~ Friday Night: Homecoming Game ~
Lauren's POV:
'Smooth Criminal' by Michael Jackson blasted through my speaker in my room as I got ready for the football game tonight. The theme was school colors so I threw on a blue hoodie that had an orange basketball on it, black tights, and my orange high top platform converse. I put my hair up into a top knot messy bun with a few loose curls coming out around my edges and sideburns. I had on gold jewelry and gold medium sized hoop earrings.
I was in the middle of doing my edges when I got a FaceTime call from Dylan,
"Hello," I answered with my phone laying down on my vanity as I continued to do my edges in the mirror. I reached for my remote to turn my speaker down.
"What up Shawtayyyy!" I laughed.
"What's up Dylan. Shouldn't you be getting ready to play?"
"Well yeah but we had a bit of down time and I was bored so I called-"
"Gee I'm touched." He laughed,
"My bad I didn't mean it like that-"
"I know, you're good, what time does it start again?"
"6:30 but varsity really kicks off around 7 and it's 6 now so you're good." I took a breath of relief. I thought I needed to get going.
"Okay-" I started to say something but my phone started vibrating and I looked down to see Aria was FaceTiming me. "Hey Dylan I'll see you later, Aria is calling"
"Okay tell her I said hi, bye-"
"Bye." I hit end and accept, and soon her face popped up. I squealed because she looked so cute,
"Ahhh look at youuu!"
"Uh uh girl look at you! I see the hoops, Sade look she think she grown-" I giggled as Sade's face popped in beside Aria's and my body immediately got hot as I blushed, just from seeing her,
"Okayyyy," she said, I stepped out of the camera to hide my face,
"Oh stopp-"
"Girl you look like a whole snack over there gah damn-" Aria's face took hold of the camera again.
"Why thank you, you look quite edible yourself Ms. Walton." I paused, gaining a sense of boldness before saying, "And tell Sade she looks like a full course meal." Aria's eyes widened as she looked at me in disbelief. I only smirked and bit my lip in response, the shyness was creeping back in. Aria turned to Sade and asked,
"You heard ha?" She asked pointing to the phone, I couldn't see Sade's face but I could hear her voice,
"Sure did-"
I wished I could have seen her face to read her reaction better. There were a lot of ways she could have meant 'sure did.'
~ Later On ~
We had all met up at the school around 7:15 and sat alongside each other at the bleachers while the varsity game went into full swing. Sade was next to me with Aria on the other side of her, and Kingston on the end.
Hunter was on the other side of me cheering, then she turned to me. "Girl number twenty three is so fine like oh my lord," she dragged her hands down her face.
I giggled. "Really Hunter, what's that boy's name?" I teased, knowing she had no clue.
"Number twenty three," she said seriously. I threw my head back in laughter. "M m m... I need to get his digits to-night!" Hunter shook her head squinting her eyes.
"You're a mess-"
"I'll be his mess," she wiggled her eyebrows. I broke out laughing again and shook my head.
Looking over at Sade, I noticed she was being pretty quiet. Then I leaned in to whisper in her ear,
"You okay babe?"
"Yeah I'm good," she nodded, giving me a smile. But I could tell it was fake.
My face furrowed in response. I knew something was wrong but I didn't want to push it, especially not here, so I nodded and turned my attention back to the game.
After a while, we were sitting and getting ready for halftime to end. Dylan came running to the gate to talk to us,
"Hey there," he smiled a flashy smile that perfectly matched his handsomely sculpted face.
"Hey Dylan," I replied.
"We still going to eat after this yeah?"
"Sounds good to me." I then shifted my attention to the group sitting with me. "Hey did y'all want to come? We're headed to Waffle House after the game." They nodded in response then I turned back to Dylan,
"They tagging along?" He asked, assuming that's what I said to them.
"Yeah-"
"Okay cool see y'all then," the football player waved and everyone waved back, except Sade. Now that I think about it, I don't even think she responded when I asked if the group wanted to tag along.
Leaning over a bit, I whispered to her again. "You plan on coming?"
She shook her head,
"Nah, I'm pretty tired, plus I have work in the morning so y'all go ahead without me, have fun." She shot that fake smile again, then suddenly stood and raised her voice where the group could hear. "Actually y'all I think I'm going to call it a night, I have a busy day tomorrow. I'll see you turds at the dance 'kay?" Then she started to walk away.
A frown grew on my face and I looked over at Aria as Sade made her way down the bleachers. She glanced my way and I started to get up to go after her, but Aria shook her head and mouthed to me 'I got it' as she stood and made her way down the bleachers as well. I started to grow anxious and worried, and I felt so useless. I wanted to talk to Sade, see what's on her mind, but it didn't seem like she wanted to talk to me.
Did I say or do something? What was going on with her?
Aria's POV:
"Sade!" I called behind her trying to catch up as she speed walked to her car. I finally caught up to her and slammed the door shut from behind her before she could open it all the way "Sade, honey talk to me, what happened?" I asked her with worry in my tone.
She didn't reply and didn't turn around to look at me. I could only hear her quiet sobs begin as her shoulders rose up and down while her head dropped. My heart instantly broke seeing her like this. Without another word I forced her to turn around and face me and she fell into my embrace, sobbing onto my shoulder.
"It h-hurts Aria," she got out, I only rubbed her back as she began to vent. "I can't take being around her anymore, and I can't tell her why. Everytime he comes around, I just can't do it A, I can't-"
"I know babe-"
"And I feel bad because she probably thinks she did something or that I'm pushing her away, but I can't even tell her what it really is you know."
I sighed. I didn't want to tell Sade what Lauren had told me, sure I'd drop hints here and there but I wanted Lauren to tell Sade when she felt comfortable or for Sade to do the same with Lauren. I didn't feel like it was my place to force it.
"Sade you should tell her, trust me, it may go way better than you think. I have a feeling it will." My best friend lifted her head to meet my eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was rosy red.
"Why is that," her face furrowed. I slowly shook my head
"I really can't tell you Sade-"
"Aria, has she been talking to you?"
"I mean yeah Sade, we are friends, but I promised her I wouldn't get involved..."
"Does she feel the same?" Her tone lowered.
"Sade I-"
"Aria." Her voice calm and low, yet she was practically screaming at me. "Does Lauren have feelings for me?"
Giving it up, my head dropped as I nodded,
"I think so," I muttered.
"And you didn't say anything?" She asked in disbelief , backing away from my hold while shaking her head.
"Sade I-"
"Aria you're supposed to be my best fucking friend. How could you do that to me?"
"Sade I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought I was right to stay out of it," I tried to explain, but she didn't want to hear anymore. Sade wiped her face and turned around to get into her car. She didn't give me not another glance before she backed out of the parking lot and drove off. Oh man I fucked up.
I heard footsteps approaching as a my friend's voice called out my name looking for me,
"Aria?" Kingston said walking up to me with purpose, wearing confusion and worry on his face. "What happened? Where's Sade?"
At the mention of her name, tears brimmed my eyes and a lumped formed in my throat as I began to break down in front of him,
"Hey hey heyyy, it's okay I got you," he cooed, wrapping his arms around me and rubbing my back to comfort me.
"Kingston I messed up with Sade and now she's pissed at me," I cried onto his shirt that smelled of cologne and autumn air.
"Why? What happened?"
"This whole Lauren situation."
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