The Ghostlight Girls | Part Two | Trinee

Chapter Eight

 It's Friday afternoon, just as the final bell signals the end of the school day. Students come flooding out through the main doors of Southside High, their chatter and laughter filling the air. Cerys and I lag behind, intentionally avoiding the bustling crowd. "What's the rush?" I call out, lifting my head to bask in the warmth of the sun. "Y'all need to reconnect with nature."

"Well, they are technically outside, Trinee," Cerys replies, a hint of amusement in her voice.

I look all around at our surroundings, embracing my natural flair for theatrics. "But do you see a single person actually touching the grass?" I sashay over to the edge of the paved courtyard, lean over and run my fingers through the blades. "Like this, y'all!"

"Shh!" Cerys lets out a giggle at the same time she shushes me. "God, you're weird."

The judgmental glances from some of the passing students seem to agree, but I shrug it off. "It's a gorgeous day, you know? And there's a song in my heart."

As we approach the bike rack, I notice Cerys staring at my ride, a beautiful purple hybrid with extra support that's been spray painted black, poorly because I don't have the patience to do better, with pink tassels dangling from the handlebars and a Frankstein's monster face decorating the front reflector. "You like my Frankenbike?"

She laughs. "Did I mention you're weird?"

"Only about thirty-two times today," I reply, entering the combination for my bike lock and freeing Frankenbike from the rack. "Not that I was counting or anything."

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want a ride?" asks Cerys. "My mom's waiting right over there." She gestures towards a sleek blue Subaru Outback that's just pulled up.

"Nah, I'm good," I reassure her. "I'm going to savor this weather while it lasts. It won't be long before we're knee-deep in snow."

"But it's barely September," Cerys protests.

I give her a knowing look. I'd almost forgotten that she's not accustomed to our climate. "Oh, honey, we consider ourselves lucky if we can skip wearing a winter coat over our Halloween costumes. Soak up the warmth while it lasts."

"Maybe I should get a bike."

"If you don't mind parking it in the garage for two-thirds of the year, sure. Text me, okay? We should hang out tomorrow. I'll show you around downtown."

"Sounds good. See you, Trinee."

I watch as Cerys walks over to her mom's car. When we were together, she'd matched my relaxed pace, but now that she's on her own, she moves stiffly, awkwardly, as if she's in a constant state of fight or flight. I'm not dense. I know she's got a lot of stuff going on, stuff she's trying to hide from me and everyone else. Some hidden trauma would be my guess. Yet everything about her screams middle class. Brand-new designer clothes, mom's always there to pick her up, car no more than a few years old. But I guess it's foolish to think that having money protects you from all the bad stuff in the world. Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to her. I see her pain, her struggling to keep it all together, and I just want to let her know I'm there for her.

Hitching up my skirt, I get on my bike and start pedaling, but my mind continues to swirl with thoughts and feelings. People must wonder what's wrong with me, like what's happened in my life that's led me to go all goth or emo or whatever they want to call it. I've seen the confused looks I get, especially when Kiandra is around. And not just students, either. Staff, too. The skinny, popular cheerleader girl with her overweight, socially awkward emo sister. They're even more bewildered by the contrast between my dark appearance and my bubbly personality. I'm a walking contradiction, aren't I?