#SquadGoals

Cool

Alayah laughs. Just play it cool.
"Haha! We're just talking about, cats, and like-" I make a weird gesture with my hands, trying to act like a cat.
What are you doing?? Stop?? Please? You're not a cat??
Alayah makes a strange face, but laughs with me. Rilee joins in.
"Aw, cute. I love cats," he says. I start screaming. In my mind. Iko and Riley join us at the table with food on their trays.
"What are you guys doing?" Riley asks, sweeping her hair out of her eyes.
"Being cats, I think?" Iko says, confused.
"Just go with it," Alayah says. Riley shrugs and sits down. Rilee sits next to me. I pick at my food, putting small pieces into my mouth.
"Hey, you gonna eat that?" Rilee asks.
"Oh, yeah," I say, turning to face him.
"It's not that much."
"I'm not hungry."
Rilee looks at me in the eyes. He furrows his brows, seemingly concerned.
"It's fine!" I say. "That's just how I work."
"Yeah, but I don't think it's good for you." He pulls something out of his lunchbag. "Here, have these." He hands me a bag of fruit snacks. I take them excitedly.
"Yes! Score!" I say. He smiles. As I open the package, he asks: "Hey, do I have your number?"
Ahhhhhhhhhhh
"No, I don't think so."
"Here, my numbers 315-483-"
AHHHHHHHHH
"Cool, thanks. I'll text you!"
The bell rings. Rilee pushes up his glasses.
"See you," he says.
"See you," I reply softly. Alayah nudges me on the shoulder. I push her back. She lets out a small yelp. Riley 2 looks at us concerned. Iko's on his phone. Alayah and I laugh.
"Ok, we'll talk about whatever this is later," Riley says.

*****

3:48 A.M.
That's the time my clock reads. I sigh and put an arm over my eyes.
"Why won't you cooperate, brain?" I poke at my forehead. "Let me sleep pleeeaase."
Suddenly, i hear a bell.
"Am I dreaming?"
I see a light come from the top of my desk. It was a phone text tone.
"Who could've texted me?"
I groan and get up, lugging my feet to the desk. I feel disconnected from laying in my bed for 5 hours but not completely asleep. Like an out of body experience. Nonetheless, I make it to the desk and pick up the phone.
"Hey" is all it reads. Then I look at the name. I can suddenly hear my heart in my ears and in my head.

Sent by Rilee😜 at 3:50 A.M.

I almost scream but then remember it's 4 in the morning. I hesitate, but type back.

"hi"
I wait for what seems like a lifetime until he finally replies.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to send that. Sorry if I woke you up."

"that's ok. i was awake"

I see the three dots light up and disappear while he's typing.

"Really?" he texts.

"yeah. i usually have a hard time sleeping"

"Oh cool."

"??"

"Well, I mean not cool, cuz you can't sleep, but cool cuz we get to talk."

I smile a little. I got back to my bed, the soft white light shining on my face as I hold it above me.

"cool"

*******

"Sierra, did you hear?"
Shea pushes her wad of red curls into a bun. Sierra taps her pencil on her desk. I write down the answer to question #6 on my math homework.

"What?" Sierra asks. Sierra turns around, swinging her legs over the back of the chair she's sitting in. Her legs rest on the back of a chair, her legs swinging.
"My sister broke. Up."
I turn around, saying with Sierra in sync: "What?"

"Yeah, man. Her and Johnny are done. She doesn't like him anymore."
"Yeah, no dip. But how?" Sierra asks.
"And who?" I add.

"It was him. Over text." Shea says, shaking her head. Sierra throws the pencil she was tapping on her desk across the room.

"This is Study Hall, Sierra, not lunch," the teacher at the front of the room says angrily. Sierra swings her legs off the chair. Not acknowledging the teacher, she faces Shea.
"Oh. My. God. He's such an F-boy."
"I hate him," Shea adds in.
"I don't think anyone really likes him," I say sadly.
"I don't think she's taking it too hard," Shea says. "She's going out to a party today, anyway."
"Forget him," Sierra adds. The bell rings.
"Bye guys," I say. Sierra and Shea wave goodbye.

****

Soon enough, it's lunch time. I go to my locker to get my lunch bag with Riley 2. We walk in sync, ponytails bobbing to the beat of our feet.
"Did you hear?" I ask.
"What?" Riley says.
"Shea told me Johnny and Aislinn are done for real."
"Oh my gosh, I fricking knew it! With who? Who?" Riley hits my shoulder.
"I dont know! She didn't tell me!" Riley sighs.
"Avery, we need that money-"
"No we don't."
"Okay, we don't need it. I mostly just want to beat Ethan, and then-"
Once we reach our lockers, Riley stops. I open my locker, but she looks at something. I put my hand infront of her face.
"What're you looking at?" I ask.
"Who." She says. "The boys just finished Physical Ed."
I turn to see who she's looking at. I see a bunch of sweaty guys, but no one in particular.
"He plays soccer. I stalked him on Instagram."
"Okay? But who?"
"Xander." She points and I follow her finger. I see a guy, reaching up into his locker, grabbing his clothes. I nod my head.
"Pretty good," I say.
"Uh huh," is all Riley can say in reply. I grab my lunch bag.
"C'mon, let's go and talk about him while eating food," I say. I continue talking, but louder, "YES. XANDER. WHO YOU THINK IS SUPER HOT."
Riley bolts out of the locker room. I laugh, seeing Xander look around, confused. I walk to the lunch room behind Riley.