All That Matters

Chapter 5

Fiction: All That Matters Ch 5, Romance |

Chapter 5

The language of friendship is not words but meanings

- Henry David Thoreau
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I asked Mallory, a good friend of mine to come hang out with me at the mall on Friday after school. I was really going to look for job applications and decided that little shopping indulgence along the way couldn't hurt. Mallory had a car so we drove over together and went through our favorite stores. An hour and half later into it, I had a couple of applications handy to fill out and a few shopping bags to carry. Afterward we decided to get something to eat and settled ourselves on a table at the food court.

"So, which store do you think you'd like to work in the most?" Mallory asked me as she dug in her Chinese food.

I shrugged. "I don't really care, I don't want to be picky. I'll take what I can get." I answered. I was so used to working after school that not having a job was well...boring. I was tired of lounging around the house. I've had so much free time that I managed to actually finish MacBeth and understand the themes and symbolism, with no help from Mrs. Richter.

Mallory nodded in understanding. "What about here?" She nodded toward the food vendors.

I considered it for a moment and decided it actually wasn't a bad idea. Food court needed workers too. "I'll ask for applications after we're done."

Mallory's cell phone suddenly went off so she answered and started talking to the person on the other line.

I continued to eat my food quietly and looked around the vast court to see if I could spot any familiar faces, and unsurprisingly, I did. I saw a lot of them and mostly the ones I didn't want to see. And among those faces there was one I absolutely did not want to deal with.

It would be pointless to ask why I had to suffer having Derek in my life twenty-four seven. I silently prayed that he would not notice me and tried to hide behind my drink when his eyes traveled to where I was, but I realized that was an idiotic thing to do. It was like he knew I was there already. He managed to spot me through the crowd and leaving the friends that he was with, he casually walked over, just as Mallory ended the phone conversation. Suffice to say things have been kind of awkward between us ever since he gave me that ride home.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me furrowing his eyebrows. "I thought you were grounded."

I rolled my eyes. "Now I wish I was." I muttered.

I knew he heard me.

"Hi Derek." Mallory greeted him, a lot friendlier than my greeting.

I was sure I sensed a tone of flirtation coming from her voice. It made me raise my eyebrows while I stared at the both of them and listened in on their conversation.

"Mal, what's up?" Derek was definitely flirting. His tone suddenly changed and sounded completely different from when he usually talked to me. I really didn't mind, as long as he was off of my back.

"Just hanging out."

"You should come hang out at my place later tonight, I'm having a few people over."

Mallory and I exchanged a glance. While she was smiling and getting excited at having new plans for a Friday night, I was feeling slightly sick to my stomach and it made me grimace my face. I got a strange look from Derek.

I didn't have a problem with the two of them hooking up. Not at all. I didn't care about Derek or his very active love life, but they could have flirted while I wasn't around. He had probably just dumped his flavor of the week and was looking for a rebound. Mallory knew better.

"Sure, what time?" she asked.

Well, at least I thought she did. I gaped at her.

Derek shrugged. "Whenever."

I snorted and ignored the strange look I got from the both of them. I wouldn't be surprised if that moron never went to sleep. He probably thought he was going to miss something extravagant if he ever closed his eyes at night.

"Can Ashley come too, since I'm spending the night at her house?" Mallory suddenly asked him.

"Oh."

Not that I cared, but he didn't have to sound so disappointed at the idea of me going over to his place.

The jerk.

I didn't even want to go to his place. The least Mallory could have done was check with me first, but no. She didn't even bother checking if I was ok with it. She went straight ahead and accepted his invite as if the three of us usually hung out together and actually enjoyed each other's company.

The nerve. I might have puffed a little in silent anger in my seat.

"Well, I guess if she wants." Derek said as if I wasn't there.

"No, thanks." I finally said in a dry tone.

I really did not care. I was absolutely positive that nothing interesting would be happening at his house anyway. It would be the same people he was always with around and probably a lot of girls I didn't care about. I had no interest at all in spending time with any of them.

I continued to eat my food but stopped when I realized that they were both staring at me. Mallory looked at me eagerly as Derek looked immensely annoyed. I gave them both a blank stare and slurped my iced tea.

Mallory frowned at me, her eyes suddenly sad. I knew that look and I knew what it meant. She was trying to convince me to give in and go with her. I knew that look all too well. I was very well accustomed to it. Valerie used to give it to me too all the time. It always worked on me, and coming from Mallory was no different.

I sighed, knowing that I had lost this one and was slowly giving in.

Later that night, I found myself crossing the street with Mallory and ringing Derek's doorbell. It made me realize that I might not be the nicest of the bunch but I knew for sure that I was a good friend.