Chapter 6: Caught

"Heard you're now friends with Trishia and Phyllis," Kaycee suddenly approached me. We were seatmates in Algebra, waiting for our teacher.

"They saved me from a bully," I explained. "You were there."

"So now you're hanging out with them?" That tone of voice made me look at her way.  Why does her tone  hold a bitterness this time.

"They wanted to be my friends, I can't see anything wrong that? Trishia saved me from a bully who tried to hurt me, and I don't refuse friendship."

"And you believed her?" Kaycee's sarcasm was sharp.

"Is something wrong with that?"

"She's pretty, rich, popular... I don't understand why she'd want you as a friend when lots are dying to be her friends and knowing her personality?"

"Are you saying I'm not worthy to be her friend? That she has bad taste in choosing to be friends with?" I snapped, feeling insulted.

"Silly, no! I've known Trishia since kindergarten and she's not as sweet and kind as you think.  She's like her sister—a vicious, manipulative brat.  Oh I forgot to mention, her sister leads La Luna Omega."

"The sorority?" I curiously asked.

"Yup. You see, she doesn't have to undergo initiation just like the others just to belong in the group. The leader itself was her big sister.  I'm not saying it's bad to be friends with them but..." Kaycee then stopped for a moment and looked at me hesitantly.

"Oh just forget it! You probably just want to be popular. Never mind me, anyway," she finished, turning away.

I wanted to explain, to say it wasn't about popularity, that it was gratitude the reason why I agreed to be friends with them. But our teacher arrived, and the moment passed.  Well, I didn't need to explain myself to Kaycee. If she is getting the wrong impression about me, it doesn't matter with me. If she misunderstood, it wasn't my problem anymore. Although I was kinda curious why it seems Kaycee doesn't want me to hang out with Trishia and her friends, I just disregard the thought. Well, I liked both Kaycee and Trishia as my friends. I wouldn't force them to be friends and like each other.  I can remain friends with both of them without forcing them to befriend each other.  Well, I wasn't sure if Kaycee was jealous or just didn't like Trishia. Either way, I decided to let it go.

* * *

"Hey, Gav! Come here!" Trishia called. I was heading to the library for research when they spotted me that noon.

"Come with us," Phyllis said, pulling me away and stopping  me from entering the library.   

"Where are we going?" I asked a bit confused.

"It'll be fun," Trishia said excitedly.

"I need to go to the library for research on the History subject," I protested.

"That can wait! Come with us for a while. I promise you'll enjoy where we're going," Phyllis insisted.

Reluctantly, I went with them.  I don't want to be a killjoy so I decided to oblige and go with them.  They led me to a hidden, forested area of the school's urban garden. To my surprise, I saw three boys from afar who seemed to be waiting for us and I was sure they were not our batchmates. Based on their features and height, they somewhat looked older than us, sophomores or juniors, I guessed.  This was a place no one went—the grasses were too high and trees were tall, the area was too shady too. Who knows there might be some creepy animals or even snakes roaming the place that might attack us so I felt a prickle of fear.

"What are we really gonna do here? This is such a creepy place. We might get bitten by a snake!" I alarmingly said as fear started to creep inside me. I heard Phyllis laugh as if she was making fun of my distress.

"New member?" one boy asked, studying me. The boy has dark features with curly hair and I don't like the way he was looking at me.

"A classmate," Trishia said casually.

I got stunned when I saw the other boys holding a cigarette while he puffed the smoke out of his mouth then passed it to the other boy. Trishia even naughtily pulled the cigarette in the boy's grasp then sipped it herself.

 

"You're smoking on school grounds!" I exclaimed, panicked. I swear if they get caught, there will be an equitable punishment as a consequence.

"Shit, Trishia! Why did you bring this girl?" a tanned boy with blue eyes said.  He was cute and attractive but his language was awful.

"Won't you calm down Chaste? She's with us. Here Gav, try it. This is good." Trishia then offered me the cigarette she just sipped.

"No!" I declined.

"Come on, Snow White. You'll love it as soon as you get a taste of it," Chaste urged.

"Don't bring us down, Gav," Phyllis urged.

I knew it was wrong. We were minors!  But I didn't want to disappoint them. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in are pushing me to do what they say, but deep down inside me, I don't find any fun or pleasure in smoking in this creepy kind of place.  Sharing a cigarette was also pretty gross. The smell of smoke is so disgusting, what more if I taste it? Although I was hesitating to do it, I had made up my mind. I'll try and do it for the sake of our friendship but next time, I will refuse and tell them frankly that I don't like this. I wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible.

Hesitantly, I took a puff. The bitter, menthol taste made me cough. Trishia and Phyllis even laughed when they saw my reaction.

"I don't like it," I irritatingly stated in between coughs showing distaste in my reaction.

"Try again," Trishia urged.  I tried for the last time, but it was really disgusting. The taste was really awful so I coughed again.

"What are you doing here?!"  We all got shocked when we heard that booming voice from afar. Ms. Coleman, our math teacher, suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

This is the moment I fear the most! I knew then this was trouble...

"Shit! What are you waiting for, toss that shit off!" Chaste hissed as I can see the teacher is coming near us.

Looking so terrified, I couldn't even dare to move my hands. I was dumbfounded and my heart was racing in fear. I heard the guy and Trishia muttered a curse when Ms. Coleman came near me and pulled out the cigarette I was holding then sniffed it.

"What is this!" The old woman angrily shouted with accusations in the eyes. To my surprise, the teacher smelled and closely inspected the cigarette she took from my grasp.

"Oh my gosh! You were smoking weed! On school grounds!" she shrieked.

My eyes automatically widen in shock as unexplainable fear crept into me when I heard those words from our teacher.

  Weeds?!!! Oh god!!!!!!