Eight Letters. Three Words.

Eight Letters. Three Words - Ch. 14

Chapter Fourteen

Shadows

 

“You’re smiling.”

“I am not.”

Leela toyed with her hair as she surveyed her appearance on the stained bathroom mirror.

“You’re impossible Chloe. I feel sorry for Dylan; I’m still surprised you haven’t scared him away.”

I shrugged.

“I saw it coming you know? Ever since he drove you home after that football match, I knew things were going to change.”

“Nothing has changed Leela. I’ll go out with him today, he’ll understand what a huge mistake he has made, and so he’ll start pestering someone else.”

“Or… you two will realize how you’re made one for the other and hopefully end up together,”

I made a gagging sound which Leela ignored handing me a comb.

“And what’s this for?” I asked, motioning to the hairbrush.

“You are going to see him now at the care center,” she made a smacking sound with her lips and turned to me. “As I know you won’t make the slight motion in making yourself look presentable, I did the job for you,”

She snatched the comb away and moved closer to me.

I sighed. “This is not necessary; I do not feel anything towards Dylan Miller,"

Leela nodded combing through the messy knots in my hair. "Whatever,"

"I'm serious!"

"Look, just try not to move so much this time," she said, making me feel happy as she dropped the subject.

"And stop blushing too,"

                                                                          *

My eyelids were stuck together, or at least that’s what it felt like every time I was to blink. The amount of mascara Leela had wasted to make my eyes look more appealing was outstanding. I’m still puzzled over how she managed to not poke the damned brush into my eye.

“Hello Chloe!” Ana waved from across the street as she carried two toddlers into the building.

I waved back at her and was about to cross the street when the tang of a sweet perfume, and a sour voice stopped me in place.

“Hello Chloe,”

“Katelyn,”

She sneered, “Oh my, I guess someone has her panties in a twist,”

“I bet someone isn’t even wearing panties,” I murmured.

She laughed throwing her head back, and earning us the confused stares of many passing students.

“You see Katelyn, as much as I would love to stay and keep talking to you, I’ve got other plans,”

“Like seeing Dylan maybe? I thought you learned your lesson already, a player never quits the game,”

I shrugged in what could pass as indifference, “Stay out of my life Cross,”

“I’ve never cared about you Foster, others however still do,” and waving she walked towards her group of giggling friends, just as I hurried cross the street and welcomed the smell of burned milk and cheering of children that enveloped me.