Fifteen

                                    

                                          
I begin stalking towards both of them, still in disbelief. Audrey was behind this? I never would've expected her to do something like this. She was my friend. She knew how much time I spent with Gabriel, that he meant a lot to me. She knew, and then she went and pulled a stunt like this.
                          
   I guess a deed can't be considered betrayal unless it's carried out by someone you trust, though.
                          
   "I can't believe you," I hiss as I come closer, making them both whirl around. "I absolutely cannot believe you right now. You did this?" Nathaniel smirks a little, as if he's proud that someone is finally recognizing that he's the one behind this, while Audrey's eyes widen slightly. She opens her mouth, but I can tell that all she's going to do is deny the truth. She's going to feign innocence and get away with it. I'm not gonna let her do it. "Don't say it. You know what you've done. Did you just wake up one day and decide to help him out, or have you been doing it for a while?"
                          
   "I never meant for it to go this far," she says, looking up at me. "You've gotta believe me. It was only supposed to be a prank. Only a few people were going to see. It wasn't supposed to be like this."
                          
   "A few people? Anyone at all is awful, Audrey, and you know that! How would you like me to go around and post all of your darkest secrets around the school, only meaning to show it to 'a few people'? You could've just ruined Gabriel's life. He's been nothing but kind to everyone in this place for as long as everyone can remember, and he gets treated like freaking crap! I'm tired of it! What could Nathaniel have even offered you to do this?"
                          
   "He told me that he would stop seeing me if I didn't go through with it," she says sadly, looking at the ground. "I didn't want him to, so I did."
                          
   I laugh without humor. Unbe-freaking-lievable. "You shattered a boy's self-esteem today. You hurt him, Audrey, you really did. And I know he'll never forget it. And you did it for what? That?" I ask, waving carelessly at Nathaniel. His smirk disappears. "Honestly, are you that freaking desperate? Because this is low. This is about as low as you can get." I begin stalking up to her as she backs away, looking as if she'd like to become invisible right about now. "I don't want you to talk to me. I don't want you to approach me. And I sure as heck don't want you anywhere near Gabriel. You've already done more than enough of your fair share of damage. And when everyone finally knows what you've done, you're gonna regret this."
                          
   "Is that a threat?" she asks, finally dropping the innocent act and standing a little straighter, her expression now defensive.
                          
   "No. I'm just giving you the cold, hard facts. They may be entertained now, but you know that they won't be when authorative figures step in. Teens tend to switch sides all the time, Audrey." I cock my head a little to the right. "It's such a shame that you're sticking with the wrong one just for a boy that will keep up the act of pretending to love you until this all blows over. Then he's going to break up with you and move on to another girl. That's Nathaniel's game, Audrey, and I'm sorry to say that you've chosen to become a player."
                          
   Audrey's eyes turn wild, and she steps up, raising her hand above her head. She rears back as far as she can, slapping me and making my head turn as her palm greets my cheek. It stings, but I ignore the pain as I back at her. "It's better than being looked at as if I'm the scum of the Earth, like you and your pet freak, your charity case." I begin to take a step forward, wanting to protest, but she takes it first, shoving me into the wall. "It's better than being one of them!" she continues, spitting at me. I don't retaliate. I'm just gonna let her until she stops. It's better me than Gabriel, right? "It's better than being a nobody for my entire life!"
                          
   "You disgust me," I hiss at her, and it's true. I'm still not able to wrap my head around the fact that she actually betrayed Gabriel to attain a little more popularity and keep a relationship that will last forty-eight more hours at the very most. "They aren't nobodies, and you aren't gonna gain anything from this in the long run. Sure, they may remember this next year and you might acquire some new friends that are almost as cold and heartless as you, but then we'll all move away, and you'll finally grow up. Then you'll look back at what you've done, and it'll make you sick to your stomach as you realize that none of this was worth it after all. And you'll be right back where you started."