Love Me Back

1

In my time in California, I've made a collective three long time friends.

Damon, obviously, is one of them. There are two others, Ariella Carson and Juliette Black.

The angel and the demon.

The Baker and The Chain Smoker.

I met Juliette on my first day of second grade. She was sitting by herself at recess, in the sand pit. She looked happy by herself, drawing in the sand. Her black hair was in a messy braid, and her pleated skirt had a small stain. She looked so out of place at this prim and proper school. I liked that, and I wanted to be her friend, I decided.

I walked up to her, sitting down right next to her. She didn't say anything, and for a bit, she just sat there, drawing as I watched. Then, she broke her stick in half and offered me a half. I took it gladly, and we started drawing with each other until recess ended. We were casual friends, until in fifth grade, she came over to my house, looking seemingly calm until she went into my room. She broke down in tears, saying that her dad hit her. She lifted up her sleeve, and showed me the bruises on her wrists.

I was so mad, and I wanted to tell my dad, but she looked so scared when I said that.

"No- Emory you can't do that, please. Please don't tell anyone, Emmie. Please," she begged. Her eyes, green and fearful, were filled with unshed tears, so I told her I wouldn't. I pinkey promised her, and she laid down on my bed, curled up in a ball. I turned on my TV, putting on Teen Titans- the original- and I crawled to her, tucking her head under mines.

After that, we were linked at the hip. We went everywhere together, did everything together. She said, when I asked her a couple of years later, that it was then that she knew she could trust me wholeheartedly.

I was the first person she came out to, the first person she opened up to about her issues with smoking.

And Ariella, well it was sixth grade, and Juliette had- has- the biggest crush on her. She had just transferred to our school, and she had to be the prettiest girl there. She has long blonde hair, with a baby pink bow wrapped around her ponytail, and big blue eyes. She had a pink cashmere sweater and white platform loafers.

When I saw the way Juliette's eyes widened when she saw her, I knew I had to help her. I'm not the best at making friends, I've been told I'm mean looking- or just mean, but I wanted to make an effort. So, at lunch that day, I sat right next to her, and I said, "Wow, I love your necklace." It was a pearl necklace that she still wears to this day.

She smiled at me, and said, "Thank you so much. It was my grandmother's." She then asked me what my favorite class was, and the conversation moved along with ease. When Juliette saw where I was sitting, she tried to walk out of the lunchroom. I was quick to wave her over, telling Ariella, "That's my best friend, Juliette."

When Juliette sat down- not without a glare thrown my way first- she didn't say a word, which wasn't uncommon for her. If I was grumpy, then I don't know what Juliette would be. She didn't like talking to people- she really just doesn't like people.

Ariella raised a brow, and with a small smile, she said, "I like your bracelet, Juliette."

I've never seen her turn red so quickly. I let them talk, and eventually Damon came over, ruffling Juliette's hair. After that, we always sat together. Juliette still hasn't told Ella that she likes her, even after she told us she was pansexual. "She might like girls, but she might not like me," is always her excuse.

She does. Ella is mad for Juliette, and it's obvious to everyone else but them two.

"Should I wear pink today, or yellow?" Ella asks now, holding two floral print dresses on hangers. She takes turns putting them over her body, a puzzled look on her face. We're in her room- Juliette and I- helping Ella pick an outfit for her trip to the farmer's market.

Yes, you read that right, the farmers market. Not anywhere fancy, just the farmers market. But that's Ella for you. She dresses to impress everywhere. "You never know who might be there," she told me once.

"Yellow," Juliette offers, blowing on her nails she just painted black. "It makes your skin glow."

Ella takes that into consideration, but I don't miss the way her ears turn red, humming as she looks at me. "What do you think, Em?"

I shrug. "You look good in whatever, but yellow fits your mood today."

"Yellow fits her mood every day," Juliette quips. She's applying a fresh layer of deep maroon lipstick to her lips. "I can never understand how you can be so happy all the time."

"I don't understand how you can be so moody all the time," Ella replies. "Also, you should brush your hair out more, Jules."

Juliette rolls her eyes, using her fingers to comb through her hair. She had used Ella's rollers that morning, just recently taking them out. She never usually curls her hair, usually leaving it pin straight, but today, Ella managed to convince her.

I flip the page of my magazine, eyeing a puffer jacket shown. "Don't start you two," I say half-heartedly. When I look up at them, I almost laugh at how different we look. Ella is currently changing into her yellow dress, that she plans to pair with white heels, while Juliette is picking at the hem of her dark mini jean skirt. She has a small, low cut black tank top on, with a pair of black boots and one of my dark flannels. I'm wearing a square neck knitted top, with a pair of bell-bottoms and Converses. I always wonder how we've stayed friends when even our fashion sense is different.

Ella huffs. Then her eyes light up. "Remind me to get a thing of flour, please, Em?"

"Yes ma'am," I say. I grab my tote bag, throwing it over my shoulder. Ella grabs her wallet, and Juliette stands, pulling down her skirt.

"Should I get more rings?" Juliette asks, eyeing her fingers covered with them.

"No."

"No."