thank you for showing us who she really is!! I can't believe i ever thought that bitch was nice smh

who are u btw

most rifton ppl wouldn't dare do a mass expose like this one.

I grinned as the new message popped up on Nokia Buttons, which was currently resting on the top of my school file, hidden within my open backpack resting on my lap.

same ugh

like just be yourself omg ???

I scoffed. Being myself? Uniqueness, be yourself... everyone preached it, said it was the key to being happy amongst monotonous and conformist human beings. Such words were always uttered by those who were naturally popular, whose strengths and flaws and preferences naturally resulted in people gravitating towards them. Gillian was one such person. Bold, opinionated and bordering on the rude side, she was never afraid to throw open shade or state facts, even making offensive jokes in an environment like ours. Of course she'd want to be herself. Who wouldn't, when they could speak their mind and still have the entire cohort groveling at their feet?

I zipped the bag back up after ensuring Nokia Buttons was switched off and hidden, picking my ham sandwich up once more.

Sitting at the back of the cafeteria for multiple days alone and undisturbed was a lonely affair, but I had learnt to make do - and frankly, it gave me much-needed time to reflect and ponder upon things, instead of engaging in mindless conversation on something I didn't care for. Most of the time, it was just me daydreaming bullshit fantasies for personal amusement, but there were times when I considered important things. I would think about the news. My political alignment. Whether I was actually straight or not. Whether those SJW posts on Instagram were right about human rights, or just gatekeeping and gaslighting to seem woke.

And, of course, there was the Lunch Table Dilemma - how to choose the right lunch table that kept you socially acceptable and reduced risk of social annihilation. Coming from personal traumatic experiences, I felt that it was an important piece of general knowledge. Sadly, no one ever talked about it; it was only applicable to drifters like Reyna Sanders and loners like me - wait, not me, just Reyna, who was currently squealing over some K-Pop boy band with Tina and her cronies, going all 'saranghae oppa'.

Good grief.

Of course, I often considered if it was really that difficult to sit at a table and gush over things so that I felt socially acceptable, only to immediately decide against it. I was not giving up my dignity for the approval of a bunch of kids who weren't going to matter to me a few years down the road.

As I took another bite, I felt the air grow still, the hall growing quiet and rife with tension as the atmosphere shifted and eyes turned. There and then, I realised that the Lunch Table Dilemma had suddenly become applicable to yet another person.

The envious gazes of reverence had turned to cold, aloof stares befitting of a person worth less than the dirt beneath their shoes as Natalie Kingsley strode down the aisle - the same aisle she had walked so many times, her head held high as usual as she proceeded, elegant as always despite it all. Honey blonde hair up in the signature high ponytail. The dark blazer, smart and professional on her shoulders, and the blouse and skirt ironed crisp. Her Nikes were jet black as usual; it had been the first trend she'd come to establish in Rifton as its golden girl. The only difference lied with her facial expression, no longer able to mask the blow of her diminished social status. Gone was the friendly, nearly foolproof fake smile, and in its place was the cold emotionless facade of a fallen ice queen that refused to betray any form of outright despair.

Even if we all knew it had already gone to shit.

The student body feigned disinterest in the fallen queen while awaiting the reaction of the newly ascended leader. Gillian Bishop regarded her ex-'best friend' with a lethal glare, her court following suit as seen when Lisa Knight leaned over to whisper into Avery Castle's ear, who eyed Natalie for just a moment with a hint of distaste.

Natalie appeared not to care as she walked past them, continuing to feign indifference towards the hate she was receiving from her social life crumbling overnight. Of course, I had no criticism for how she was behaving. It was the best she could do given the circumstances I'd created.

I still can't believe it actually worked.

The sandwich hovered before my lips as a shadow fell over me, and I looked up to face the icy presence of Natalie Kingsley, standing before me with her food.

Oh hell no. No. Just - no.

"Hey Selene, do you mind if I join you for lunch?"

WHAT?

Natalie Kingsley asking Selene Chan, the geekish and childish chess geek that she herself targeted as a subject of torture to sit at the loner table? Someone call the psych ward, please. Natalie has become unhinged from all that mental stress. She has become so desperate for social acceptance that she is willing to undergo humiliation in the most important social event of the day named Lunch Period. This is an emergency.

But it was real, and it was happening. Her voice, clear and melodious despite her mental state, had spoken those words. Natalie, knowing me as an unaware and pathetic outcast who disregarded social status, had picked me to be her new lunch buddy. The fact that she had decided to come crawling to me, a last choice... good lord, I had really gotten her good. Yes, she probably just thought me too stupid and naive, perhaps even ready to accept her to form the Social Pariah Club or some shit, but still - she, the fallen ringleader, had come crawling.

One part of me ached to finally publicly humiliate her, worsen her plight and finally prove to them all that I, while a loner, was not a meek slave to the hierarchy. Perhaps a flat-out "no" to her request would do it, or even a sassy clapback with "I would love to, but then I would be sharing a table with a backstabbing hypocrite." But even in her situation, I saw the coldness in her eyes; to her, I was still lesser, a pawn who should know her place. She was in a tough spot, yes - but if the day ever came that Natalie Kingsley rose again, she would remember this. And for Natalie Kingsley, born of old money and a silver spoon in her mouth, would eventually have no problem escaping this mishap. Eyes were on us, watching and wondering what Natalie was up to now and what the loner would do. Being a loner (not targeted at the moment) that was not particularly rich or affiliated to the school with other 'connections', I decided on a less desirable move for a measly pawn who had nothing to be proud of.

"Erm... sure."

So much for being badass.

Natalie's face brightened up at that as she slid into the bench opposite me, staring at me gratefully. "Thanks, Sel!"

Sel?! Oh, so I let you sit down and we're on a nickname basis? You wish, sis! From the front of the cafeteria, Queen Gillian was looking at me - no, glaring as the rest of the girls watched with their judgy little eyes. Oh God.

Holy shiitake mushrooms - why did I always manage to divert unwanted attention to myself and put myself in an undesirable position? Just - why?

Another passive-aggressive move would be best to manoeuvre this game filled with risks and dangers. Yes, I wouldn't be rude. I would be wary. Grabbing my food, I lifted my ass off the spot and slid over to the far end of the bench, leaving Natalie on the other side. When more heads turned and Gillian's look morphed into one of amusement, I knew I had somewhat avoided becoming a target of abuse. The more I thought about it, the better it was, more fitting for the meek loner persona which the entirety of the student body had made me out to be. To them, this would be one of my biggest shows of rebellion.

Even if I had so much more potential.

Those green eyes flashed with hurt surprise as I continued to eat my sandwich fast, putting on a look of cautiousness and distrust on my face (even though I was already averting her gaze).

Natalie had two potential moves - to either question my actions or to just be glad she actually had a place to sit.

Of course, she chose the latter.

Perhaps it was all my imagination, but it was likely the first time that Natalie Kingsley's eyes had glossed over with tears of sadness during a lunch period.

Annoyingly, guilt was beginning to creep in on me as I fixed my messy side-fringe in front of the mirror, wetting my hair with the running water. Had I been too mean? Should I have tried to at least be sympathetic, given that I'd been there, done that and in fact, caused the situation?

I was almost going to begin questioning my entire life when I took a look around and realised that I should be thinking otherwise. I was back at the same toilet on the first floor.

Childish. Ignorant. Stubborn.

They had ruined my social life once - and they weren't sorry. She wasn't sorry - meaning, I didn't have to be either. Right, I was just putting her in place. Why should I feel bad for delivering karma?

"Hey, Selene!"

I froze up for a second as Gillian Bishop entered the toilet, fake-smiling at me for courtesy's sake. Gillian didn't do courtesy - at least not when it involved childish chess club students with no friends. Being nice was never a Gillian thing unless it had shady ulterior motives involved. Hell, even her chestnut brown eyes were glimmering with shadiness - meaning some real bullshit was about to hit the fan as she began typical small talk. "Oh, I can relate. School has a way of making you look gross after a few lessons."

That, and high school hierarchy drama that Gillian gladly wriggles to the centre of.

I smiled nervously. "Yeah. Ms Woods just won't give us a break."

Gillian rolled her eyes. "I know, right. So annoying. But like, I can't believe Natalie even tried pestering you to sit with her. After what she did to me and the friend group... the sheer audacity to even show up for lunch and ask to join you. It's like she thought you were stupid or something."

"Yeah... " I laughed nervously. Yeah, both of you think I'm stupid, not just her.

"But, honestly," Gillian continued, "If she comes to you in the future, let her have it! With fake assholes like her, you get nothing for being too nice to them. Actually, why did you even let her sit with you? You could've said no, you know."

Suddenly, I felt as if I was in a chess tournament again, against a tough opponent with mere seconds to spare. How should I answer this question, this terribly treacherous question that could either please Gillian or be out of line? I wasn't sinking below again - not now when things were looking good, just because Gillian Bishop decided to come in and assert her dominance or whatever she thought she was doing in that twisted narcissistic head of hers. Goddamnit, I was Selene Chan, the girl who took down Natalie Kingsley despite being in unfortunate, lowly circumstances. Sure as hell I could answer a simple question without offending the new queen!

"Eeerm... I just didn't want to seem outright rude although I didn't really want her to sit with me... so... yeah! By the way, I'm so sorry you and your friends had to find out like that. Must have been awful," I responded hesitantly in a voice far more awkward than I would have liked.

Bruh, what is EQ and where can I get some?

"It's fine. Lisa, the twins and I have come to the conclusion that we don't need her either," She said, looking me in the eye with a strange look I couldn't place. More like you've come to a conclusion that you can now rise to power without her keeping you down.

I just fake-smiled - hopefully in an intelligent, non-goofy way as I swept my hair out of my face, kept in place by water as I walked off, 200% ready to escape social interaction with this sly serpent-like student. "Yeah. Oh, I'm gonna go get ready for class. See you later!"

"See you! Oh, by the way?" I whirled around to see a sly look on the new Queen's face as wicked words rolled off her tongue. "If you ever need to avoid Natalie's desperate advances, you're welcome to join us for lunch anytime, bestie!"

Say what now? And... bestie?! What -

A sudden bolt of fear shot through me as the text messages flickered through my mind.

Crap. Crapcrapcrap.

She couldn't possibly -

No, chill, stop, she can't know. This is Gillian Bishop. She'd confront you head-on if she knew you were the anonymous mastermind. Just - act normal.

"Oh, uh, thanks... " I smiled shyly as I walked off, the smile quickly dropping as I turned away.

That girl was a sly serpent with the necessary smarts and power in hand. If I was to be in the pit of vipers, whether her remark meant anything or not, it just meant that I had to be twice as careful - for I could be poisoned, choked or devoured any second.