"And I'm just so happy to have you back," Nolina cooed, holding onto Tara's arm tightly as she sat on her lap. Lina's hair was in red ringlets, a simple body-con dress on for the day in a burgundy red.
"Damn, you really let shawty give Tara back to you like that, Lina," one of her friends commented. I awkwardly sat at "the popular" table, trying to ignore their conversation.
Caren sat all alone where me, Lina, and I used to sit once upon a time, her expression glum.
I picked up my phone and text her, her head immediately popping up to meet eyes with me.
If I could forgive Tara and sneak around with her, then I could forgive Caren. Everybody knows all the mistakes that I've made. And yeah, Caren's made some pretty important mistakes but I can't keep holding that against her. She obviously feels pretty bad about things. And I'm honestly no better to be planning to sneak around with Tara behind Nolina's back.
"Gialla. Can we talk?" Nolina asked me after lunch, just as I was about to throw away my tray and go over to talk to Caren.
"Um, sure," I glanced at Tara right at her side.
Was she going to confront me about what me and Tee did a few classes earlier today together before she took Tee back? I mean, she didn't really have a right to, in my opinion. They weren't together in that moment. They were together now.
We walked off to the side and Nolina crossed her arms. Here comes the temper tantrum. Boo hoo, I still got your bitch, is what I'll say if she starts to get too rowdy with me. I'm usually not all hoe-ish like that, but shit, sneaking around with Tara ain't degrading to me unless I was an insecure bitch. She could call me what she wants to.
"I wanna say I'm sorry."
My face frowned up in confusion. "Wait...huh?"
"I know I've been a real hateful bitch this past month. Getting back with Tara made me realize how much me, you, and Caren need to reunite."
Damn, now I feel guilty for saying yes to Tara.
"But you also didn't say some nice shit to me either. I'm just hoping that...we can move past what we did, and all be happy together. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me and Tara this summer, and I'm sorry that I've been so ugly to you," she apologized.
"Me too. You know that's hella out of character of me to...act the way I did," I explained.
"Hug it out?"
We embraced.
"I was on my way to talk to Caren when you approached me. Lets go," I pulled Nolina by the arm.
Tara and Caren were chatting when I approached the table we used to sit at. My stomach turned, remembering them making out in the bathroom. Did Nolina know about that too? Did she know about me and Tara this morning in front of the lockers?
She probably doesn't care, I mildly thought.
"Hey," I said shyly, my eyes locking on Caren.
"I have a feeling we all needa talk about a bunch of shit, first of all," Caren laughed nervously. "Y'all wanna skip fifth period and sit outside on the patio during the next lunch?"
Everyone there agreed, so we hid out in the girl's bathrooms until the next lunch started, and walked through the lunch room out to the patio area.
"Let's start at the beginning of the summer so that we can get the full story and all the sides out of everyone," Caren declared, sitting on top of the table as the rest of as sat on the built-in benches around it.
