Passionate Exchange

Chapter Thirty-Six

Fall break starts in under two days. It's been almost two months since I came to Portland, yet it feels like so much longer. It seems like a lot has happened over the past two months but that's probably because nothing ever happened in my life before.

Brody's getting more and more anxious about going to his dad's tomorrow which is expected. He hasn't seen him for years, who knows what it's going to be like? He isn't sure whether it will be the same between them now that so much time has passed. Penny and I have done our best to reassure him that it'll be okay but, we can't see into the future. Whatever happens, we'll be by his side. Literally, Penny wanted to get a plane ticket and go with him!

Due to Brody's increased anxiety over the situation, we've been hanging out a lot more recently. I think he's mostly using us as a distraction, but I don't mind. I'll be his distraction if it means making him feel better.

Sometimes the distraction part of things doesn't really work though. There have been more times than I can count where he has tried to back out of going, using excuses like "I'll go next year," or "he won't even want me there." But he knows going is the right thing to do for him, his dad, and his mum.

"Pass me a fry," Penny demands. I slide the paper plate over to her. She stuffs a handful into her mouth greedily, making me chuckle.

This is the first time we've sat in the cafeteria. It's been raining constantly all day. It's a lot louder in here than it is outside.

I keep feeling like someone's eyes are on us but when I look there's no one paying attention. Does it always feel like that when there are so many people around you? I think back to walking the hallways in London. Yes, it does.

"Is it too late to cancel?" Brody asks despite knowing his question is pointless. See, what did I tell you?

"It's never too late." Penny pops a fry into her mouth.

"Penny," I scold pointedly. She shrugs her shoulders as if she didn't do anything wrong. "It's up to you what to do. But you've been wanting to go since he asked and if you cancel now, you'll probably regret it."

He sighs deeply. "You're right, I need to see him."

I place my hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be fine," I reassure him. He gives me a tight-lipped smile in return. I can't blame him for being nervous, hell, despite what I told him, I'd be claiming to have the flu to get out of going.

The clicking of heels on the laminate floor catches our attention. Brody's the first one to look, I'm the second, and Penny's the third. I notice the familiar red hair bouncing as she walks, the over-dramatic sway of her hips when she knows people are watching, and the smile laced with bad intentions plastered on her face.

"What are you doing?" Penny questions as Scarlett sits across from us.

We exchange suspicious looks. She wouldn't be sitting with us because she simply wanted to, she'd have another more sinister reason behind it. Her seemingly innocent eyes give nothing away.

"Can't I sit with my three least favourite people?" She crosses her legs and taps her manicured nails on the table, a venomous smirk tugging at her lips.

"The last time I checked, people don't tend to sit with people they don't like," Brody sneers, already glaring daggers at her.

She laughs slightly. "You're right, I'm not staying long."

"What do you want?" I push.

She tilts her head, her ponytail resting on her sweater. "That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Why would the most popular girl in the school want to sit with three losers like you?"