I walked down the hallway near the school cafeteria hoping I wouldn't run into any of my "friends". I couldn't handle having to make a choice. Jenny was the obvious one I should have made but I liked Leon. He was dating Sarah but he she didn't deserve him. And whether I would date him or not, I had to get him out of that clique.
I felt someone poke my shoulder. I looked up. "Leon," I forced a smile on my cheeks. "Hey."
"Not happy to see me," he raised a brow.
"What?" I sang.
"I can tell," he pointed at his temple. "It's about Sarah, isn't it? You heard about Jenny?"
I pretended to be confused. "What happened to Jenny?"
"Sarah cursed her out in the cafe. She said something that hurt her feelings so she told Jenny off."
I mumbled not thinking he would hear me. "Is that what you heard?"
"Yes, that's what I heard."
I quickly looked up at him.
He furrowed his brows. "Jenny told you something else, didn't she?"
I was about to answer him when someone tucked their arm around mine.
Gretchen grinned at me, tucking her red hair behind her ear. "Getting lunch with us?"
"Uh-"
"Of course she is," Sarah pushed herself between me and Leon.
"Guys," I giggled uncomfortably looking at the floor. "I can't I was just about to go back to my room."
"Nonsense," Sarah said like a wicked stepmother. "You're eating with us."
She held my hand and started leading me into the cafeteria.
Jenny walked past us with an empty plate in her hand. She glared at me, with a puppy dog look of betrayal, then she threw her plate in the trash and walked away.
I looked at Sarah.
She was smiling.
Was she even worth it?
* * *
When we met she was really nice. I walked into my English twelve class and found myself a seat in the middle of the classroom...next to Sarah.
I hadn't paid much attention to her because my main focus was getting breakfast the moment class had ended. New York was cold and snow covered everything that had no shade. It was pretty until the snow began to look like the white t-shirt of a construction worker.
I took off my coat and let it hang over the back of my chair, then I fixed my sweater. My mom had sown it for me for Christmas. It was burgundy and there were pink hearts all over it. It was definitely not for my age but it was what she could design. She took a sowing class and that's what she'd learned to do.
Sarah looked at my sweater like it was a pile of crap smeared on my chest, then she turned away.
I looked around and noticed that a few other people had been snickering at my sweater but I didn't care. As long as I was warm.
Sarah touched my shoulder. "Do you have a pencil?"
"Sure," I gave her a quick smile before I leaned over and opened my bag. I hadn't noticed it, but when I had leaned over, my arm had brushed the desk. A thread on my sweater was pulled. I sat back and handed Sarah the pencil then I took out my phone.
The professor seemed to be running late.
I scrolled through my pictures and landed on Flynn. I smiled at his face then I frowned.
"Is that your boyfriend?"
I looked at Sarah.
"Sorry. I'm really snoopy."
I giggled. "It's okay...He was. We broke up last month."
"Awe," she pouted her lips. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. I mean...I dumped him."
"Why? He looks like a freakin' model."
"Didn't look like this last I saw him. He's lost a lot of weight."
"Is that why you guys broke up?"
"No...He kinda cheated-"
"Good morning class," the professor walked in. "I'm sorry I'm late."
"Geez Louis," Sarah mumbled. She leaned closer to me. "Is it just me or is he fine?"
I giggled then I smiled. We were going to be good friends.
* * *
We walked out of the classroom to find Billie waiting for me.
"Hey," he smiled at me then he looked at her.
She stared at him like she stared at Flynn's picture: like she was a kid who caught Santa. Her eyes were wide and she stared up at him with dimpled cheeks.
"This is Sarah. Sarah, this is my cousin Billie."
"Ohh," she nodded and looked at me. "I get it now. I just thought you had a really cool tan. But you're Indian."
I nodded back. "In part Indian, yeah."
"Part? What else are you?"
"She's mainly from Florida," Billie gave her a fake smile then he put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.
"Ow," I cringed.
"Can I borrow her for a second? Thanks." He pulled me away from Sarah and started whispering immediately. "Harley, I know girls like her."
"You just met the girl for a second. What could you know?"
"It's winter. Outside is freezing and covered in snow and she's dressed like it's spring."
"What?" I shook my head.
"A pink dress with no sleeves? White stockings? Giant suede pink jacket? Cute pink earmuffs? She looks like she walked out of a movie. Not to mention how she looks at me. She seems stuck up. I have a bad feeling about her."
"Maybe it's love," I smiled then I walked over to Sarah.
Billie glared at me then he walked away.
"He was cute," Sarah grinned and started walking. "Like Aladdin cute. Looks a bit familiar though."
I giggled and followed. "That was his high school nickname. Weird Aladdin."
"Should've been Fine Aladdin. Do you have a class right now?"
"Nope. Do you?"
"No," she suddenly held my hand. "Have you ever had hot cocoa?"
"I have. But I was a little kid."
"My friend Jenny's uncle own a cafe. We can go get some there."
"Okay," I smiled.
She looked at my sweater, then she touched the thread that was now from my shoulder to my hip. "We can take you shopping after that. This sweater's just...eww."
"My mom sowed it. I've been wearing it for her. Hate it, but she put a lot of love into it."
"So? You look like a giant baby with this on. I'll get you better winter clothes."
"Oh no. That's fine. My aunt and uncle are supplying me with enough."
"If they look like this, I think you should let me get you better clothes."
"Sarah-"
"No. God, you're like my boyfriend. He's always telling me no. Wish he felt that way when he let me pay him for tutoring with a bj."
"A bj. What's a bj?"
She smiled at me. "I like you."
"A bj," I furrowed my brows.
She pushed the door to outside opene and jumped in the snow.
My eyes grew. "Oh my goodness."
"It was my suggestion, though," she giggled.
I stared at her extremely confused. She was about five feet and she hand a round face and big blue eyes. What did she know about that stuff?
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not a slut. I just thought he was cute. And he was a dorky virgin who girls were afraid to ask out."
"Why were they afraid to ask him out?"
"His parents were strict. They told him he couldn't date until he turned eighteen. My friend Gretchen was in love with him."
"And you screwed him?"
"Not to get back at her. I liked him too. It's not fair to you when you think you have to give someone up for the other person. Besides, she's fine with us dating now. And she doesn't even like him anymore. He told her that he isn't into redheads. Heck, my friend Jenny would have a better chance of dating him than Gretchen and she's muslim, no offense."
"No offense? I don't get how that was offensive."
"Well, people take offense to everything now our days. Didn't wanna offend you."
I squinted at her. "Because I'm Indian."
"Because you're a person. Harley, whether people get offended or not has nothing to do with race," she pressed a button on her keys and a car in the lot lit up. "We as American people, have become like my car's windshield," she pointed at it. "We crack freakin' easily when we're not supposed to crack," she glared at the little dent.
I nodded slowly. She was crazy, but I couldn't see past her "niceness" and high pitched voice. Must've been her two blonde pigtails that got me. Or her odd resemblance to my mother's sister. But I couldn't see as clearly as Billie could. I couldn't see a girl trying to be someone she wasn't. That was why I became just like her.
* * *
Merry Christmas!!! Hello everyone!! I hope you're all having a great day. I know I am- not. I have a migraine and my time of the month for Christmas but that's not going to stop me from giving you guys a gift. I'll be posting all day so enjoy!!
Also, I'm working on a comic book next year. These are the characters for the book. If net neutrality doesn't go away I will be posting chapters on my Instagram so I'll let you awesome people know.
Merry Christmas again. ❤