"You don't have to walk me."
"Well, you're not walking alone," I responded to Jack. His expression changed from annoyance to insulted,"Alright I'm sorry, I will ask mom if you can walk alone or with a friend. Don't worry about it."
"Thanks Ari you're the best sister I could ask for," he faked. He kissed my cheek before running through the gate and before I knew it he was gone before I said bye back.
~~~
I went through a couple classes fine until history,"Okay, missy, you missed our date," it was Clarissa and I in fact did not meet her at the flag pole.
Stacy spoke up,"I was looking forward to it, you seem cool. If you're gonna be a flake, though, I'm not sure if we should hang, y'know?"
"Sorry guys I totally forgot, I had to pick up my brother also and then I was almost home and- a," I was speaking so quickly and making excuses which I had no reason to feel obligated to make. Either way I felt like I had to,"Anyway. Sorry, I didn't mean to ditch you guys."
"OMG it's okay, silly. We'll just hang out at Gwen's after school, kay?" Stacy said quickly.
I wonder if she felt back for me, oh my god that's so embarrassing. I had to hurry and save myself,"Great, got it. One exception though."
Gwen responded with,"Throw it at me."
"I can bring my brother right? I have to bring him with me until my mom gets home from work. He's only nine but I don't think he'll bother us."
"He sounds so cute, sure bring him! I'll give you a ride to his school and to G's after school, alrighty?" Clarissa said so positively.
"Sure thing, thanks!"
~~~
The car ride was silent going to Jack's school. I think Clarissa must be a pretty new driver so she was concentrating and I didn't want to distract her. It was so awkward so I had to say something,"Do you have any nicknames?"
She said surprisingly quickly,"Oh sure, of course. Gwen and Stacy normally call me Rissa or Sissa or C but my family calls me Claire." She sounded nervous I couldn't imagine why so I just nudged it off.
"Okay I'll keep that in mind, is it okay if I call you Claire even though I'm not family?"
"Course sweetie, you can call me whatever-don't really care." She said she didn't care but she seemed bothered by something, I didn't want to get in her business or anything so I stayed quiet for a while.
