The Sweetest Fruit ( Tomboy 🏳️‍🌈Love Story )

18. Girlfriend

MJ

This morning, I woke up feeling like a heavy burden  had lifted off my shoulders. For once, I wasn’t weighed down by the usual gloom. It was an unfamiliar kind of lightness, almost happiness.

The cafeteria buzzed with chatter as students filled the room.  I sat at a corner table, the cool surface of the plastic chair against my back. 

“You’re in a good mood,” Martha said, sliding into the seat next to me. 

Martha was striking in a unique way. Her jet-black braids framed her face, and her dark skin had a flawless glow under the harsh cafeteria lights. Her pitch-black eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, seemed dull today. 

“And your presence is spoiling it,” I joked, catching a flicker of pain in her gaze. 

“Hey, I’m joking,” I said quickly, slinging an arm over her broad shoulders. 

“I know,” she replied, though her voice betrayed her unease. 

I’d known Martha since freshman year. We’d shared late-night study sessions and whispered gossip about everyone who mattered and didn’t. I could tell when something was bothering her. 

“Are you okay?” I asked, taking a sip from my Coke can. 

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” she answered, her eyes darting away. 

She’d been acting weird since the first day of school, but I’d chosen to ignore it. That’s just how I was—carefree to a fault. 

“You don’t look okay,” I said, mentally cursing Sonia for rubbing off her empathy on me. 

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” she replied, her tone sharp. 

Before I could press further, Martha’s elbow nudged me. She gestured toward the far end of the cafeteria, where Chris lounged against a table, his cocky smirk directed at me.

“What does this jerk want now?” I muttered, pushing back my chair. The scraping sound turned a few heads as I strode toward him. 

“Chris.” 

“MJ.” 

He gestured for his pack of friends to leave. They obeyed like obedient hounds, their bulky frames disappearing into the crowd. 

“What do I owe this pleasure?” he asked, leaning back in his seat, his smug grin widening. 

“It’s about Sonia.” 

“Oh, I’m already loving this. What about her?” 

“Stay away from her.” 

“Why?” he asked, his relaxed posture a direct contrast to my clenched fists resting on the table. 

“Because I said so.” 

Chris leaned forward, his elbows on the table, a wicked glint in his eye. “What makes you think I’ll do what you say?” 

“I know things about you that nobody else does. And guess what—you owe me.” 

He leaned back, his smirk faltering slightly. “Okay, why are you so concerned about her? You know she’s not yours.” 

“She doesn’t belong to anyone,” I snapped. 

“Except you, right?” His grin returned. 

“Chris, I don’t want to see you anywhere near Sonia. I mean it.” 

I stood, adjusting my button-up shirt, and left him sitting there, processing my words. I cannot believe I used to be best friends with him.

As I walked toward the library, memories of our old friendship churned in my stomach. The good, the bad—it all left a bitter taste in my mouth.