Cool Cactus #11

I shook my head as I looked at the three students sitting in my outer office. It’s not easy being a high school principal. When fights occur, you have to figure out what went down. This should be interesting.

“David, would you step inside please?” David stood up from between the two girls and walks past me into my office.

”Please, take a seat,” I say, indicating a chair across from me. He sits. “Alright David, that was quite a fight out there. Want to tell me what this is all about?”

He looks nervous. “Yeah - Wendy and I were just sitting eating lunch and Colleen came up and went nuts.”

”Any idea why?”

“Well, we recently broke up and I started seeing Wendy. Colleen came into the cafeteria and totally freaked out when she saw us.”

***

There they sit clasping hands and looking deep into each other's eyes. Colleen enters the cafeteria and scans the crowd. Spotting David and Wendy, she stalks towards them, picking up a glass of water on the way.

“I'm really looking forward to the prom this weekend,” said Wendy.

“Me too. I'll pick you up at 7 and we can grab some dinner first.”

Wendy smiles. “Great, I can't—“

Suddenly, Colleen stomps over and pours the water over David's head. ”You bastard! How could you? My best friend?”

David sputters and Wendy jumps to her feet

”Hey! Leave my boyfriend alone!”

“YOUR boyfriend? He was dating me first!” Colleen shouts.

”Well you're the one who broke up with him!”

”Oh sure! Because, he always harbored a secret crush on you. I knew about it and refused to be cheated on.” Colleen is shaking with suppressed rage.

David jumps to his feet. “How dare you accuse me of cheating on you?! I've been nothing but faithful since we started going out!” Colleen clearly looks disbelieving. Wendy comes to David’s defense.

”He's telling the truth. We didn't start going out until AFTER you ended things.”

”Until after you stole him, you mean!” With that, Colleen jumps on Wendy and the two start to struggle, pulling hair and screaming at each other. A teacher runs over and breaks the two up.

”That's enough!”

The two girls struggle in the teacher's grip.

“The three of you go to the Principal's office. Now!”

David stands up and puts his arm around Wendy. Colleen glares at them and crosses her arms, slouching towards the door. David and Wendy follow, huddled close.

***

”Care to tell me what happened, Colleen?”

Colleen was sulking, but suddenly she looks pissed. “Yeah. That cheating bastard dumped me for my best friend, that's what happened.”

I sigh. “I can do without the editorializing, Colleen. Just the facts.”

***

Colleen stalks into the cafeteria and glares around. She spots David and Wendy and makes her way over to the table.

“Great, I can't—“

”You bastard! How could you? My best friend?” Colleen is upset, verging on tears.

Wendy jumps to her feet

”Hey! Leave my boyfriend alone!”

“YOUR boyfriend? He was dating me first!”

“Well you're the one who broke up with him!” Wendy sounds guilty, clearly aware she’s in the wrong.

”Is that what he told you?” Colleen retorts. “HE dumped ME. So he could go after you! He's had a secret crush on you for years. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he was only dating me to get to you!”

Wendy turns to David, a hurt look in her eyes. “David, is this true?”

David splutters. “Uh, well, um....”

Wendy's eyes flash and she grabs a glass of water off the table and throws it in David's face. “How could you?!”

Despite being soaking wet, David manages to keep his cool. He looks with puppy dog eyes at Wendy. “Wendy, darling...it's true. I've always had a crush on you. And I wouldn't have left Colleen for you. But she takes me for granted. She doesn't treat me right. YOU do. That's why I want to be with you.”

Wendy starts to waver, and when she speaks, her voice sounds unsure. “Well, why did you wait to ask me out?”

”Because you were dating Paul. You were happy, and that's all that I cared about, even if it meant I was miserable.” David looks very appealing. He is paying no attention to Colleen. His heart is in his eyes.

Colleen can’t believe this. She turns to Wendy. “Oh please. Tell me you're not buying this bullshit!”

David continues to ignore Colleen, looking imploringly at Wendy. “It's true. I love you Wendy. I only settled for Colleen—“

”SETTLED? Why you—“ Colleen flies into a rage at these words. She lunges at David and Wendy grabs her. The two struggle until the teacher comes and breaks them up.

”That's enough!”

Colleen struggles in the teacher's grip.

”The three of you go to the Principal's office. Now!”

David stands up and Wendy puts her arm around him. Colleen glares at them and crosses her arms, slouching towards the door. David and Wendy follow, huddled close.