."

            "Yeah, you're all stupid, low lives!"

            "Bitches!"

            “Psychos!”     

"Losers!"

            Carly quickens her pace until she breaks into a run. She doesn't care about Shondra and Kirsten because she’s too wrapped up in her own feelings. When she reaches Mr. Hawthorne's studio, she is surprised to find Jose standing in front of the door.

            "Jose. So glad to see you," she says, trying to fake a smile and a cheerful look.

            The dour look he gives her is not the kind of look she wants to receive, especially after what she's gone through in the last forty-five minutes.

            "Seriously, Carly? How can you act so smug after what you did to Anya?"

            "So, you're taking everyone's side," she yells.

            "Yes."

            "Get out of my way!" She tries to walk past, but he blocks her path.

            Carly glares at him. "I said get out of my way, Jose."

            The expression on his face is as hard as stone. "I used to think Anya was a loser. Until she stood up to you. Now I know who the real loser is." He then walks away.

            "Oh, screw you, Jose. You're a good-for-nothing keyhole," she screams. But he keeps on walking, acting like he hasn't heard a word she said.

            When Carly turns around, she notices that everyone in the studio is staring at her, including Matt and Mr. Hawthorne. And their looks are not welcoming. She gulps.
This is getting from bad to worse. Oh, when will it end?
She wishes desperately that she could go back one week. No, three weeks. She would have never befriended that Spanish bitch.
If I'd had rejected her from the start, none of this would have happened.

            "I've never heard such foul language from a beautiful young lady," Mr. Hawthorne says.

            Carly breathes out a long sigh.
He doesn't know. Thank God.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hawthorne. I just had a really bad morning. I won't speak that way again. I promise."         

            "I sure hope not. You better--"

            "This is complete bullshit," Patrick shouts.

            Carly whirls around to face him. He is standing and his face is beet red, making him look even more like a freak. Normally she would laugh at him, but this time, she stares at him, her mouth gaping. Her heart slams so hard against her chest, it hurts.

            "What is your problem, Patrick?"

            Oh, come on! You don't know what Carly did to Anya?"

            She can see that her teacher looks befuddled.            

            "She pinned Anya to the ground by her hair with weights. She almost killed Anya," Patrick yells.

            Carly cringes at the horrified look that Mr. Hawthorne gives her.

            "Is this true, Carly?"

            She looks from him to her friends, then to Matt.
Come on, Matt. Guys. Say something.
But they don't. They sit still, avoiding eye contact with her. The only person who meets her eye is Matt, but he gives her a stony look.
Come on, Matt. You're my boyfriend for god's sake. Stick up for me.

           
"Answer my question, Carly!"

            Mr. Hawthorne's loud voice makes her jump. She turns to face him, but keeps her eyes peeled on the chalk board. "Yes. But I wasn't the only one who did it. Shondra and Kirsten helped me."

            There is a long pause. To Carly, the silence is unbearable. It makes her stomach churn with nausea. Suddenly, she feels a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turns around to find Patrick standing less than two feet away.

            Tears stream down his face. "Why did you do it? How could you hurt Anya and not feel any guilt?"

            "Get out of my classroom, Carly," Mr. Hawthorne says.

            "Fine," she says, keeping her back to him. She walks past Patrick, but she doesn't know that he is following her until they enter the hallway.

            "Why did you do it, Carly? he says, this time in a raised voice.

            She spins on her heels and shoots him a piercing look. "What does it matter to you, Patrick? She dumped you a week ago so she could be friends with me. She doesn't like you."

            His jaw drops. "That's not true."

            "Yes it is. She even told me so. She said that you were only using her to get what you want; Mr. Hawthorne's sponsorship. And she knew it all along. Why do you think she was so unhappy?"

            The wounded look on his face makes her feel somewhat victorious. She is not going to let everyone make her feel tiny and dirty. Certainly not Patrick. "Face it, Patrick. Nobody likes you."

            His face crumples. "You're a horrible person." He then runs past her.

            "Carly," Matt says, appearing in the same spot where Patrick stood.

            She shoots him an icy look. "Why didn't you say anything, Matt? You're my boyfriend."

            "Not anymore."           

            "Oh. Not you too," she yells.

            "Anya's a loser and a nobody. Without a doubt. But you went way too far, and you used my weights."

            She glares at him. "You said I could use them."

            "Not for that reason. What the hell were you thinking, Carly?"

            "She…she. Don't you get it? She ruined Jose's party! And then she humiliated me in front of our entire acting class yesterday!"

            He shakes his head vigorously. "No, Carly. You ruined her. You ruined yourself. You ruined us. I can't take this. I'm done." He then turns his back on her.

            "Fine. Be that way! You're not my boyfriend anymore!"

            He turns around to face her once more. "Actually, I'm the one who broke off with you."

            "Then, take this," she yells, flashing him the middle finger. "I'm done with you. I'm done with everyone in this stupid, pathetic school. I'm getting the hell outta here and you’ll never see me again!”

            Carly marches over to her locker, opens it, shoves everything into her backpack then storms out of the building, using the back door in order to avoid being seen by people.                   

            "How could you do a thing like this?"

            Carly sits on the large, blue sofa in her parents' living room. She stares down at her hands which are folded tightly in her lap. Her father paces the room while her mother stands still, towering over her.

            She thought that she could escape Principle Mansfield. But no. Someone told him about what they had done -- after she left the school -- and then he phoned home to tell her that she had been expelled, as well as Kirsten and Shondra. He also issued a restraining order on them. Should they set foot on school property, he will call the police and have them arrested. But that's not the worst of it. When her mother found out, she was livid. Her father was sad.

            It's now five thirty in the evening, but her parents have not calmed down.

            "Answer me, goddamnit!"

            Carly looks up at her mother. She feels rather frightened by the thunderous look on the woman's face. "I don't know."

            "You don't know? For God's sake, Carly. You almost killed this girl! Murdered her! Do you know what that's going to do to our reputation?"

            "Please, Mom, everyone at school now hates me. And Matt broke off with me."

            "Well, you're not going to be the only person who's hated," Angela says, giving her a chilled look. "Once word of this gets out, people will hate your father and I. Our reputation, everything we worked so hard for, will be destroyed. No one will want anything to do with us. And your father might even lose his job."

            "I don't think that's going to happen, Angie."

            Carly can hear the anxiety in her father's voice. It makes her feel even more frightened.

            "It's all because you couldn't control your feelings!"

            Her voice is so shrill, it stings Carly's ears.

            "You're not going to get Mr. Hawthorne's sponsorship, so you may as well kiss your acting career goodbye."

            Tears spill down Carly's cheeks. Never before has she experienced anything like this.