Trip to see Taylor!!!!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Chapter Nine: Just a Bet

So I actually was riding pretty high despite being dumped by one of the most popular guys in school (read here) and for the first time in my life felt like I had control (read here) instead of being at a boy's whim whether he wanted to be with me or not.  This was a brand new concept to me.  The fact that I had some say in the matter (I know bizarre now that I think about it but not so bizarre that you will see the majority of times I'm the dumpee not the dumper).

Here's what was weird too I was still getting invited to the best parties.
I actually in some weird way I was kind of fitting in better.
Go me!  It was not without me still being stressed about things and avoiding Jaimilynn and her clique.
However, something had changed.
I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I was so super busy with school, work, cheerleading that I barely had time to think about it.
Before I knew it, it was time for Halloween.
Which meant high school dance and after party.
So me and some of the girls from cheerleading got together and dressed up.
I think that year we all dressed up as Fairies with wings and glittery makeup.
It was pretty tame actually none of our stuff came from lingerie stores etc.
The dance went on without incident and we all headed to the after party. 

Jaimilynn and her clique were in full force decked out as different "animals" you know the type...wearing lingerie (bra and panties or corset and panties with thigh highs) and then cat ears and cat tail or bunny ears and bunny tail.  Kind of like this...


It made us cheerleaders look like kiddos in our black skorts (yea skorts), sparkly tank tops, knee high socks and fairy wings.  Oh well.
So here we were at this big party mingling and dancing.
Rumor had it that Nathan was set to show up later with his cousin Dave but I wasn't too stressed about it.  We had spoken a few times over the last month and I never resorted to even suggesting that we get back together so things were fine.  I remember being by the drinks table with Cammy, Jules and River.
When Jaimilynn came walking up with three girls (cue the slow motion of girls walking down a hall just like Mean Girls...)

If I recall it went something like this...
Jaimilynn: "oh hey Teagan ...cute costume" (very sarcastic)
Me: "Thanks I like yours too" (i.e desperate to avoid confrontation)
Jaimilynn: "so have you talked to Nathan lately I know he felt REALLY bad about what he did"
Me: "we keep in touch he's doing well in college...I hope everything works out for him it just didn't work for us" as I passively shrugged
Jaimilynn (directed to everyone except me...you know how someone can talk like you don't even exist...she was an expert at this):  I don't think she actually knows what happens...awww thats pathetic"
Cammy jumped in: "Can it Jaimilynn, it doesn't matter"
I could feel my face getting hotter and redder...what did Cammy mean it doesn't matter.
Jaimilynn (grinning gleefully):  "You didn't think you and Nathan were together for real, did you? Oh, you did? That's so sweet".
I was speechless, I turned and looked at Cammy then back at Jaimilynn.
Jaimilynn (could not contain her joy): "I bet your best friend here didn't even tell you about the bet"
Me: "what is she talking about?"
Jaimilynn: "Nathan was with you as a bet...think of it like a nerd outreach program...he had until the end of the summer to turn you into a wild popular girl but everyone know your a boring prude and frankly he just sick and tired of the effort for someone who is nothing but a waste of good yearbook space"
I remember looking down at my shoes in shock...how did that happen...what was she talking about...I had no clue that this was such a big confusing story.


At that moment Nathan and Dave walked through the front door at the party.
I had a zillion thoughts racing through my head...I was a bet...some nerd project...if he had slept with me or really done anything maybe he would have "won" the bet but where would that leave me...how was I so stupid...why did he do and say all those things if it was just a bet...why did Jaimilynn have it out for me...and now he was here walking up to us.  I felt like everyone was staring at me in the party now.
Nathan and Dave were walking up to our little group that had quite the crowd of specators now.
Nathan "Hey Teagan...Jaimilynn...why the akward silence?" ( he said as he tried to joke around).
Jaimilynn (smirking): "guess Teagan finally figured out what happened with you two"
Nathan: "Teag-"
I interupted him and hottly said: "was I a bet?...was I A BET?...was I a f*cking bet Nathan?" (how weird that this is also remissant of the movie "she's all that" which I later came to find out was sort of inspiration for their little bet.
Nathan (with sheepishy noding): "Jaimilynn why do you always have to start drama?  Teagan it wasn't just like that."
I just tore past him with tears streaming down my face and out the front door with Cammy, Jules and River fast behind me.  I didn't want to hear anymore.
I was humiliated.  Everything...prom (see here) and dating him was all for some stupid bet.
And EVERYone knew but me.
I was so embarrassed....I wished the world which just swallow me up.
Cammy, Jules and River outside tried to comfort me..."we didn't think it was just a bet...we thought it was some stupid rumor people were making up just to be mean...Nathan seemed nicer than that...but then he broke up with you the day before school...we didn't know what to believe".


Jaimilynn had again skewered me in front of everyone.
After that I avoided a lot of the parties despite being invited...I was tired of being the entertainment.
I talked to Nathan once after that and told him I just couldn't continue to talk to him because I thought he lied about everything and I didn't need a friend like that at all.
I was very angry at him.  I didn't want to hear him try to justify and explain everything.
I was just so hurt and humiliated and embarrased.
I never did talk to Nathan again after that.
It turned out I was just a stupid bet inspired by the movie She's All That.
Everyone was in on it except me.
This was a definite set back and hard to swallow after I thought I had overcome so much.


To be continued...


Pictures from:  http://blindgossip.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mean-girls-3.jpg,

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