How To Save You

Step Seven: You Play Truth Or Dare

I was picking up some groceries for Brandi- trying to do a good deed per day in hopes of somehow, someday being nice enough for Adri. At least I was hot enough, I comforted myself, letting my hand sweep through my messy golden hair. I kicked open my door and left the car.

I reread the shopping list and ambled through the cold grocery store. I stopped to pick up two bottles of skimmed milk and then grabbed some chocolate from the racks (a guy had to treat himself some time)... I was making my way through the shop to grab some cereal when I saw a girl, with a sloppy brunette bun.

I walked over and tapped her lightly on the shoulder, unable to contain myself. A sullen expression greeted me as she swiveled round, her big blue eyes narrowed. She was wearing a baggy woolen brown sweater- slightly too hot for September.

"You don't look sick," I said, scanning her pretty pink cheeks and bright (although glaring) eyes.

"And you look like you belong in a zoo," she shot back, claws at the ready.

I brushed off her comment, my self-esteem fully intact. I knew she was lying- the mirror told me otherwise every day. Adri crossed her arms, finely plucked brows drawing together in irritation. I realized with glee I was blocking her way and she was too proud to ask me to move nicely.

"You didn't mention your former popularity," I said.

Her eyes narrowed and she put a hand on her hip, "it's none of your business, Elijah."

I ignored her, "I can't help but wonder what happened."

"I realized they were immature idiots," she responded with blinking.

The comment crept under my skin. I was part of those so-called idiots. It irked me that just because someone was popular it had to mean they were dumb, vindictive, slutty, mean, fake, or vapid. Perhaps they were popular because they were likable and it was just as unfair to classify a guy with glasses as a geek as it was to classify a cheerleader as a shallow, mean girl.

"You didn't think so when they were your friends," I said lamely.

"I got my douche-ray vision on."

I sighed slightly and she looked a little surprised as if she thought she could truly offend me with a comment like that.

"What?" She asked.

I shook my head and pushed my cart away from her, not in the mood to talk to her. To my utter shock I found that she started to trail me, her feet dragging behind her and she sent a constant stream of demands to tell me why I was annoyed.

I finally turned round after I finished my list of shopping items and I'd reached the cashiers, "they're my friends, Adri. I don't know about you, but when someone calls me and my friends a bunch of immature idiots purely for the fact that they're popular- I don't want to hang out with them."

Her mouth fell open, shoeing me her tonsils. Yes, it was shocking but Elijah Singer did have some loyalty over his friends. Naomi (other than the seduction incident) had been a genuinely cool friend to me- she let me copy her algebra homework. Carl was always my right hand guy and Adri was just insulting them and it bothered me.

I paid and ignored the way the teenage girl drooled over me. I was walking to my car when Adri sprung in front of me, holding a modest bag of shopping between her fingers.

"I'm sorry! It's just I don't talk to people a lot nowadays and... I'm just sorry, okay?" She said in one long breath, chewing her lip anxiously.

She looked so cute I couldn't be mad at her any longer. I placed a tentative arm over her shoulders, and to my surprise she rested her forehead against my shoulder for a very brief second.