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Backstory

"Hey!" I shriek as I run down the sidewalk, chasing my best friend. Blond haired, blue-eyed, 5'9"Carson Trayco.
He laughs as he runs, holding his hands above his head. He's got my Yankee Hat, which he just snatched off my head.
I jump and try to reach him, but I have a small frame. I'm only 5'2". I can't reach. I'm not even close.
I sigh, and sit down on a bench next to the sidewalk. "Can I please have my hat back?" I ask, politely.
Carson makes a face and says, "Come on, Lexi, you used to fight so much harder when I did this."
"I did jump, and ever since you grew so much, I'm never going to reach. What's the point of even trying?"
I look away from him, feigning sadness.
I feel the hat gently land on my head and smile to myself.
"There," Carson says softly. "Can we go now?"
I smirk slyly, "I wasn't the one holding us up. Okay, I was. But if you gave me my hat back sooner..."
He laughs, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
We were on our way into town to meet Nate, Syd, and Bryce at Scooper's, the local ice cream shoppe.
"Give me a ride, would ya?" I ask, "I can't keep up with those long legs of yours."
Carson hoists me up and starts jogging, piggy-backing me into town.
We reach Scooper's and I hop off. Bending over, I throw my long, red hair into a ponytail and push it through the hole in my hat.
Jingle jingle. The bell above the door rings as I burst into the shoppe.
A waitress shoots me a dirty look as I stomp over to the guys, sitting at our favorite booth.
"Hey y'all!" I shout, and they all grin at me. The waitress is sending eye daggers my way. I'm not exactly quiet.
"It's 'bout time you slowpokes got here!" Bryce says, grinning.
"Yeah we already ordered for you!" Nate chimes in.
I sit on the booth next to Syd and tap my chin. "What did you order me?"
"We got Carson a triple fudge brownie sundae and you a peanut-butter crunch sundae," Nate says.
I sigh in disappointment. "You guys," I whine. "We've been friends for 4 years, you should know by now that triple fudge brownie is my favorite."
Carson leans over and whispers in my ear, "We can trade, I've always liked peanut-butter more."
I beam, "This is why we've been best, best friends for 6 and a half years!"
Carson smiles fondly at me and I turn away, not liking the look in his eyes.
At the end of 9th grade, this spring, Carson started acting a little differently. I can tell he likes me, I've always suspected he does, but it's become much more obvious.
I think I like him too, but I really, really don't want anything to change between us, and that's holding me back.
"We're teasing Lexi," Nate says. "We know your favorite, and Carson's too. That's what we ordered."
I nod, my face is still hot from the Carson thing.
"So guys, I need help." Bryce says. "I want to ask Sandra Bearnes to the fall dance at school, but I don't know how. And I'm nervous."
I feel disgust fill me. Sandra is the most popular girl from school, and I strongly dislike her. I believe the feeling is mutual. "Bryce it's only July," I say. "You have two months until school starts and three months u til the fall dance."
"So?" Bryce says.
"Just get your bravery up and say it to her face, man." Syd says.
"I would, but-" Bryce starts, but we're interrupted by the waitress bringing our ice cream.
I close my eyes, savoring the taste of the chocolate brownie.
"-But, she thinks I'm out of her league. Which I don't understand why, I'm a good sports player. I have to get into her league." Bryce finishes.
"That's a lot of effort just for her," I pipe up.
"Wouldn't you want a guy to go to all that effort for you, Lexi?" Nate asks.
"Yes, but I am worth the effort." I smile, and then frown. "Believe me, Sandra is not."
"We know you don't like her Lex, but can you try to push that aside and help a friend?" Bryce says.
"Nope. That means I'd have to push aside the fact that she's snotty, and mean, and bratty, and spoiled, and cruel, and fake. That's a lot to ignore." I say.
"Lexi, I just said. We know how you feel about her." Bryce says, exasperated.
"Do you even care?" I ask.
"I feel like her very good looks would over-ride her negative elements." Bryce says calmly.
"Good looks?" I screech, and Carson shushes me at the looks from other customers.
"Good looks?" I ask again, more quietly. "Bryce, her 'good-looks' would wash off when it rains!"
"Lexi please try to understand." Bryce says again. "It might be fake, but she's still gorgeous."
I feel a pinch of jealousy at their fussing over her looks. Blonde hair, thin yet curvy, smooth, unblemished skin and light blue eyes make Sandra the perfect California girl, trapped here in Vermont. I can't compete with her. I have long, red hair, pea green eyes my friends say look like emeralds but I disagree, and freckles thrown across my nose. When the guys talk about Sandra, I feel... Ugly. I haven't even told Carson that I'm insecure.
"You don't." I state quietly. "You don't care what I say. It's in one ear and out the other. I don't want to listen to you walk about her like this. I'm going to leave." I push aside the rest of my sundae and squish past Carson.
The door jingles when I leave. Once in outside, I stroll slowly along.
Footsteps come running up behind me, and I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"Are you really that upset?" Carson asks.
"No, but I just hate when they talk like that. I need to escape." Before I feel even worse and get more jealous.
"You weren't very nice though. I mean, she isn't exactly bad-looking."
I gape at him. "You too?"
"Aw shoot, Lex don't worry. I already have my eyes on someone. But you should apologize."
I sigh, he's right. Again.
We head back into Scooper's and I apologize to Bryce. "And Syd?" I say. He looks up. "Thanks for not agreeing with the guys. You rock."
He grins, "I might agree, but I just don't say it. I'm the quiet one in our group, remember?"
We all laugh, it's true.
"Guys!" Nate says. "Let's have a sleepover in the treehouse tonight! We haven't done that in at least two weeks!"
"Yeah!"
"Good idea!"
"Cool beans!"
We all exclaim in agreement.
"Let's do it!" I say, and head out to my house to grab some things.