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The week had dragged along the calendar at an agonisingly slow pace, and finally Friday had made its awaited appearance. This weekend was a big one. Mardi Gras had finally rolled around, it was the most exhilarating thing about summer ended.
I hadn't spoken to Spider, he hadn't even so much as glanced in my direction since our encounter last Friday. After all of the horrible things he'd said and done to people over the years, did he have any real reason to be angry? I hadn't done it personally, the curiosity had just gotten the better of me. I'll admit, it was a painful way for us to part after the fun we'd had... the moment we shared, for that short period of time in the gym.
My thoughts all week had drifted back to that day, and how different things were for a mere minute. I walked toward the school gates with Quinni and Darren, Though I was too deep in thought to entertain their conversation. Suddenly, Amerie came behind us, causing all three of us to scream in surprise.
"Where have you been all my life?" Darren said, Amerie throwing her arms around mine and Quinni's shoulders. "I took a self-care day." Amerie shrugged, a wide smile planted on her face. "Good for you!" I replied happily.
"I went to the beach, had some fish and chips, had some sex." She dragged out the end of her sentence, looking around playfully. "What?" We said in unison, astonished by Amerie's sudden change of heart. "That's right, I dropped my v-plates!" Amerie said happily, her cheeks tinted with a subtle glow.
"Do you feel any different?" I asked with a sincere smile. "Not really, do I look different?" She said with a playful pose. Quinni leaned in, flicking something off her shirt. "No, but you have a cornflake on your shirt."
"Who with?" Darren raised an eyebrow. "Malakai." Amerie replied sheepishly. I was happy for her, she deserved someone kind like Malakai, he was one of the only people who treated her with respect when nobody else was. "Just a week ago you swore you would never touch dick again, and here you are. Amerie has entered the chat." Darren teased, making us all laugh.
"I'm so proud of you Amerie." I linked our arms as we made our way into school. "Wait! Does this mean we don't have to go to chess club anymore?" I asked excitedly, Amerie replied with a wide grin and nod. I sighed a breath of relief, thankful I didn't have to spent another minute playing a game I didn't really understand, against people who I didn't really want to be around. The chess club guys were creepy.
Walking into the courtyard, it was decorated from top to bottom in pride ornamentation. Darren picked up a flag and twiddled it between his fingers. "Uh, schools back on its pride shit." He said with distaste. Though Amerie took no notice as she carried on discussing her rendezvous with Maliki.
"It's not that big of a deal though, seriously. I think we're both just keeping it totally chill." As she spoke, we stopped in our tracks, noticing Malala standing in the middle of the courtyard waiting for Amerie. He held a large heart ballon, asking Amerie to be his girlfriend in big sparkly letters, and a sweet array of flowers. I giggled "Yep, That seems totally chill." Darren, Quinni and I leaving Amerie as we made our way to our lockers.
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Amerie walked over to where we stood, shoving the flowers into her locker. Quinni asked her what'd she'd said to Malakai's relationship proposal, and Amerie didn't seem too sure if it's what she'd actually wanted for herself. She went on a tangent about how she hadn't said no, though she definitely hadn't said yes, and instead mustered up a sound she couldn't quite describe, and how Harper had turned up to her house last night.
I opened my locker, grabbing my history textbook. I had a small, shitty mirror that hung on the inside of my locker door. I glanced into it for a moment, overlooking a blemish on my cheek I was struggling to get rid of. In the corner of my eye, I spotted Ant across the hallway, grabbing a book from his own locker.
I stared at him stealthily through the mirror. Maybe I was unfair, maybe I hadn't given him the chance he'd deserved. I think I was being selfish, that I hadn't properly thought it over when I turned him down. I was scared when he'd come close to kissing me, and so I had retreated completely, blocking out the idea.
"You don't have to be his girlfriend. Just invite him to my pre's tomorrow and then you can make up your mind." Darren's word snapped me out my daze, which Amerie agreed was for the best. "Do we need to get some..." Amerie said suggestively, to which Darren took a quick understanding to. "Oh yes, caps all the way." Amerie turned to Quinni and I, not understanding what they were talking about, and so I'd mouthed 'MDMA'.
It made me think back to the festival, and i how couldn't really remember nothing still to this point after taking that ket, though I don't necessarily remember having a bad experience... I just don't remember the experience at all. Although, maybe that was a good thing. All I remember from that festival was Spider acting strangely nice toward Darren and I, but the memory was so vague it may aswell not be there. I suppose that's the effect 'caps' have on people.
We began to make our way to SLTs, walking past Ant and Spider in the process. I hadn't told anybody about that day in the gym. I swiftly made my way past, giving Ant a kind smile to which he returned. "Cash will have it sorted. He actually might come too." Darren said shyly, giving me a side eye. I knew they'd hung out last Friday while I was here with Spider, but I hadn't discussed it with Darren. In fact, I'd thought nothing of it. I was just glad Dougie was making some normal friends.
"The eshay is coming to Mardi Gras?" Amerie laughed, making her way down the hall with her hands on Quinni's shoulders. I turned to face Darren, a puzzled look on my face. "I didn't think that would be Dougie's sort of thing, how did you manage to convince him?" I asked. Darren looked at, unnerved, like he was hiding something.
"Well, we want drugs, don't we?" He said bluntly, a bit more defensive than I'd expected. "Touchy." Amerie mumbled, brushing it off. I stopped for a moment, my eyes growing wider with every step Darren took down the hallway.
It was all starting to make sense. I saw the way Darren looked at Dougie, His eyes never went as soft as they did when they saw Dougie. Dougie had been spending more time than ever at the diner, even when he wasn't delivering takeout. In all the years I'd been friends with Darren, he'd never acknowledged Dougie and Dougie had never acknowledged Darren, so why had they started to all of a sudden?
I gasped, catching the attention of the trio as they turned to face me. I looked into Darren's eyes, searching for the answer to the question I was reluctant to ask, but it had to be done. I had to be sure.
