Colors of Angels

1. Crushes

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Updated 8.25.2018
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"Why!!!! Why can't I get over him?!?!" I groan directing the question to my best friend as I drop my head onto her shoulder. "Maybe because you were in love with him?" She says. "You're not helping," I state in a monotone voice. She laughs before turning to look at the door. "Oh look, speaking of the devil." She says pushing me up off her shoulder. I look to the door to see that sure enough, he had walked in. I hear someone yell from across the room. "Hey Drew!" he walks over to his group of friends and I watch him as he talks, the way his hands move and when he laughs. "Arabella!" I hear right in my ear, I jump and turn away from Drew. "What?" I say innocently, she only uses my full name when I'm in trouble with her. "Stop staring," she says accusingly. I sigh and glance at him before turning to her. I'm about to say something when the P.E. teacher yells at us to line up. I stand up and pull Ariel up after. We stand in line and begin stretching. It's the third period and I'm already done with school. You see I've been stuck on Drew for years,  we grew up together and one day I told him how it felt. Needless to say,  it didn't go my way.  We have not talked since but I'm still in love with him. I hear the teacher say we have to run a mile today and I moan.

       We take off and begin running the loop around campus that is equal to half a mile. I was close to the door so at first, the faster kids are passing me, this includes Drew. I finish the mile, clocking in my time and go to the locker room to change and wait for Ariel. She comes in just a couple minutes after me and begins to strip down out of her P.E. clothes and immediately begins talking about the next class. "Guess what class is next!" She says sounding so excited. We both have science next along with her crush. A sweet boy, who actually talks to her, yet is oblivious to the way she feels about him. "Science" I fake squeal for her benefit. She throws her shirt at me and I catch it throwing it back. 

      We walk to science together and I listen as she talks about her crush, she tells about how they have been texting and that she wants to invite him to hang out. I encourage her to go for it and nod along as she continues. When we get to science we take two seats towards the back of the class. I get out a notebook and pen and title my page for notes, but as the teacher starts talking I zone out more and more. I doodle on the edges of my paper, taking half heard facts down as they come across the power point. The class seems to last forever, and when it's finally done, I'm ready for lunch.

      As I go to get in line in the cafeteria someone steps in front of me and I nearly run into them "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry....." I start to say as I look up I cut myself off when I realize it is Drew. "My fault." he says "but I had to get your attention and my hands are kinda full." I look down and realize he has two trays in his hands. 

"Why do you have two trays?" I ask. My curiosity has always been something I can never control, I'm always asking questions. "One is for you," he says. I think I must have heard him wrong so I give him a questioning look. He sighs and looks at the floor, shuffling his feet before continuing. "I really need to talk to you," He says. It is way out of character for Drew to act this nervous not to mention the fact that he's speaking to me. I look around me but I can't see Ariel anywhere. "Okay," I say. 

I follow Drew outside and to a spot away from other people. He sets the trays down and then sits. I follow and sit down. He pushes one of the trays toward me so I take it and begin to eat. He doesn't say anything so I decide to prod him. "whadya wanna talk about?" I ask

He looks up at me before speaking. "I need to apologize for the way I have been acting around you since what you told me." He says in a rush. I just sit there and stare at him. "I'm sorry." He says. "I never wanted to hurt you, can we be friends? I miss having you around." I look down at the tray in front of me, my appetite suddenly is gone. I stand up and turn away from him "I need to go" I hear him say something behind me but I ignore it and keep walking until I find Ariel.

I manage to avoid Drew the rest of the day and keep my head. As soon as the last bell rings Ariel and I rush to her car to go home, there is a party tonight and we both want to go. We go to her house to hang out and get ready. She decides to wear a white strapless dress that goes down about mid-thigh that looks amazing with her red hair she was named for. I decide on a midnight blue dress she tells me makes my eyes shine. We complement each other as we get ready and talk about the guys at school. I don't tell her what happened before I found her at lunch, I don't know what I think about it, and don't want to hear what she has to say yet. 

A couple hours later it's dark outside and we are ready to go. The party is at one of the football player's house tonight and as we pull up we see a ton of people and can hear the music. "Hell ya, a real party tonight baby," she says. I laugh and step out of the car and walk around to her side. I wait as she locks the doors and sticks her keys in her purse. I have not been to this house before but the party is the same as always, the beer, the joints,  the music and the guys grinding on every girl they can get their hands on. 

      I like these parties because I never have to think about my worries here. You can just forget it all.  And I love it. No one questions you, and you can do what you want for the night without anyone questioning you. And that makes it easy to forget, at least for a couple hours.