𝑮𝑰𝑹𝑳𝑺 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑮𝑰'𝑺

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ: ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ

NOVEMBER, 2023

"Uhm... Can I just have the mozzarella sticks, please?" I sigh, looking up at the waitress.

I am out to dinner with my karate team, right after finishing one of the biggest tournaments of the year.

"Scarlett, you have got to get this cookie pizza with me! It looks so awesome." Jaden points to the menu.

Jaden is one of my best friends. I've known him since I was eight. He's two years younger than me but has the personality of a middle-aged man. Me and him have become the two best competitors on our team.

I groan. "I don't know..."

One thing about me is that I do NOT like eating in front of people.

The little girl next to me, Sophia, is bouncing up and down in the seat next to me. She's the younger sister of one of our teammates, Julia, who's sitting on the complete opposite side of the table, wanting nothing to do with her sister.

Sophia is your stereotypical Gen Alpha kids. She sits at the restaurant table with her iPad, watching videos on full blast. She's only seven, so the way she acts is understandable.

I run my fingers through my hair, pulling at my roots. "Oh my god, I cannot listen to that anymore!" I growl under my breath. Sophia has been watching the same YouTube Short for at least five minutes now.

Cayden chuckles. He's sitting on the other side of Sophia. "Turn the volume up louder." He tells her.

Sophia giggles and puts the video on full blast.

I groan, and Cayden laughs.

"I hate you." I mouth to him with a soft smile.

He just smiles at me, still laughing.

~

The food has now come out. Jaden is refusing to eat his chicken wings. He says it's too spicy.

Cayden is devouring a burger.

I'm staring down at my plate. I haven't touched any of my mozzarella sticks.

Sophia puts down her chicken tender. "Can I have one?"

I turn to her and nod. I pick a stick up and put it down on her plate.

Now I have four left.

"I want some too!" Julia whines from the other side of the table. She's the same age as Jaden, but the complete opposite personality wise.

I sigh. "Fine, take one."

Julia cheers. She leans over the table, taking two mozzarella sticks.

Now I have two left.

I see Jaden staring at my plate. "Do you want one too?" I say.

He nods slowly. "Sorry, I'm just not going to eat these." He points at the chicken wings.

I give him a stick. He also takes the small bowl of marinara I was given.

Now I have one left, and no sauce.

I don't really want to eat it though. So instead, I pick up my phone, and start texting a couple of my friends on snapchat. We're sending pictures back and forth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Cayden watch me as he finishes his burger. He leans down to Sophia and whispers something in her ear.

"Scarlett." She squeals.

I put down my phone. "Hmm?"

"Cayden told me to ask you why you're texting all the boys in school right now." Sophia giggles.

Cayden is holding in a laugh, a playful smile plastered on his face.

I smirk, and lean down to Sophia's ear, whispering something in it too. I can see Cayden waiting in anticipation.

"Scarlett told me to tell you she's only texting four boys." Sophia giggles again.

Cayden's eyes shift to me.

I have my arms crossed, and I'm leaning back in my chair with a sly grin.

"Four?" He leans closer. "That's three too many."

I smile. "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

Cayden shakes his head. "This, this is why I or any other boy will never date you."

"Likewise." I shoot back at him.

He just looks at me for a couple seconds.

I break the eye contact and look down at Sophia.

"Do you want my last mozzarella stick?" I ask her.

Sophia nods quickly, snatching it out of my hand.