DOGS

Chapter 39

Two louds beeps from a car horn makes Simone wince as she walks through the parking lot to get to the school doors. She considers continuing walking until she hears her name being called. Turning slowly, she sees Faith backing into a parking spot a few feet from the entrance. She walks to the driver's  side of the car once she's parked and gives a tight smile.

"Good morning!" Faith chirps happily from her spot in the car, nursing a big cup of iced coffee with one hand while fishing around in her backpack for something with the other.

Simone fiddles with the strap of her messenger bag, "Morning," she replies dryly, unsure of how to interact with Faith now that she knows the truth about what really happened between her and Kenya. The hurt look in Kenya's eyes keeps appearing in Simone's head, making her feel guilty for even speaking with Faith right now. She knows she shouldn't judge her based on her past actions, but knowing her history is making it hard not to view her in a different light.

Disregarding her flat tone, Faith talks while applying a frosted pink gloss to her lips in the review mirror. "Wanna go to the movies tomorrow? I'm dying to see Girls Trip, I heard it's funny."

Simone shifts her weight from foot to foot while looking over the hood of the car into the distance. A school bus pulls into the parking lot, packed with students, and Simone feels as though they're all staring at her waiting to see what her next move it gonna be. 

"I can't go to the movies tomorrow, I'm going to the fashion show remember?"

"Oh right," Faith wipes the corners of her mouth, "You think Kenya would mind if I tagged along? I really don't wanna be home bored on a Friday night, plus it will give me a reason to wear that new halter dress I bought a few days ago."

Across the parking lot, Simone watches Kenya lock her car up before heading into the building. That pang of guilt hits her again and before she can overthink and talk herself out of it, Simone walks around the car and opens the passenger side door. She slides inside and shuts the door, placing her messenger bag in her lap. Faith raises her eyebrows, "Are we skipping class today?" She asks, sipping her iced coffee again.

"Why did you lie to me?" Simone asks, not in the mood to beat around the bush.

Faith's doe-like eyes widen and her lips parts a bit, the straw still dangling between them. "About what?" She exclaims, confusion clear in her voice.

Simone keeps her eyes locked on Faith, not letting her innocent face and wide eyes get to her. "When we had that conversation about what happened between you and Kenya, you left out some major points."

Realization crosses her face and that formerly innocent look in her eye fades away just to be replaced with annoyance. Setting her iced coffee down, Faith looks out the window in thought. "You talked to Kenya."

"She told me everything."

"So what?" Faith looks at her with an icy gaze, "I'm the bad guy now?"

Not letting her guilt trip her, Simone stands her ground. "I never said that. All this time, I've been under the impression that Kenya just blew things out of proportion and that you were the victim, but come to find out, you were the aggressor."

"Kenya abandoned me for a boy who could care less about her."

"She was in a relationship."

"That doesn't mean she had to leave me behind," Faith argues.

"Well---"

"You can't speak on this situation Simone, because you weren't there. You don't know how either of us felt at the time, you're just listening to our sob stories and picking whichever one sounds the worst to defend. And for that, you're wrong." Faith spits, her cold eyes fixated on Simone like a bug under a microscope.