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“Since when do we lie to each other?” Flynn asked, feeling the emotions pull up inside them, settling like an uncomfortable weight into their chest.
“Flynn…” Julie sighed, not seeming entirely sincere. “I’m sorry.”
The scoff that left their lips felt more like it was yanked from them, a knee jerk reaction, just barely hiding their pain.”’I’m sorry’? That’s all you’ve got?”
A pause, praying, hoping. Julie would apologize, would explain. She had to. They were best friends. This was Julie and Flynn. Even after all the stuff with Julie’s mom and not singing, they’d never lied to one another. Not about anything.
Silence greeted Flynn and she scoffed once more, turning and fleeing the gymnasium. Behind them she could hear Julie call out, but it didn’t last long. Soon it was just Flynn and their footsteps echoing down an empty hall.
Slamming into the women’s bathroom, she sat themself down in the nearest somewhat clean bathroom stall and allowed the tears to run.
This wasn’t fair. What had changed? What in their relationship had suddenly so drastically shifted that Julie couldn’t just tell Flynn what was going on? Rose’s death had been hard—on both girls, even if Julie of course had it worse—but that hadn’t changed their dynamic as friends. If anything, it has strengthened their bond.
Then Julie sings again, just that morning, and suddenly everything changed? Suddenly Flynn was no longer welcome in the inner circle of Julie’s life. It made no sense.
It was utter bullshit.
Flynn’s tears began to dry up, evaporating with the sudden heat of their anger. What the hell, Julie?
The sadness of being pushed away, of being lied to by their best friend, didn’t fade. Instead, it settled below the surface of the volcanic rage, promising to be there to wallow in when the fury subsided.
Wiping away the last of the tears, Flynn stood, shaking themself off.
Fine then. Julie didn’t want Flynn to know, didn’t want Flynn in her life? She could work with that. Flynn didn’t need anyone. She was strong and she’d pulled themself out of a lot of dark places. She’d survive this, too.
Julie didn’t want them? Fine.
Leaving the stall, Flynn stepped in front of the mirror, tossing their hair off their shoulder. Taking a deep breath, allowing it to steady their nerves and steel them with renewed strength, Flynn brought a smile to their face. She allowed it to sink into her skin, slowly become a bit more real and a little less forced.
She was a star.
She didn’t need anyone else.
She didn’t need anyone who didn’t need them.
Flynn straightened their shirt, leaning into the mirror and whipping out their eyeliner to fix the small smudges made by the shed tears.
She’d be fine.
She didn’t need anyone.
Julie may have lied, may have hurt them, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was what Flynn did in reaction.
Correcting their lip gloss, she stepped back, examining themself in the mirror. She looked good as hell. Running their nails down their braids, smoothing them against the front, she allowed the calm to settle in.
She was a badass sorta female who did not need to rely on people. Especially not people who lied to them.
Content with their corrected look, Flynn washed their hands and then headed out of the bathroom, plan already in place.
All she’d need is a dozen eggs and to dig up their old Double Trouble shirt. It’d hurt, but she’d pull the thorns from their skin and emerge stronger than before. She’d scream as she rose up, feeling better than before.