Passionate Exchange

Chapter Five

Scarlett drags her eyes along my body before returning them to my face. "Who's your friend?" I feel like she's looking straight into my soul, picking at every insecurity and flaw that she can find. I can understand how Penny can feel intimidated by this girl.

"Why do you care?" Penny spits. She steps in front of me slightly as amusement dances in Scarlett's eyes.

"It's okay," I reassure her. "I'm Madison." I plaster on a fake smile to try and keep the peace. Scarlett grins mischievously, flicking her fiery red hair over her shoulder.

She places her hand on Penny's shoulder. Her manicured nails look like claws that are ready to rip her to shreds. "I didn't know you had friends, Penelope."

Penny grits her teeth, seeming irritated by her continuous use of her full name.

"You see me with Brody all the time."

The employee from earlier comes back at the perfect time with our food. I grab the bag out of his hands and thank him.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," I lie. "But we need to go before this gets cold." I raise the bag, my eyes flickering from her innocent-looking smile to her piercing eyes.

I hold onto Penny's arm, dragging her away from Scarlett and out of the restaurant. She doesn't move willingly. She would stay rooted to the spot if she could, death staring her for the rest of the night.

We both get into the car. She grips onto the wheel tightly. I roll down my window to let some air in because it looks like she needs it. She's flustered and her face is growing redder by the second.

"I strongly dislike that girl." She clenches her jaw.

*

I flick through the pages of my textbook, scanning over the words but not really taking them in. We all have a free period on a Monday morning, so we're sat in the library attempting to study. Emphasis on attempting.

"Can you believe her?" Penny growls for the third time this hour. See what I mean when I said attempting to study? She has been constantly talking about what happened at the restaurant since Saturday. I can't say that I blame her though.

"Don't listen to her," Brody advises. "You're giving her what she wants."

I close my textbook, deciding against flicking through the pages to make it look like I'm studying, and instead focus on the conversation.

"Yeah," I throw him a side glance. "He's right. You've got to show her you don't care."

"Easier said than done." A scowl is still engraved on her face.

The librarian that has been staring at us since we walked in saunters over towards our table. She pushes her glasses into her hair to keep it from falling in her face. Penny and Brody are too busy talking about Scarlett to notice her stood at the head of our table.

"Libraries are for studying, not gossiping with your friends." Her nasal voice surrounds us as her accusing eyes pass over our hunched forms.

They finally notice her presence as they turn their heads towards her. She gives us one last irritated roll of her eyes before going back over to reordering the shelves with her head held high.

"We weren't even being that loud," Penny insists.

Her words are true for me and Brody but not quite for herself. She has been getting louder and louder the more she gets agitated. If you haven't noticed, she's been very agitated. "Libraries are for studying." She mocks with a scoff.

I find myself looking out the window when she continues complaining about Scarlett. I watch people as they walk past, trying to guess what they're talking about or where they're going. It can't be far seen as they're all stuck in school but it's still fun.