"Okay, so then... all of the seniors on the team will come out on this huge golden carriage..."
I looked over at the side doors of the school gymnasium, where we would be entering that upcoming Friday afternoon.
Since Mariah was on the social committee, she was in charge of the Homecoming pep rally, and since it was our senior year, she was going all out.
"I've even got the drama department wrapping the extra tackle practice thing in gold foil. This pep rally is gonna be epic."
I gave her a half-grin before leaving a light kiss on her nose.
"You know, you're kinda cute when you take charge?"
Mariah's green eyes lit up and I could feel her swoon under me just before my attention drifted elsewhere.
Sunny was crossing the lot, and I hadn't gotten a chance to really talk to her since her dinner a few weeks ago. She was walking over to the main building from the parking lot and I felt myself magnetically being pulled over.
I barely remembered telling Mariah I'd be right back, but soon enough, I was running after Sunny, calling out to her in the parking lot.
"Flower! Hey, wait up!"
She stopped and turned when she heard me and a small smile was on her face, slowing down as she made her way inside the main building to her locker.
"Hey, Nate."
It was awkward.
I never wanted it to be awkward, but she's been missing the last three weeks and now that I've finally got her in my grasp, I had no idea what to say.
"So, uhh... What's up? I mean, how are you?"
She nodded and bit her lip, gently tugging on a loose piece of her hair.
"I've been okay. Just recording, ya know?"
I nodded and smiled, nervously looking down at the floor.
"I'm actually filming a video for my first single this Friday."
My head shot up and my eyes searched hers, absolutely certain I must have heard her wrong.
"What?"
"Well--Thursday and Friday-- but we're gonna be on a boat Friday. I'm so excited!"
I couldn't match her energy and as I shook my head, my eyes met her sadly.
"But... the Homecoming game is this Friday."
Her eyes widened as we made it to her locker, and she looked away from me for a second.
"You've-- you've never missed one."
She looked back at me with guilt and pain in her eyes, before her eyes darted away from mine.
"I'm sorry, Nate. Things just... I don't know, they kinda happened. I mean-- this music video is such a huge opportu--"
"You fucking sound just like Tristan."
I knew it came out bitter, but I didn't care; she was ditching me again.
"That's not fair Nate, and you know it."
She shook her head as she opened her locker and I nearly lost it seeing another black sunflower in her locker. She reached for the note, but I grabbed it quicker than she could, feeling my blood begin to simmer as I read it.
"A secret fucking admirer?! Really? You're meeting him at the dance?!"
She snatched the note from me and was silent for a moment while she read it and I began to chuckle and shake my head sarcastically, causing her to look back up at me with confusion written all over her face.
"Kyle Cole-- seriously, Flower? Wow, he's more pathetic than I thought."
"It's not Kyle, jerk."
"What?"
Sunny was the one this time laughing to herself sarcastically.
"It's. Not. Kyle. Don't worry, okay? It's some other 'pathetic' guy that you don't have to worry about."
After grabbing a few books, she slammed her locker shut, ready to walk past me, but stopped only when I blocked her path.
"What do you want from me, Nate? Honestly."
"Don't go with some guy to the dance, Flower, okay? Please."
She shook her head and bit her lip, and I could see the bitter tears brimming at the edge of her eyelids.
"That's not fair. You-- you have Mariah."
🖤
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