STRANGERS

FIFTEEN

To think most of us wouldn't have spoken if it weren't for that detention 

The seven were in a small store. It had a bunch of toys for kids, so the teens decided it would be fun to try them on. Soleil holds up a toy fairy wand and hands one to Gabriel. Adelaide and Jonathon put on fake capes, but they were very tiny compared to them. Persephone and Juliet stand on stools and hold fake swords pretending to be in a fight. 

Harper walks towards them, holding a bright crown. Soleil smiles at him. "I think this one is for you, you're like royalty." He gently places the crown on their head. 

"Like? Soleil is royalty, one of the prettiest people I've ever met. Maybe I'm pushing it, I think you're somewhat-" 

"You finish that sentence and you won't have a mouth to say some stupid-" 

"Fine. I love you, Soleil." 

"I don't love you. Maybe I hate you a little less now, both of you." Soleil says to Harper and Gabriel, they both laugh and high-five each other.

Gabriel and Soleil had a friendship to which they weren't ashamed of telling each other or their friends that they platonically loved them. They both agree on the fact that by saying those three words, you didn't have to romantically love someone, but every time they'd say it to each other people in school would look at them weirdly, but they didn't care. 

"Never mind, I'm back to hating both of you." 

"Will you all quit it? You are acting like kids. Buy something or leave." The lady tells them in a rude tone. Soleil flips the lady off, before Gabriel rapidly puts their hand down. 

"Soleil, we talked about this." 

"Yet, I don't listen." 

Soleil jumps around, spinning, taking Persephone and Juliet by the hand and bringing them down the stools. Soleil then fakes an accent and bows, "Thank you, lovely lady, I hope life brings you absolute-" 

"Soleil." Jonathon says, dragging them outside the store. "Wait, wait- Jonathon. You didn't let me finish my sentence." 

"I don't want to know what you'd say if you finished your sentence." 

Everyone follows out of the store after placing everything back. "I was going to say I hope she had an excellent rest of her day and that life brings her all positivity-" 

"Even you don't believe that." 

"I believe myself." 

"No, you don't." 

"Harper Kade, you cannot tell me what I believe in and what I do not." 

"Just did." 

"Just as I was starting to like you." 

Juliet wraps her arms around Soleil, hugging them. They both rest their own head on the other's shoulder. "You okay?" Soleil whispers to Juliet, she nods. "Just tired." 

"See you all made Juliet tired with your constant-" 

"That was you." Gabriel mutters. 

"Excuse me for one second Juliet." Soleil's soft spoken voice sounds, making Juliet move away, sitting next to Persephone and Adelaide on the ground. Juliet closes her eyes, resting her head on Persephone's lap. Persephone covers Adelaide's eyes with her hands and watches what Soleil would do.

Soleil walks toward a small table on the sidewalk that was in front of the store, with newspaper, hitting each of them. They jump away; "Soleil- Soleil-" Gabriel gets cut off with every hit he gets. He takes the newspaper from Soleil. 

"Why just us? Why don't Persephone, Adelaide or Juliet get hit with the paper?" Jonathon questions. "Because unlike the three of you, they don't stop me from doing what I do best." 

"Flip someone off?" 

Soleil stops to think; "No, what I do second best." 

"What is it?" 

"You should know, Harper. Anyways, they have beautiful souls to be hit." 

"And we don't?" 

"Well, are you getting hit?" 

"Yeah." 

"So that answers your question." 

"Here Soleil, let's have a walk." Gabriel takes Soleil's hand and makes them walk with him. "But I wasn't done." 

"We'll be back you guys! Give us like two minutes!" 

"I'll be back by one minute!" 

"No they won't!" 

They all laugh at them, the two standing sit down with the others. "Thank you Harper for this. It was real fun. Although, most of the time was Soleil dragging you."

"Oh, it's fine. If Soleil hitting us means we get to spend more time with all of you, I wouldn't change it ever."