2|| Whispers in the Wind

7|| that is... so messed up

Kalyani

A cluster of students were gathered at the far end of the field. Kalyani had been looking for Evelyn but with no avail. Maybe she would be there. She turned towards them, the wind whipping her hair back. She tucked a few strands behind her ear, but someone grabbed her hand.

Her shriek died in her throat the moment she looked to see who it was.

It was Arlo Daye. One of her violet tinted eyes was blacked out.

Fuck.

She was wearing pink, a color Kalyani wouldn't be caught dead wearing.

Supremely embarrassed, Kalyani gave Arlo an awkward wave. Not one of her smoothest moves. "Er... hi."

Arlo said nothing.

"Um, I'm sorry?" Kalyani said, hating how it ended into a question.

"Uh, no. I'm the one who's here to say I'm sorry."

Kalyani stared, not trusting what she was hearing. "You? Sorry?"

Arlo blew out a long breath. "Well, not exactly sorry."

If she was just here to make fun some more, Kalyani would get there first. She crossed her arms. "So you say some pretty nasty things to my sister that sounded like three year old insults but hit much harder, then I give you a black-eye with a tennis ball, which, by the way, you 100% deserved, and now you're here to apologize? Like I believe that?"

The other girl remained silent, frozen. Kalyani inwardly flinched. Had she pushed the limit? What if she exploded in some untimely bomb?

But Arlo did the last thing she'd ever expected. She burst out laughing. Kalyani watched in utter confusion as Arlo doubled over, trying to catch her breath. "Find your chill. Of course I'm not here to apologize for that. Sorry, but it's the truth. Since you were somewhat of a friend a few years ago, and I thought that tennis ball move was totally wicked, I supposed maybe we should talk?"

"About what?" said Kalyani, still not buying it.

"Well, maybe we could start over? I know we can't totally," said Arlo hurriedly, noticing Kalyani's expression, "but I'd like to try. Before you get all weird, I'm still not going to like your brat of a sister, nor any of your friends. But I won't pick fights with them unless they start it."

Kalyani needed to research further into psychology.

"Okayy..." she said slowly. "Fair enough."

For the first time, Arlo attempted something like a half smile. It already looked as though her face would crack off. "Great. You'll be fine with me anyways. Bullies will stay off. Let's try again. I'm sorry for being an absolute pain."

"I'm sorry for giving you a black eye."

"Yeah, that was kind of rude." They both snickered at that.

"So where were you heading?"

"Thataway."

The girls started their hike to the other side of the field. Sure enough, Kalyani caught a glimpse of turquoise eyes, the ones belonging to Evelyn. What surprised her more was that her sister was there too. In the center, the kid getting all the attention, was the rude popular boy from two days ago.