Well, I was about to find out.
Vivian leaned on the table, her dark red hair falling around her shoulders. She looked fiery and determined. “This is bullshit, Liv and you know it.” Milla got to her feet.
“Don't start with your crap, Viv. This is not the time or place,” she threatened and the two girls stared each other down. Vivian pulled back her lips in a snarl.
“Oh, I think this is the time and place. You are sitting there on your f**king high horse, painting Maysie like the worst kind of person. When you and I know that she hasn't done anything that the two of you haven't done,” she hissed.
The room became eerily quiet. I looked over at Gracie who lifted her shoulders and widened her eyes. Olivia tensed and I could feel the ice wafting off of her. “Don't you dare,” she said quietly, her meaning very clear. Vivian had better shut up or else.
Unfortunately for Olivia, Vivian wasn't done. “Oh, I shouldn't dare tell our beloved sisterhood how their perfect president slept with my boyfriend our sophomore year. While she was dating Jordan,” Vivian spat out.
“Shut up, Vivian! You don't know what the hell you're talking about!” Milla yelled, pointing at her. Vivian laughed.
“Oh, I don't? So it wasn't you who slept with this same ex-boyfriend of mine two days after Liv?” Eww!
I knew my mouth was hanging open in shock. The room burst out in an angry buzz. “Did you know anything about that?” I whispered to Gracie.
“Uh, no,” she whispered back. These girls were seriously twisted.
Olivia hit her gavel on the table and everyone stopped talking. “Vivian. We've talked about this a million times. Nothing happened with Ryan and me. You are completely delusional,” she said flippantly. But I could see the quiet panic in her eyes. She was lying. She had totally slept with Vivian's boyfriend.
Vivian banged her hands down on the table. “You liar! I saw you together! I walked in and saw you f**king my boyfriend!” she screamed. I saw Olivia swallow and her mouth pinch.
“You were drunk, Vivie. And that was years ago. Your memory is a little skewed,” she said in a placating tone. Vivian crossed her arms over her chest.
“Not too drunk to know two people screwing like rabbits in my boyfriend's bed,” she bit out angrily.
“This is playing out like a bad episode of the Young and the Restless!” Gracie said quietly.
“Or Jerry Springer,” I added. Olivia stood up then.
“Enough Vivian. I'm not talking about something that you think happened two years ago. We are here to discuss the rift happening right now.” Olivia effectively shut Vivian down. I could almost be impressed with her ability to make Vivian's claims seem irrelevant and immaterial.
Vivian looked like she was about to blow her top. “But that has everything...” she started.
“Enough!” Olivia yelled, her eyes flashing at her former friend. “You are not remembering things the way they are. But you and I can address that at another time,” she said quietly. Vivian pushed back from her chair, sending it toppling to the floor.
“Screw this, I'm out of here,” she fumed. She looked down at me and her face softened. “Sorry, Mays. But you'll get nowhere with this lot. They're a bunch of ass**les.” And with that, she stormed out of the chapter room, leaving everyone staring after her with their mouths open.
Eyes swung back to Olivia who had turned an interesting shade of purple. Milla looked livid as well and the two girls glanced at each other, a silent message being passed between them. I knew then that Vivian would be next. Once they had dealt with me, they'd be going full barrel after Vivian. What nasty, hateful people.
“Girls,” Olivia said to the noisy room. Everyone quieted. “Don't let Vivian's bitterness taint your feelings. She clearly has unresolved issues she needs to address. Issues that have nothing to do with me, I assure you. But lets get back to the matter at hand.” And like that, Vivian's claims had been dismissed.
Olivia put a hand to her chest and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, tears dripped down her cheeks. Crap, she was good. “Maysie. You've broken my heart. You've broken our friendship. And today you attacked me, physically, within the walls of this house. That can't be allowed or tolerated. I'm sorry if I've done something to make you turn on me this way. I have only ever wanted you to feel welcome and included in Chi Delta. I thought you were a perfect addition to our sisterhood. It pains me at how wrong I was.” Her voice broke and Milla handed her a tissue. She dabbed her eyes. I bit my tongue to stop myself from calling her out.
“I love Jordan. He was everything to me. We had a future. And that's been taken away. Aside from losing the love of my life. I've lost a sister. And that is ten times more painful,” she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper. Damn, she was good.
Then the looks started again. Forty-five sets of eyes turned to me with disgust and betrayal. Okay, I couldn't keep silent anymore. I got to my feet and looked right at Olivia. “I'm sorry, Olivia,” I began. I choked on my words and struggled to continue. But the truth was I was sorry. I hated hurting anyone. Even the biggest lying bitch on the planet.
“I never meant to hurt you. What happened with Jordan and me was in no way planned. We both tried to ignore it. Once I found out you were his girlfriend, I did everything to avoid him.” I told her truthfully.
“But that didn't stop you from shoving your tongue down his throat behind her back,” Milla called out with a sneer. I turned my eyes to look at her. This girl who had come to hate me with a passion that I didn't entirely understand.
“Yes, we hooked up. I don't know why I did that. All I can say is I love him too. This isn't some random fling.” Olivia's eyes flared and I could see the hurt there.
“I'm sorry for that. We didn't mean for it to go down the way it did. I would take it back in an instant if I could. But what you've been doing is way worse.” Olivia frowned.
“What are you talking about?” she asked. I glanced at Gracie who gave me an encouraging nod.
I took a deep breath and continued. “The rumors, the posters calling me a slut. All of it. I understand you're hurting, but that's no reason to rake my name through the dirt like that. I wanted to handle this privately. Between you and me. But you've made that impossible.” Olivia opened her mouth, frowning.
Milla jumped in. “Don't blame Olivia for the fact that everyone on campus knows you're a whore. That's all on you, babe.”
“Shut up, Milla!” Gracie yelled, jumping up beside me. The noise level in the room became deafening. And I couldn't help but notice Olivia sitting there quietly, her face a mix of emotions I didn't understand.