Brenda wanted a normal school year. Instead her mom died.
Salma needed space from her sister and terrible ex. Or else she'd lose her mind.
Delilah didn't think she'd have any more problems after moving far from her hometown. That was until she becam...
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❝There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.❞
― Linda Grayson
{SUGAR by Brockhampton *song above*}
✋SALMA ✋
I couldn't see straight from how much I was crying.
I drove home alone. Jaxon went with his brothers. By the time I got back, he was nowhere to be found inside. They had left before me. My guess was that they had gone somewhere else and that Jaxon wouldn't be due home until tonight.
I had no way of knowing that the trip to the movies would end that way, but regardless, I couldn't help but regret it. I hated how things happened, spiraling out of control so fast.
What could I have done? I didn't know Hector and his friends would show up.
Running into the house, I threw my keys on the dinner table and went into the backyard where Brenda had set up tire swings with Scott. I didn't want to stay inside the cramped up basement. I needed air, needed space of my own that wouldn't be confined to walls.
"You ok?"
Digging my feet in the grass, I spun around on the tire - rotating myself to see who was talking to me. Scott slid the backdoor closed with a tray in one hand. Whatever it was he was bringing out to me had steam pouring out from the top, being blown to the left because of the wind.
I lifted my legs, twirling back around. "I want to be alone."
I might've as well shouted it out to the trees. It was no use. Scott went around the tree, ignoring my request.
"Do you want one?"
"What is it?" I asked. Because of the amount of steam I saw, I said, "I don't want coffee."
The corner of his mouth lifted. "It's hot chocolate. I don't drink coffee. It goes right through me like water."
I chuckled, "Too much information."
He picked up one of the mugs and tiled his head. After a moment, I took it from him and drank from it carefully, not wanting to burn my tongue. A large marshmallow floated to my lips as I sipped. Scott set the tray on a grassy patch after having taken his own mug. I didn't know where he was going until he took the swing beside me. I wish he hadn't.
I still wasn't cool with him. He was branded the name Scott the Snake until further notice, being the reason Jaxon couldn't stand me in the first place.
"Uh," I uttered, wiping at my cheeks - still wet from my tears. "Thanks for the hot coco, but I really did mean it when I said I wanted to be left alone."
"I heard your crying from inside the house, Salma. I thought you might want someone to talk to."
"I'd rather talk to the tree. At least I can trust it."
