Looking at the Truth

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

  

   “Hey, did see what Jaren did yesterday at practice?” Kori asked.

   “Kori why don’t you go and just ask Jaren out,” Payton snickered. “It’s time you stop stalking him and actually know him better.”

   She took that as an insult. “Well,” she said, “at least I don’t do it as much Aristosa.”

   “Untrue! I don’t stalk Mason!” I crossed my arms, trying to stay calm.

   “Never said who,” Kori said, and let out a snicker.

   We were outside eating lunch together out in the courtyard under the table under the tree. I always sit with my two best friends, Kori Tucker and Payton Dais.

   “But seriously Kori,” I started. “Payton’s right. You need to get some nerve to go up to him and say that you love him. If you don’t, you’ll be regretting and moping about this forever, not pass college and have a million cats.”

   I pointed towards Jaren, who’s talking to his friends by the cafeteria door behind us. He’s a cute athletic with short blonde hair that Kori says “it’s like a small sun is on his head.” The whole thing wasn’t supposed to be an insult, but she took it the wrong way.

   She gave me a disdain look. “What about you? I don’t see you trying to get Mason’s attention. Aren’t you always oozing over him? You turn tomato red when you try to flirt with him. You’re practically embarrassing yourself and him. Might as well just say you’re desperate for his undivided attention.”

   I’ve never seen her like this before. She’s the youngest by a year, and is the smallest by a foot, but she has a saying on her feelings and how she wants them dealt with. Unfortunately, I went a little over her meter.

   I took a bite of my sandwich. “Well…” I stopped short, speechless. She won the argument with my only weakness. What else do I have to defend myself? Payton is just sitting there like she’s cornered by a lion.

   The rest of lunch was silent between all three of us. This was a rare time where none of us talk at all. I became friends with them since freshman year, yet they still don’t know I have a dark secret; they never will. It’d the perfect gossip for them to tell everybody. I don’t trust them enough to share secrets with them.

   When the bell rang for fourth period Payton went to her math class, while Kori and I went to our science class. I was looking straight ahead, not even amused from boys looking at me.

   “I’m sorry.”

   I turned to look into Kori’s eyes. They were as sorrowful as a baby desperately crying for its mother after she’s gone.