Cause and Effect

All I get is the faint smell of chocolate and the WHOOSH! of something being thrown before the dramatically large and chocolatey slice of cake lands in my freshly done hair.

My audience just happens to be a gaggle of rude teenagers just waiting for somebody to be humiliated. So instead of helping salvage at least some of my perfect and absolutely gorgeous butterfly locks, they laugh.

If this was any other situation, I probably would've gone off. But the badly aimed cake was meant for the blondie next to me. It reassures me that not everyone is totally head-over-heels for the most popular girl in Benjamin High, even if it was thrown by one of the many girls at this school that I don't really like. Alessi (aka the "total babe" at the top of the food chain) laughs now, as if the usually delicious dessert wasn't meant for her layered face of makeup. Now that I think about it, her laugh is nervous now, not the usual controlled giggle.

Letting other people suffer for her mistakes is one of the many things my step-sister is an ace at.

But let's rewind to about 10 minutes ago. When my on and off friend Irina Semenov was spewing gossip. While she can be very passive aggressive and rude, I got to admit she knows how to keep an ear out for the juicy stuff and spread it. Nothing like her name of Greek origin meaning "peace".

Irina looks around for any listeners before leaning over the lunch room table, "I heard that Theodore is thinking on asking Alessi to prom." She says before eating a piece of her large slice of chocolate cake.

My eyes widen. No way would she ever say yes. We don't interact in school, but outside of it, we get along alright. I tell Alessi any rumors circulating about her, and in return she passes on any popular girl/guy drama. Reporting to each other in her surprisingly un-pink bedroom is about the only time we talk, but it's enough to read her person. And her pearly whites show every time she talks about Gerado, the class clown sitting two tables behind me. So asking her to prom would be asking for utter embarrassment. I wouldn't care had it been any other person, but which Theodore is Irina talking about?

Feigning total interest, I flip my freshly done hair over my shoulder and whisper the name of boy I hope it is, "Theodore Hazel?" I catechize.

"No, Theodore Brown." She snaps.

I ignore her rude tone as relief floods through my body. I continue to pick at my trashy cafeteria green beans. "Go big or go home I guess."

"And it looks like you went home with that outfit." That annoying familiar voice cuts in and Ciara Shienar cackles at her joke as she plops her tray right at our table, Adara Female (Feh-MAH-lay) in tow. The nicer of the duo, Adara throws an apologetic glance as she settles on the other side next to Irina. My sweatshirt and sweatpants may be plain, but at least I'm comfortable.

Ciara is nice enough to us, which is a compliment seeing as she's mean to everybody. Alessi included.

Next to me, Ciara chomps a big bite of her quesadilla before speaking, "Please tell me you're planning on asking him this week." Despite having a bit of a closer relationship with Irina, I tell Ciara more because I know she wont blab.

"Ask who?" Irina is already on it, trying to syphon off information to give the next person who'll spread it for her.

"None of your business" Ciara hurls back before looking at me again. Her and Adara are the only people who know about my crush on Theodore Cromwell, and I'd like to keep it that way, so I continue to refer to him by no name.

"I... I don't know." She huffs and throws her hands up, agitated. " I'm sorry! I know you've been helping me, but not everybody has the guts you do, Ciara."

She makes a shocked face before saying, "They don't?" As if it's new news. I chuckle. "But seriously Nola, man- I mean woman-up!" She punches my arm lightly.

Go big or go home. "Alright." I breathe out with newfound confidence. "I'll do it today during yearbook. We're paired up anyway."

Adara pumps a fist and Ciara whoops, "Do it girl! Break societal norms where the guy asks out the girl!"

This is where things turn.

"Speak of the devil." Adara mutters as she lowers her fist. Turns out Theodore picked this very moment to stick with the societal norms where the guy asks out the girl.

But that's not Theodore Hazel, that's Theodore Cromwell.

My head snaps to Irina, who's paler than usual. "Irina..." I growl.

"Oops-" She squeaks. "I might've misheard..."

"Well hear a little better next time!" Ciara snarls.

Theodore is approaching Alessi's place in the lunch line, and fast. But I need to hear this conversation. You never know if your popular step-sister might take interest in the photography guy you like. So I conveniently take this time to dump my nearly uneaten lunch in the trash. Which is also conveniently right next to Alessi and Theodore.

"...is it you had to ask me?" I catch Alessi say as I tiptoe by, unnoticed. Everybody in the lunch line turns to the pair, and Theodore smiles anxiously and it seems he didn't expect all the attention.

But one should always expect attention with Alessi.

"Would... Would you-" He stutters and Alessi nods him on with a patient smile.

"Wouldyoudomethehonorsofgoingtopromwithme?" He mashes all the words together and says it so quickly and lowly that I almost don't hear him. But I catch it.

In fact, the whole cafeteria does.

Alessi's face falls and a low murmur ripples through the crowd. I'm pretty sure everybody realizes she's not going to say yes. Thankfully Alessi has more sympathy than most. And she might've used it had this conversation been private. But she has to uphold her reputation.

"Theo," She starts, using his nickname, "I don't like you. That's the nicest way to put it. Go find another -less pretty- girl to date."

There's a loud silence.

Then the lunch room bursts into laughter. "Cold Davina" I hear somebody refer to her as her last name. Alessi smiles at the laughter, but she still looks torn between keeping her Regina George notoriety and apologizing to Theodore. I almost forgive her for it; I would want to stay at the top, too. But when I see Theo's hurt face, I snap.

"Why'd you have to be so rude, Ess?" I say. And I know she hears me, because I'm standing right behind her.

Alessi's lackeys who were approaching stop when they hear me. She freezes too.

Kristen, second in command, narrows her eyes. "Do I know you?" I'm her lab partner.

"No," I respond. "But she does." I pointedly look at Alessi.

"Is this true Ess?"Kristen questions.

Alessi turns around slowly. "Are you new here? I don't remember seeing you before." Fury runs through me and Kristen smirks in satisfaction.

She walks up close to me and leans in. "Yeah, so maybe you should get lost and find some loser to show you around." I look at Alessi helplessly.

She looks torn again, but I know what side she's going to choose before the words even come out her mouth. "And maybe visit the bathrooms while you're at it. Look in a mirror much?"

Kristen laughs a loud boasting laugh high-fives Alessi. "Good one Ess!" All her followers laugh too, drawing the attention of the cafeteria. I look down at the brown linoleum floor, embarrassed.

Then I hear a voice that sounds suspiciously like Irina shout, "The cake is good, too! Maybe you should try some, 'Ess'!" But that can't be, because Irina has terrible aim and she knows it.

But it can be.

And all I get is the faint smell of chocolate and the WHOOSH! of something being thrown before the dramatically large and chocolatey slice of cake lands in my freshly done hair.