❝I know it's hard for you to be friends with a girl without objectifying her - but lucky me, not everyone's you!❞
❝Oh yeah. 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨. The lady goth protest too much.❞
❝𝘿𝙤𝙩𝙝, Gavin. Doth.❞
→ From Van Zandt family disappointment and Grade 8...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐆 at the entrance of the school one day before picture day (the bane of my existence) after departing Ellie as usual. We spent most of our shared walk to school doing our best to make up hand signals so we could communicate in class unheard and with no email evidence. So far, we decided to probably learn ASL first so we don't come up with something that might be incredibly offensive.
Music played vaguely from my earphones, sounding more like faint radio white noise from here, but I could still decipher the melody.
It was a strange little CD I picked up from the mall over the summer, and both Ellie and I memorized every song within a few days of listening.
Some new band from the states. New Jersey, I think. Very garage sounding compared to what we usually listened to.
Well I hope I'm not mistaken By the news I heard from waking And it's hard to say I'm shaken By the choices that I make!
Something something romance. You might've heard of them.
Meanwhile, I heard the idle chatter of the former villains in my life, Paige, Hazel, Jimmy, and Spinner. I didn't really have anything against Hazel, honestly, aside from her affiliation with Paige — and I didn't think it was fair to blame anyone for wanting to be in that popularity sphere, mostly because I used to want it, too.
"...It's all about the tight satin shorts, if you ask me." Her ever-agreeable tone ruined my peace and quiet, though.
"Ooh, tight satin shorts. We're there." Jimmy high-fived Spinner.
Paige, magnanimous as always, smiled as they all walked up the steps of the school. "Then pencil it in, boys. Retro roller skating party."
The gagging noise I made was louder than I meant it to be. Paige stopped and everyone around her followed.
"Best part? Invite only, and no windows for stalkers to watch us," she sniped, her smile cartoonishly white. She threw a playful look at Jimmy and Spinner, and the latter grinned. "But there are side entrances and plenty of shadows for her to hide in, so stay alert."
Well, so much for change.
While Spinner chortled, Jimmy cleared his throat quietly and tried at a laugh. I looked away with a huff.
"Audrey?" I heard behind me, and I was more than relieved when I turned to see Craig walking up to all of us. I smiled, but it must've looked as pained as it felt when his faltered. "Everything good?"
I inhaled sharply and squared my shoulders. "Yeah."
"You sure?" Like the answer was important. Like my answer meant something.
"Weirdly enough," I said more concretely, exhaling. When I smiled again, it was real, and wide, and mirrored in his. "I really am good."
