Bittersweet Revenge by J. L. Beck Page B

secrets that are being held. I look over at Mimi, and for the first time ever in our friendship I question her honesty to me.
“What was that back there?” I ask afraid to hear the truth, but not at the same time. Like they say the truth will set you free. She lifts her head, her greens eyes piercing with mine. The tension seems to ease out of her as she sits back into her seat facing me slightly.
    “Are you going to tell me? Because I’m freaking out over here with all the different things that it could be.”
    She takes a deep breath and blows it out. “Corey and I have been flirting, I would say. We haven’t actually done anything bad. He kissed me this summer at a party; I dismissed it and didn’t want to tell you for obvious reasons. Now we’ve been playing this cat and mouse game, and he’s really starting to get on my nerves plus I know how he treated you and I don’t want to put up with any of that.” By the time she finishes saying what she does my mouth is fully open, and I just can’t get it to close.
    “Say something, are you okay?” She asks looking at me as if I’ve come down with a bad case of the flu. I try to find words but I just can’t, nothing is coming to mind other than the words, what the fuck.
    “Holy shit.” I say breathing deeply in through my nose and out through my mouth. The space in the car seems to get smaller and smaller. I hear Mimi’s voice begging me to say something, begging me to tell her I’m not mad, that everything is okay, but I can’t. I just can’t, it's too much. I see my vision growing weaker, Mimi’s voice comes in slower until there is no more voice, there is no more vision, all I hear is my breathing and all I see is the blackness.
    ***
    I come to, my neck aches, kind of like when you fall asleep in an odd position. My head is pounding and the sun is shining down on me, and I just want it to go away. My mouth feels like I chewed on a wad of cotton balls, and my eyes burn. The pounding in my head gets worse when I hear Mimi’s voice. It sounds far away, but the more I focus on it the closer it seems to get.
    My eyes ease open, as Mimi, Rex, and Corey come into view. My vision has to be off because no way am I seeing all three of these people here for me. I think back to what lead me to this point, I try to sit up not ready to be surrounded by this madness.
    “Is she okay?” Mimi asks her voice aching full of emotions. My best friend is with my arch enemy, the man that terrorized me for a full year, who is the fuel to my hate. Who made every day of my life since dating him, hell. I don’t even know what to feel, hate, sadness, anger, and disappointment course through me. How could she do this? I don’t care if they’re together, I don’t care if it was just one kiss it doesn’t matter.
    “How could you Mimi?” I cry out. Anger, hot as a fire is finding its way into my voice. I can’t hide the hate for Corey, and I refuse too. He deserves it. He deserves whatever I can dish out. Rex pulls me into his arms, but I push away wanting nothing to do with anyone at this moment.
    “And you, you piece of shit, asshole. She’s my best friend how could you, you knew, you fucking knew and you still approached her. Did you try to get into her pants too? Are you going to break her heart and spread malicious rumors about her too?” I growl out at Corey. The hate and distaste is written all over my face. Just saying his name right now leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
    Corey backs up, a shocked look upon his face. Does he honestly think he’s going to get to walk away from me? I’m not fucking done. The least he could do is answer me.
    “Stop Jenna. There’s nothing going on. Nothing.” Mimi’s voice rings in my ears. I can’t even muster up the courage to look at her, afraid that I might break out into another panic attack or cry, and I refuse to let this piece of shit see me cry.
    “Stop? Do you hear yourself? You’re sticking up for this…this. I