𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐲

A Carnation

Next week she stood in the hallway, waiting, hoping she'd be back and her wishes were answered when she saw a girl with long blonde hair, covering her face and gripping her books like they were her lifeline.

"Carrie, where were you? I was missing you all week, you left me!"

"Something happened after gym. I-I sinned and had to go home. Momma made me pray."

"Carrie, you could never sin, you're the purest kindest soul I know."

"Thank you Ocean."

"Of course."

"Hey Carrie, did you plug it up?" Norma asked, clearly teasing her about something.

The fluorescents above them flickered and Ocean took Carrie's hands. "Ignore her. Just a few weeks."

Carrie nodded and kept her head down. Norma, seemingly knowing she wouldn't be able to really get a rise out of Carrie with Ocean around, scoffed and walked away.

Ocean tilted her head and stared at Carrie looking into her head searching through the library of her memories and found what happened the week before.

It was vile and the way Ms. Norberry handled it was almost worse.

She came back to the present moment and it seemed like for once Carrie was aware of what she had just done. She didn't shine often, it was a breach of privacy in her opinion, but occasionally she did it to help understand her friend.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. Did he ask you?"

"What?"

"James. Did he ask you to the prom?"

She was astounded. Ocean always knew what was going on, what was going through pretty much anyone's head, but now Carrie knew what was going through hers.

"No um he said he'd talk to me later but later hasn't come."

"Last week?"

"Yeah. It's fine." Ocean lightly tugged on a lock of her hair, an old habit she could never get rid of. "I mean he's probably just busy. He'll talk to me another time, I'm sure of it."

"Just tell me if he doesn't."

"You'll talk to him?"

"Yeah. Talk..."

She seemed to mean something beyond it but the bell rang before Ocean got the chance to figure out what. They parted ways, Carrie going to her English class and Ocean to History.

One of the classes she shared with James.

"Samuel."

"Here."

"Remus."

"Present."

"Ivan. ...Ivan."

Ivan quickly sat up straight as he was woken up and sleepily answered, "Good morning!"

"You mean 'here'."

"Right. Here."

"Hey. Hey Ocean."

"Hm?" She turned around to see James looking at her. "Yes?"

"Uhh sorry I left you like that last week. I wanted to ask you um do you- or would you–"

"Ehem James."

"Sorry. Here."

"Thank you."

"But yeah what were you saying?"

"Do you wanna go to prom with me?" He offered her a white carnation.

"Yes." She grinned and took it. "I'd love to."

In her class Carrie smiled to herself. Even though she wouldn't go, she would make sure Ocean looked beautiful.