𝚂𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚖 𝚒𝚜 𝙼𝚢 𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 (Complete)

𝙲𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝙿𝚒𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙷𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚜

"So, are you coming over after school today?" Lucas asks me on our way to our last class of the day.

"To your house?" I question. "No way."

Suddenly I feel an armrest around my shoulder, and I turn to face Justin's tall, skinny figure. "Then you should come over to my house! We're having Shepherd's pie!"

"You guys are eating lamb?" I ask. I stop and push his arm away.

It falls limp to his side as he gives me his signature dumb look.

Or is it the dumb look?

I'm not sure, they all look dumb to me.

"No, it's just meat," he replies.

"First of all," I begin, crossing my arms. "Lamb is also meat. Second of all, if it's cow meat, it's called Cottage pie, not Shepherd's pie. Third of all, there is no third of all."

"Shouldn't it be like, Farmer's pie?"

"Wow, you actually have a logical point for once." Then I uncross my arms and walk away in the general direction of my class.

I'm almost at the end of the hallway when I can literally hear Justin's realization.

"Hold on!" he calls, and I hear his shoes stomping as he runs after me.

Shoot. I was so close.

I mean, I could run, but you know, I stink at physicals.

My shoulders tense as he catches up to me and rests a hand on my shoulder to keep me from escaping.

"You're coming over, right?" he asks, walking around to face me. "So I can call my mom and tell her we have another guest."

"Uh, I have...plans. A..." I clear my throat. "...a family thing."

"Oh! Okay..." He visibly deflates, and his hand slides off my shoulder and back by his side. Shoulders slumped, he walks around me and off down the hall.

Ugh, what was that face he gave me?

Probably the one that my mom has tried so many times on me.

The guilt-tripper.

I can't help the clench of my heart and the slightly guilty feeling settling uncomfortably in my stomach.

"Wait!" I call after Justin before I can even think.

He turns around, hope lighting up his face. "Yes?"

My hands find each other, twisting nervously. "I just remembered that...the family thing...is actually next week—"

"So that means you can come!" he interrupts loud enough for all the heads in the hallway to turn our way.

Okay, now I'm feeling regret settling in my stomach.

"I guess that's exactly what it means..." I groan, grabbing my bag straps and turning on my heels, listening to Justin's skipping fade away.

Gosh, what have I done?

———————

I peek out of the empty classroom I'm waiting in.

I'm not hiding.

I'm residing.

I see Lucas walking by, and I grab his arm, pulling him into the classroom with me.

"I had nothing to do with it!" he exclaims. "I swear! Don't give me detention!"

"What?" I whisper. "What in Zimbabwe are you talking about?"