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Chapter Three: Maggie

I never wanted to break warnings in my entire life more than I do so now, more so that I craved it just as much as I would normally crave food on a daily basis. Which says a lot.

Luckily for me, however, lunch had just started.

But even so, as both Levi and I made our way to the cafeteria, I couldn't seem to keep my mind off Evan and Mandy, and how awfully worried I was for her but at the same time keeping Levi's advice in mind, all the while stopping myself from getting involved.

Though that doesn't mean I wasn't still frustrated about not being able to do anything other than to just sit back and do as I'm told. What sucks even more? There's no other option than to do just that. I know how destructive Evan is, he wasn't just some sugar-coated figure that's equivalent to the scary bedtime stories parents would tell their children, but once they looked back at them as an adult, they would realize they weren't really that scary, to begin with.

No, the rumors that circulate around him aren't just something to gossip about and not expect a consequence back. In a way, he was the scary monster your parents would tell you about, but this time, he'd actually get you in your sleep. And possibly eat you alive.

Call me dramatic, but that's the most accurate metaphor to use for him.

Also, Evan doesn't do things for the show of it, but instead for the satisfaction that he gets from his actions. Quite frankly, I don't understand why people seem to allow him to do that, much less praise him for it. The good looks maybe? He wasn't unattractive. Far from it really.

With his sandy brown hair, chiseled jawline, tall frame, and good physique partnered with this brooding persona he has going on that further amplifies his masculine exterior, it is quite apparent as to why people would either be too intimidated to call him out on his mistakes or be too enamored that they'll give him the privilege of just getting away with it.

But then again, it probably does stem from the fact his parents are ridiculously loaded, to the point that despite how this school is already exclusive for students who are (and how do I say this without sounding pretentious) living much more prestigious lifestyles than most, is that he's considered one of the most affluent students here in terms of wealth.

To the point that no matter how much he messes up, he could still bribe them into falling back at his feet as soon as he shows up the following morning in a sports car bought by his parents.

Again, this school is pretty messed up for its own good, which probably makes sense that Evan holds the title of being Henderson High's king. The thought alone never fails to make me laugh.

But still, as much as what I'm doing is risky, the idea of taking a chance and giving Evan a taste of his own medicine and possibly bringing him down from his stupid pedestal tempted me.

It tempted me more than it should've.

However, the only thing that was stopping me was that I didn't necessarily have a valid reason to avenge Mandy other than the fact I just hated what he had done to her, but also not knowing the full story so I can't take any actions that are obviously unasked for.

That, and as obvious as it is, Levi wasn't having any of it.

"Baby, stop pouting. Your pretty face might get wrinkles and I don't want people thinking I'm dating a grandma." he teased, to which I only responded with a blank stare.

He couldn't help but cringe "Yeah, not my best joke but you get what I mean, you need to stop worrying about other people. I know how much the situation affected you and if I could, I'd erase the memory from your mind completely-"

"The thing is, I don't want to disregard the memory much or less forget it," I said firmly "What I want is the chance to have stepped in and not let my fear take over me because if I hadn't, Mandy wouldn't have gotten hurt-"

"Okay, okay, calm down." Levi said as we proceeded to walk down the line of the cafeteria to get our lunch "As much as you feel guilty for just staying on the sidelines, there was no other option than to do just that. Even if you stepped in and prevented Mandy from getting hurt, God knows what would've happened if he-"

"What? Had he hurt me instead?" I implied as I violently slammed down my tray "I'd like to see him try because if that happened it'll only just prove how he's not only a shitty boyfriend but a violent hooligan as well."

"I think you're forgetting the fact she cheated on him and technically, she was the one who slapped him first, so if anything-" the glare I had thrown at him was enough to shut him up.

Once we got our lunches we made our way towards our lunch table, with Levi hot on my trail as he tried to catch up with me, sensing my irritation as he lets out a sigh "Please don't get mad because you felt like you didn't do much of how that situation could've ended, and I'm sorry about justifying Evan's actions. It was wrong, and I'm sorry."

I let out a sigh of my own "No, don't be. I'm the one blowing things out of proportion." I said as we neared our table "I should probably just stay out of their business."

"You should," he said "But if it makes you feel any better, checking up on Mandy if you're really worried wouldn't necessarily mean any harm. So I say, go for it."

My eyes lit up "You sure?"

Levi chuckled as he gave me a peck on the side of my head "I'm sure, do whatever your humongous heart desires."

"Can you guys like, not do that here? We're in the mood to eat, not to watch PDA."

Rolling my eyes as Levi lets out a laugh, we face ahead to where our table had already been occupied by no other than our two friends, Beth and Emily.

I've befriended them the same time I had met Levi when I first enrolled here back in junior year, due to how they went way back before I had even entered the picture, and considering they've been friends for a long time they pretty much share the same qualities, all three being quite popular around crowds because of their own unique personalities.

If Levi was notable for being one of the star players on the basketball team, Beth was known for being the classic party animal. This is why from time to time she ends up in places where some of the socialites are usually found hanging out, but according to her, she doesn't really associate herself with them.

She's also quite invested in getting the scoop from dramas that transpire within their circle, she's basically the reason why the average student even gets those pieces of information, to begin with.

While Emily was the complete opposite because just like Levi, she'd much invest her time in sports and bust someone's face in with a volleyball than to hear some gossip about some socialite she'd give less than two shits.

That's why I end up being the only one Beth's spills all the juicy gossip she learns about, she's also the reason why I didn't end up trying to be like them in the first place. Because she knew it wasn't the kind of scene I was supposed to be in.

This makes me wonder if she's already aware of what happened between Mandy and Evan "Like seriously, you guys. I already have to endure hearing about how Melissa Mckinnin and Josh Dane did it in Professor Callaway's office-"

"Dude, ew. What the fuck?" Emily exclaimed, appalled by Beth's crass words "No one wants to hear about that, I'd much rather watch these two suck each other's faces off than to hear about a bunch of stupid socialites having sex. Like seriously, who gives a shit?"

"Um, almost everyone does, it's what keeps the halls buzzing. It's the only thing people have been talking about, so unless something happens that's much more controversial than those two humping each other like a bunch of rabbits on a pile of English essays, you just gotta deal with it." so she still hasn't heard about what happened between Evan and Mandy.

Usually, news travels fast especially if it revolves around people with the kind of reputation Evan and Mandy have, but then again, Evan was practically more determined to rip someone's heart out than to have the whole school find out about their breakup.

Or probably what he had been planning on doing and had already done to Mandy knowing well it won't be taken lightly. Guess someone was afraid to be put in a bad light.

It gets harder to understand his side of the story, really.

"Then I guess you weren't aware of what happened between Mandy and Evan?"

The table suddenly fell quiet, more specifically Beth as she lifted her eyes up the second those words came spilling out of Levi's mouth "What do you mean?"

"You hadn't heard? Then again it only happened a few hours ago-"

"Just tell me," she demanded, catching us off guard.

"Aren't you eager?" Levi jokes, but with the way he was looking at her, even he felt surprised by how persistent she was to know about what happened.

Which she noticed, afterward forcing out a laugh "It's just, you know, new gossip! Just like what Emily said, hearing about students hooking up and whatever is like, so inappropriate-"

"Dude, I'm eating here." Emily said with a mouth-full of a grilled cheese sandwich "But then again, only a few minutes ago you were so invested-"

"Just tell me!" she snapped at Levi and he immediately put his hands up, shocked.

"Okay then, geez," Levi said, looking at her quite skeptically "Well, what happened was that Evan and Mandy got into a fight in the library, which both Maggie and I were already at so we were able to see the whole thing and it got quite intense. But long story short, Mandy was supposedly cheating on Evan with his best friend-"

"What?!"

The whole cafeteria turned to us, with Beth ignoring their stares after practically letting out a scream that could've made at least five people deaf as her eyes widened, dumbfounded

"Yeah." Levi clarified, weirded out by her behavior "After that, he just kept calling her names, like how she's a slut and all-"

"Which she is, I mean, who would even do that to someone?" Beth said, bemused.

"And she slapped him and he slapped her back." Levi added, "It was pretty bad-"

"It doesn't matter if he sent that bitch flying out the window, her cheating on him shouldn't excuse the fact she's one hell of a goddamn slut!"

"Beth." I scolded, looking at her in disbelief "You're sounding so much like Evan right now and slut-shaming someone isn't gonna solve anything, you don't even know what happened."

"Oh, trust me, I know what there is to know about those two more than anyone that I practically predicted their relationship was only bound to burn down in flames. Mandy has been unfaithful to the people she gets involved with since day one. She's known for hopping from one guy to another and abandoning relationships just because she couldn't be satisfied with one guy, that's why I don't understand why Evan would even choose to pursue her in the first place. But knowing him, he only goes after girls as demented as he is, right?"

"But look where that brought him now." Beth added, chuckling without a trace of humor in her tone "As much as I find him stupid she got what she deserved."

"Don't you think you're being a little bit too harsh on her?" Emily asked as Beth laughed, this one more sinister and mocking.

"Trust me, I don't slut-shame for the heck of it. Wear whatever you want, have sex with anyone you want but infidelity is infidelity. And I don't condone anyone who would destroy someone's relationships let alone friendships like that, but she's out here thinking she can do both."

"In her defense," I interrupted through gritted teeth as Beth turned to look at me. "He practically manhandled her and with the way her body language spoke, I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the first time he had laid his hands on her like that."

I honestly don't know what I was expecting from Beth as a response, however, her smirking as if the information amused her suddenly made me feel like I was talking to a stranger "She shouldn't have been so bold trying to open her legs to anyone, especially to those she knew wouldn't be good for her then, huh? She had it coming." she said vehemently.

"Jesus Christ, Maggie's right, you are sounding so much like Evan right now." Levi commented, bewildered "What is with you damning this chick to hell? Has she done anything to you?"

I nodded my head in agreement "Yeah, you're barely like this and to see you defending Evan like this kinda worries me." and just like that, she shuts up.

It was a long pause before she decided to just laugh it off, though her mannerisms say otherwise that she's anything but amused by the situation, as she fidgets in her seat while dismissively waving us off "What are you guys talking about? You know I just don't like cheaters and Mandy isn't necessarily the most pleasant person ever."

"Yeah, but we've never seen you be this way before. Much or less because of a socialite like Evan." I claimed as she scoffed, acting almost as if I was the one being ridiculous.

"But honestly though, Beth," I added, narrowing my gaze at her "Even if you don't like Mandy I suggest you don't get too fond of Evan either. I don't want you disregarding what girls like Mandy go through just because you dislike her, if only you had seen what Evan did just to break up with her, you wouldn't be on his side defending him like this."

Beth looks away, casting her gaze down at her lap "I know."

She sits up, gathering her tray as she plasters on a forced smile whilst letting out a weak laugh the second I direct her a suspicious glare "B-But don't worry about me, I know everything there is to know about these socialites, especially ones like Evan... so don't worry about me."

I took a moment to respond, analyzing her body language and the way she spoke.

"Are you sure?"

For a second, I swear I saw a bit of hesitancy wash over her eyes "I'm sure."

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