The Anti-Delinquent System

T w e l v e : Hoedown Throw-down

"I don't know," I mumble, physically deflating. "He literally told me I didn't have a shot at Stanford without him. If he writes a bad character reflection...that undoes everything I've been working towards. Every hour spent in the library, every sports membership, every day of school-"

Miko must sense that the tears are threatening me again because her almond shaped eyes soften, and her hand returns to my forearm. "It's okay. It's okay, Erika."

"It's not okay," I murmur despairingly. "But I- I just caved."

Miko loops her arm around my shoulder and squeezes me to her side tightly. She smells like floral perfume and strawberry bubble-gum, one of the most comforting smells in the world. "You move mountains on your best day, Erika Monroe. Everybody is allowed to cave sometimes."

I chew on another dissatisfying mouthful of sandwich and lean my head against Miko's for support, as if she could transmit me strength via osmosis. "I need to get this over with. The longer I draw this out, the more pain I'll cause him."

"Maybe he'll never find out," Miko says unsurely.

"I couldn't be his friend after I did that to him."

"Yeah." She sighs.

"I need to do this. Tonight. I need your help."

"Okay," she agrees softly. "We'll get you out of this."

"Are we breaking up a cuddle?" A voice calls from behind us. Before Miko or I have even had chance to turn at the greeting, our lunch table is being surrounded. Joe flashes us a cheeky grin as he slides into the seat opposite, shortly followed by Dylan and Alec. Violet chucks a mango juice box at the side of his head and it hits his cranium with a thump, before smacking to the table surface. She and Riley collapse into the seats beside Miko, with full trays of food.

"If I weren't already concerned about your brain capacity," Joe grunts, rubbing his head and scowling at Violet. "I would throw this right back at you."

Violet scoffs and takes a sip from her water bottle. "Honey, you have your own brain problems to worry about before you look at mine."

Miko gives me one final comforting squeeze around my shoulders before we detach from our embrace. Clearing her throat and playing absentmindedly with the tennis charm on her bracelet, she asks the others the question I've been wondering myself. "Where's Chase?"

A tangible pause. Riley shuffles and angles her head to the left.

Violet grimaces a little. "He's over there."

I follow her line of vision, to see Chase standing a few feet away with his back facing us. Standing in front of him, just concealed from view by his body, is a petite girl. Her thin black braids are barely visible beside his bicep, but I'd know that loud laughter anywhere. I don't realise I'm craning to get a view of her before my palm almost slips out from underneath me and I readjust myself with a squeak.

Ashlee Campbell has eyes the colour of coffee and clear brown skin, which is creased into an adorable smile as she chatters to Chase. It's clear that she's talking a mile a minute, but he seems to be enjoying it, judging by his melodic laughter. I feel a strange ache in my chest, watching them. Ashlee is known for being small and cutely dorky; everyone loves her.

My eyebrow furrows slightly. I wish I could hear what she was saying.

"Are you alright there, Erika?" Violet asks, recapturing my attention. When I finally rip my gaze away from Chase and his friend, I see that she's watching me with interest. If the amusement wasn't recognisable already with her voice, it's written clearly across her smirk.