They all expected Mia to have started crying buckets of tears by now, instead, it was the other way round.
In actual fact, Mia was exhausted. She'd cried herself to sleep after returning from the hospital last night. There were no more tears in her eyes. She'd poured everything out yesterday.
She feels so empty right now.
The students clicked their tongues disdainfully at her.
At exactly this time, the bell rang, marking the beginning of classes for the day.
On after the other, they all rushed to their various classes, leaving behind crying Martha and dry-faced Mia.
"Mm-ia, who could have done th-this?" Martha's lips quivered and her body trembled as she wailed uncontrollably.
Mia's heart broke at the sight of this and she quickly wrapped her arms around her best friend. "It's okay, stop crying."
"No. This is so unfair to you. I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry. How I wish I knew the person that did this..."
"It's okay. Stop crying--it's not your fault." Mia patted her gently.
She smiled a small smile, "look on the bright side. Now, you and Max can be together without facing any criticism."
"But what about you?" Martha sobbed softly.
"NO, don't worry about me. Let's go now, we're already late for class." Mia urged.
"Okay." Martha sniffled sadly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
She and Mia were in separate calsses, so they both waved at each other and went in different directions.
Immediately Mia turned her back, Martha sneered scornfully.
Stupid, gullible girl. She clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
The person behind the voice recording was none other than herself. Yesterday, while Mia was talking, she'd secretly recorded the girl's voice and sent it to someone to help her edit it.
She'd then uploaded it very early this morning on their school's platform, with her side account that she usually used to malicious activities.
Martha giggled evily and skipped happily to class. Now, things were working perfectly according to plan.
She wasn't ready to announce just yet that she and Max were back to being together again. She wants Mia to wallow in more pain for a while before she discloses it.
Aish! Her head hurts.
She'd cried too much for that damn girl... so that the kids can find her pitiful. Martha clicked her tongue yet again.
***
Throughout school that day, everywhere Mia went, she received murdering glares and accusing gazes around her. Well, she was used to being misunderstood... She was always being in the wrong... She'd probably continue to always be.
During lunch break, Max and Martha sat together in the cafeteria, discussing about the issue. Martha narrated yesterday and this morning's events to him, leaving the part where she was the one that posted the edited clip in the group.
So, right now, she was refusing to eat as she didn't like that everyone was bullying her best friend, while Max was trying to console her.
"Maybe it was even Mia that posted the recording herself--just to help us, you know..." The buy suggested.
Matha's mouth formed an 'OH' as if she saw sense in what Max just said.
"How could I not have thought about that?" She face-palmed herself.
"See?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"She might have truly done that to help us." Martha's mouth pouted.
"Now, eat your food and stop worrying. I'll take you to the mall later." Max urged softly.
"For real?" Her eyes lit up instantly.
Right about this moment, Mia walked into the cafeteria. She spotted Max and Martha together and looked away quickly with a throbbing heart.
The students began to whisper amongst themselves but she ignored their piercing gazes and began to head dart towards a corner in the far end of the cafeteria. She wanted to avoid the students' eyes, but most especially, she was trying to avoid Martha and Max.
But it was already too late. Martha caught sight of her and yelled her name. "Mia, come over! Come sit with us!" She waved her handf in a beckoning manner, grinning from ear to ear.
Mia stopped right in her track at this. She wanted decline her best friend's offer but the girl was already walking in her direction. So, she simply zipped it.
Smiling sweetly, Martha linked hands with her and started leading her to the table she and Max were sitting at.
This caused an uproar among the students. They didn't find anything strange when they saw that Max and Martha were sitting together--everyone knew Max, Mia and Martha were close friends... with Mia and Max being in a relationship.
But after finding out the real truth, they all actually liked that Max and Martha were sitting together alone. In fact, they wished the two would get back together.
And then Mia had to show her ugly face and spoil everything again--like she'd done before.
The students in the cafeteria gave Mia more scornful gazes as she followed Martha back to the table. Shameless! Max should do quick and break up with her.
"Why is she going to their table?"
"She doesn't want to see Max and Mia get back to being together."
"Pained piece of shit."
"She's just jealous."
"Max should break up with her already!"
The kids completely ignored the fact that it was Martha who had pulled Mia over to their table, and criticized Mia without pity.
Martha heard all of the nasty comments from the them and smiled secretly. Things were indeed going according to plan. She decided the switch things up a bit.
After successfully dragging Mia into a seat beside Max, she suddenly picked up her purse from the table and stood up. "Hum... I hu-hum--I need to use the bathroom, I'll be right back."
Dejectedly, she she dragged her feet out of the cafeteria, leaving her food untouched, and Max and Mia alone together.
This further made the kids infuriated. They understood Martha's hidden intention. The poor girl wasn't really going to the bathroom to do anything... She was simply excusing herself in order for Max and Mia to spend an alone time together.
"She's too nice..."
"If there's anyone who's supposed to be feeling like the third wheel, it should be that wench, Mia!"
"Exactly."
The kids were really furious this time.
After Martha left the table, Max and Mia remained silent, not speaking a word to each other. The atmosphere around them was tense and awkward. Mia immediately regretted not following Martha to the bathroom.
Although the harsh words she was hearing around her were heart-piercing, those words weren't as devastating as sitting beside the one person who she loved so dearly, and the both of them acting like total strangers.