My eyes darkened when I pulled my brows down in consternation when I realized that it had been so long acting completely apathetic that I forgot how to actually show surprise in front normal people.  “Uh, no. I didn’t know that she would even do that. Uh, why?”

                Rachel shook her head, rending her face with a morose frown. “You should know all about it. I thought you were friends with her.” She stated starting to turn back.

                “Yeah, we are… in a way.” And there I was going to leave the conversation. Knowledge of who did it was enough to conciliate the powering need to know. Also, the fact that Rachel was now turned and we were still in class was enough to make me think the conversation was over, but everything that seems to affect you the most has an underhanded way of finding its way in.

                My head was down focused on my college ruled paper scrawled with notes and when I looked back, up to the front of the class to catch what I missed, I noticed then that Rachel was turned back in her seat stretching her legs across the aisle. Her body was sunk down, her chin resting on her chest and her fingers laced in front of her.

                “So you know about Kate’s and Ashley’s half screwed relationship.” She said gingerly pressing her pointed white fingertips to her damaged face. There was a stage of seconds that did not register until Rachel called attention to it. I presuppose now that I am capable of something other than apathy when it is something that I really care about. “You do know right? I am sure you hear it from that Nikki Rye girl. She loves to run her mouth.”

                It was then that I was able to unsettle my locked state and respond with a half formed stutter. “Yes of course, but I thought it was just rumor.” I drew my eyes down to my paper as if subconsciously trying to hide whatever I knew my face would betray at this point. “I mean every time I am around Kate she doesn’t act like she even cares about Ashley, and Ashley she just hangs around her all the time.”