Bella in the Deep End

Chapter 19

The phone rang three times before Cara's face appeared in the screen. Only an hour after Jayden rushed out of the house, the loneliness had set in and I needed to find some form of social interaction. Cara had smudged mascara down her cheeks and drool glistened from the side of her mouth. She rubbed the heel of her hand over her face and glared at the screen.

"Please tell me you're dying." She groaned. "Please tell me that you are dying and desperate for help and did NOT just wake me up just for a chat."

"Carlos. Me. Kissing. Date tonight. Jayden hates me. I don't know whats going on right now." Dot point explanation was all I could muster at the moment.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold up." Cara processed. "You and Carlos kissed? Like actually kissed. Like-" She puckered up her lips and made a loud smooch sound. "Like that kind of kiss."

I wasn't very sure what other kind of kiss there was, but I strained my neck nodding so excitedly.

"That was your first kiss! How was it? Weird? I remember I was kinda grossed out. Having someone else tongue in your mouth is hard to get used to, you know?"

"Uhh, yeah. But it was good. Carlos' a really good kisser." I bragged. I was almost-dating the hottest guy in school. My life was turning into one of the teen rom-coms I loved to watch.

Cara had moved into her ensuite and propped the phone up on the basin. I was now looking up to her as she wiped down her face and tied up her knotted hair. "Was it magical? Like sparks flying, butterflies in your belly?"

I hesitated, just for a second. "Oh, sure. It was romantic. Carlos was jealous cause I was, um, chatting to Lucas so he came over and told me he liked me and then we kissed and he asked me out on a date later today."

"What kind of date? Like casual movie and fast food or like proper dress-up dinner?"

"I don't know. Should I know?" I started to panic. Was the lack of plans a sign of Carlos' cold feet.

"No, no. Chill out. Its cool. Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise. Or maybe he's planning it out right now because he wants the perfect date."

Cara was now back on her bed and ready to talk me through everything. My need to know exactly what to do at all times and Cara's need to be the boss were what made us so compatible as best friends.

"Pick out a fancy dinner outfit, a casual outfit, and an active outfit. Carlos is a jock so you might just have to go hiking."

Hiking? I'd rather die.

"Before I start planning outfits, do you wanna hear about my fight with Jayden? I know its not as juicy gossip-"

"Oh, I know all about that. Jayden's here right now." Of course he is. Where else is he going to run? "And I know about the fight with Gabe, too. Did you really fire him?"

Of course he ran to complain to Cara. I was starting to believe he was trying to weasel me out of the Yearbook Committee.

"Did he also tell you how he called me an idiot? And insulted Carlos?" I shot back.

"Yeah, he mentioned that too." She focused her eyes everywhere but the screen. "I don't want to get involved, but I did re-hire him. We need his photography skills."

"I'm don't want anything to do with him!" I shouted, feeling slightly betrayed.

"Fine, ignore him. But Addison and I are his only friends so we aren't going to turn on him."

"Whatever." I hung up angrily, I wasn't sure who the anger was for: Cara or Gabriel.