Becoming Better

It all happened in kind of a blur. Charlie heard Mara scream, and Shawn jumped up to get off her. Mara was yelling at both of them, and Charlie was in such shock she couldn't speak. Shawn was trying to say something, but Mara didn't let him get a word in. Her shrieking attracted the attention of the party, and people started to come into the house to figure out where it was coming from. Charlie pushed past both Shawn and Mara in the doorway and fled. She nearly fell as she ran through the gigantic house to the front door, throwing it open and escaping into the night.

Her phone rang as she stood out on the street, waiting for an Uber to come get her. Charlie rarely used the rideshare app by herself because it was too expensive, she always shared Ubers with her friends, but this time a quick escape was necessary. It was Taylor calling.

"Charlie what were you thinking?" Taylor asked her as soon as she picked up.

"I know, I don't know," Charlie cried. "That was so dumb."

"Mara is absolutely freaking out," Taylor told her.

Charlie covered her face with her hand. "I'm the worst. I'm such an idiot."

Taylor sighed. "Alright, relax. I'm going to try to do some damage control. I might be here for a while, but meet me at my house, we will figure this out."

Charlie instructed the Uber to take her to The Heights to Taylor's house. When she got there, she waited outside for Taylor to arrive. As soon as Taylor's Uber pulled up, she broke down into tears again.

"Shh," Taylor said, hugging her. "Let's go inside."

They went directly to Taylor's room so her parents couldn't see Charlie sobbing.

"Do you hate me?" Charlie asked Taylor.

"Of course not," Taylor said. "First of all, I know that you would never get with any one of your real friends' ex-boyfriends. I know you'd never hook up with Tim, for example."

Charlie nodded. "But even though we're not close... I'm still 'friends' with Mara. She's how I even met Shawn in the first place. What is everyone going to think?"

"Right," Taylor sighed. "That's what she said... to everyone."

Charlie buried her face in Taylor's pillow.

"I know that you've been really struggling since the whole Cassius breakup. You haven't really been yourself since then... you've definitely been drinking too much. And sometimes you seem like you're not even there when I talk to you."

"Oh my god." Charlie sat up and looked at Taylor. "I'm sorry. I'm such a mess."

"You are, it's true. But I'll always love you." Taylor stroked her hair. "I thought Mara's head was going to spin around like the Exorcist for a second there."

"I have to apologize to her," Charlie said, grabbing her bag to find her phone.

"I would give it a day," Taylor suggested, stopping her.

"Ok," Charlie said blankly.

After a moment, Taylor said, "Not that anyone deserves for their ex to hook up with someone else under their own roof, but that girl kind of gives me the creeps."

"How do you mean?" Charlie asked.

Taylor shrugged. "I don't know. There's something fake about her. Like she's hiding something."

Charlie thought of the Instagram message from the girl from Bridgeport High. "Yeah, actually..."

Taylor looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "What?"

Charlie shook herself internally. She had already done enough damage to Mara's life as it was. No need to add talking trash about her as well.

"She... she just got popular really fast," Charlie said.

Taylor tilted her head. "Well did you see her house?"

The next day Charlie tried to call Mara, but she didn't answer. That was understandable. If she was being honest with herself, Charlie was slightly relieved when she got her voicemail. But unfortunately, that meant she would just have to try and find Mara at school and apologize there. Charlie felt terrible about what happened, but she was also terrified of whatever social repercussions this would have. Mara was the new queen bee, after all.

When Monday came around, she was shaking like a leaf. People were giving her dirty looks left and right. Every time she turned a corner, her heart rate went up, and she felt like she was going to vomit. Half of her wanted to find Mara to get this over with, and the other half wanted to just hide. She finally saw her in the upstairs hallway of the East Wing before 3rd period.

"Mara," Charlie ran over to catch her before she closed her locker.

"Oh, it's you," Mara sneered at her. "Why would you think I want to see you right now?"

"Mara I am so sorry," Charlie said. "You don't have to forgive me, in fact I understand if you don't. I just wanted to apologize and let you know I deeply regret what happened. If there's anything I can do to make it right..."

Mara turned to Charlie. Her face was set in an expression Charlie had not seen on her before. "Keep the apology, you whore. I've heard things about you. About how you slept with your last boyfriend, and then he dumped you. No wonder he did, who in their right mind wants to date a slut like you?"

Charlie's jaw dropped. She knew Mara was angry, but whoa.

Mara stepped closer to her. "If I ever catch you alone, I'm gonna mess up your face way worse than I did the last girl. That's a promise."

Mara closed her locker and walked away, leaving Charlie standing there in shock. 

***Too bad no one else was around to hear that confession....