Chapter Six

I looked at her as if she just announced that the sky was on fire. “No,” I shook my head. “No, that’s not right.”

“Ellie,” Piper put her hand on my arm and I flinched away from her touch.

“Um, excuse me,” I muttered and broke away from Lisa and Piper. I ran to the bathroom and was relieved to find it was empty. I went to the farthest stall and instantly heaved into the toilet. I had hardly eaten anything today and my stomach pushed out the acid. When I was done dry heaving, I spat into the toilet to rid myself of the bitter taste. I flushed it and let out a shuddering breath. My eyes were irritatingly dry and I tried to force myself to cry. It took me about fifteen seconds to realize how stupid I probably looked at the moment. I didn’t cry in public, I normally let loose in the comfort of my own home. My grief would have to wait for later.

Before I could leave the stall, I heard someone walk into the restroom and I pulled my hand away from the knob.

“Ellie? Are you here?” I heard Piper’s voice calling out for me.

I swallowed and was about to answer when I heard Lisa say, “She’s not here. I bet she left without you.”

“Ellie wouldn’t do that,” Piper said confidently.

There was a short pause and I could practically see the two women sizing each other up. I was certain that Piper would win if there was a fight. A smile flashed across my face but I forced it away when I thought about the tragedy at hand.

“You know, you don’t seem like the person to be spending time with…” There was silence but I knew who Lisa was referring to. Me.

“And why wouldn’t I spend time with a person like Ellie?” Piper asked, her voice starting to harden.

I heard Lisa puckering her lips—because that sure wasn’t Piper—and Lisa responded, “She was such a loser in high school. I mean, no offense and all, since she’s your friend. But Ellie needed to take a course on how to loosen up.”

“Well, I’m glad that Ellie didn’t loosen up in high school. Sluts in high school are so overrated. The next thing you know, you’re 20 years old and you just married a 50 year old man with saggy balls… but it’s okay because he has money,” Piper said smugly.

I bit my bottom lip from laughing out loud.

“Whatever,” Lisa dismissed. “She didn’t even deserve Landon.”

I saw Ellie’s feet in front of my stall and I backed away so no one would notice I was there. “And you’re saying you did? The way that Ellie described him… it seems like he had class.”

In my head, the sound effects went, “Oooooh.”

Lisa scoffed. “Whatever,” she said again, “You hoes always stick together.”

“I’m sorry; you must be confusing me with yourself. I tend to know the last name of the guys I sleep with.”

Lisa scoffed again and finally left the bathroom. After a few seconds, I heard a knock on the stall that I was in. I opened it and sheepishly peeked out. Piper had her hands on her hips and said, “Hi, eavesdropping much?”

I only squealed and threw my arms around her. “You’re such a great friend.”

Piper took a step back and put her index finger up, “’Great friend’? I don’t think so. I think the term is best friend.”

“Well, like I told you before, I wasn’t really well-liked in school,” I muttered ashamedly.

Piper just shrugged as if my loser-ness was no big deal. She linked her arm through mine and said, “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t popular either. Everyone thought I was weird or something.”

I laughed. “Or something.”

“What do you say we blow this joint?” Piper smiled at me.

“I totally second that.”