Fell with you

Chapter five

Blaze had a hand around her shoulder as they walked, asking her whatever popped in her mind.

"What about your nose piercing?" She asked, kicking a random pebble. "How'd you get it?"

Armani went silent for a while. The story wasn't fun. "It was in high school. I was pranked into doing it."

"Pranked?" She frowned. "How were you pranked into getting a septum?"

"They told me it was a mystery ice cream date and had me blindfolded and taken to a piercing shop. I finally realized what was happening when I felt them putting a kind of sanitizer on my nose. I kept thrashing around but they held me down and the person pierced it but I kicked him and started running. I ran home with a bleeding nose and a needle poking out."

Blaze stared at her, unconsciously lifting her eyebrow, feeling a new emotion forming about her. A strange kind of strength to push back in hardest part of her problems. It was admirable. Armani kept on being unique the more time she spent with her. It was an honour.

"What did your parents do?"

"They sued the students and the piercing shop for battery and assault. The piercing shop almost got closed and the students spent a few months of detention."

"Detention? Just that?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Just kids being kids, they said. No need to take it too far."

Blaze went silent.

Armani wanted her to ask something else, anything. She enjoyed the questions. It made her feel important, even if just a little but Blaze didn't ask anymore.

They got to the café and ordered their drinks; coffee for Armani and a parfait for Blaze. Their meal would be coming later so they sat and waited. Blaze's phone rang out a familiar song as her ringtone and Armani had to stop herself from singing out loud.

"Hello? No, I left the hall a while ago. I'm at the café down the street. Why? I'm taking a princess out on a lunch date."

Armani flinched and fixed her eyes on her fingers.

"No, you can't come. Don't even think about it." She paused. "Fine. Not a word. You're paying then." The call was ended and Blaze took in a deep sigh. "Sorry, that was my friend. She wants to join us and I couldn't stop her."

"No, it's fine." It's not fine. "The more, the merrier." The more, the more anxiety it would build.

"You sure?" She raised a brow with a frown. "We could just leave now, go to another restaurant. I'll put my phone on silent.”

No, that would upset her friend. "It's really fine," she smiled. "I don't mind one more person."

Except it wasn't one person.

Her friend had brought along her boyfriend. She had a short black bob and very defining black lipstick. She wore a black shirt with a corset, a black short skirt, fishnet stockings and large black boots. Her nails were a shiny black and fingers lined with rings, just like Blaze's.

Her boyfriend, however, seemed pretty normal. Plaid shirt, jeans, sneakers and a basic brown hair cut. He was far too normal to even fit in with them as they shared a table.

Armani felt a bit bad for him. She was pretty normal too but stood out somehow with her outfit and skin tone. She wore a brown knee length plaid skirt, an oversized white sweater, brown boots, neutral makeup and her hair raised high above her head. Her skin made her shine wherever she was. She didn't mind it but she hated the attention.

"Ripley," the girl said, stretching out her hand for a shake. "You're the princess?" She grinned. "I want to be your prince too."

Armani lowered her head, wondering why she had her hair up today. It would have hidden her face from the multiples times she had blushed. Blaze glared at her friend who just laughed and leaned back, placing a hand on her boyfriend's chair.

"You didn't tell me you were bringing him," Blaze pointed out, leaning against the table.

Ripley grinned then shifted her attention to Armani again. "This is my boyfriend, Derek. He's a freshman."

Armani took his extended hand. "I'm Armani. Final year."

Derek made a few hand signs, telling her something she couldn't understand.

"Ah," Ripley said. "He doesn’t talk much. He's saying it's nice to meet you."

Armani leaned back on the chair, a bit flustered. "I'm sorry, I don't understand ASMR."

Blaze frowned. "You mean ASL?" She asked, spreading out her fingers under her jaw.

"...oh." if she was light skinned, she would be as red as a beet. "I'm sorry," she muttered, sinking into her seat.

Ripley burst into laughter, gripping her stomach and bending over. Even Derek snorted a bit.

"Oh wow, you're funny," Ripley managed to say, wiping tears from under her eyes. "Blaze never gets cute girls like you." She turned to Blaze, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Aren't you into more...wild girls? Smoking and partying types?"

Blaze's lip twitched slightly but Armani saw it. It was small and insignificant but held her annoyance in it. "So? I can always try something else."

Ripley laughed again. "It's not about you here. It's about her," She pointed to Armani. "Can she stand you? As crazy as you are?"

"I assure you," Blaze gritted out, slamming her palm on the table. "I don't intend to hurt her."

"No one ever intends it," she spat.

"It was an accident."

"It's always an accident."

Blaze glared at her before closing her eyes and leaning back. "You said you were fine with me. What are you doing now?"

"Fine with you?" She scoffed. "I hate you."

"If you hate me, stop talking to me!"

It was Ripley's turn to glare at her. Armani and Derek sat in the crossfire, nearly sweating from the intensity coming from the two. No one said a word to the other, the eye contact unmoving. It was unbearable.

"Your meal is here," the waiter called, placing the tray on the table. "Sorry for the wait, guys."

"It's fine," Ripley gushed with a bright smile.

"Yeah, we’re good. We know how busy you get with the lunch rush," Blaze added, lifting a fry from the plates.

The waiter stuffed his hand in his pocket with smile. "You're getting good at the fight scenes. I almost thought you were actually fighting."

"Right?!" Ripley laughed. "Blaze almost had me throwing her drink in her face." She laughed even more.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Blaze said with an eye roll.

The waiter left after talking some more, leaving a stumped Armani and Derek. They stared at the two girls currently stuffing their mouths with food and talking.

"Fight scenes?" Armani finally managed to say.

"Yup," Ripley replied. "I'm a theatre student. Blaze helps me practice my scenes at random intervals. Cool right?"

Armani didn't reply, already feeling burnt out. Yet it felt nice a bit. Being around people she didn't know and not being anxious and awkward. She could get used to it. She wanted to get used to it.