Loving Me

Melly

"Practice is kicking me in the ass." I laid back on Bea's bed and stared at London sitting against her headboard, "How's that new pottery class?"

She shrugged and set her phone down between her and Bea, "Same as high school." She took a bite of the pizza she was holding, "How do you feel about Scar hanging out with those new friends?"

I shrugged and looked at the ceiling, "I'm happy she found a group of people she actually wants to hang out with."

Bea laughed, "Too bad one of them is Frat lord, Ben Magolios."

"Just because he has a cool name does not make him cool." Bea tapped me with her foot, "He's a dick. And Scarlett is a cheerleader."

I shrugged again, "An openly gay cheerleader. Who I trust more than myself." I sat back up and moved so I was sitting criss cross across from them, "And fuck Ben. He groped Mrs. Daniels last year and she's the one who left campus."

"Yeah that whole thing was so bizarre." London folded her arms across the hoodie from her old diving team in Fort Lauderdale, "Does Scarlett know about that?"

"Yeah." I shrugged, "She says he's in the group she hangs out with but she doesn't have a direct connection with him."

"But she does have a direct connection with Riley Myers."

"I don't know who that is, actually. I've heard his name a few times but I just figured he's someone Scar hangs with." I picked up a slice of the bacon and buffalo pizza in front of me, "Who is he?"

London looked at Bea and shrugged, "I don't know."

"Stop." I looked between them, "What's his deal?"

"He doesn't really have a deal." Bea closed the box and started getting off the bed, "I just think he moves weird."

I furrowed my eyebrows together, "In what way?"

London shrugged, "He makes weird decisions. Like, in group settings..." She sighed, "He's just a goofy little guy. That's all."

Before anyone else could say anything, my phone rang. "Oh, it's Scarlett." I answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, babe." Monotone.

My stomach twisted, thrown off a bit with the seriousness in the way she greeted me, "Hey, Scar. What's up?"

"Where are you?" No change.

"Bea and London's dorm. You okay?" I could feel the back of my neck beginning to sweat, scared of what I could have done. Maybe I left my hair on the brush in the shower? Forgot to put my towel on the hook?

Bea raised her eyebrows at me and I shrugged. Unsure of what this weirdly serious call was about.

"Yeah. Just bored."

"I thought you were with your friends?" I started to get off the bed, holding a finger up to Bea and Lo, signaling I would tell them in a moment.

"We ended it early." She sighed, the tone in her voice changing slightly. "I miss you."

"Scar."

"Can you hurry home?" The yearning in her voice made my stomach churn in the most pleasant way.

"Is something wrong?" I knew there was nothing seriously wrong with her. She's probably ovulating if we're being honest. But I don't care.

"I need you here."

I could feel my cheeks heat up and I cleared my throat, trying to keep it together. "Why?"

"You aren't this clueless, Natalie. I want you here because I need you. Come home."