Already Taken

Making A Complicated Situation More Complicated

I woke up the next morning with a smile plastered on my face remembering yesterday. I practically came out to my best friend and she didn't freak out and I'm falling for someone who makes my heart beat like no one has ever made it beat before.

I quickly get dressed and head to school—grabbing breakfast on the way there.

I make my way into first period, Carmen and Madison are already in the back of the classroom talking.

“Hey ladies.” I say as I make my way to my seat and sit down.

Madison says hi and Carmen just gives me a look. I swear I don't know what's going on with that girl. It's like she's an entirely different person. I want my friend back.

“We were thinking about going to that new Italian place and getting some take out for lunch Spence, you in?” Madison asks me as Mr. Fitz walks the classroom.

“Sure.” I shrug, taking a book outta my bag.

“Sure you won't be too busy for us?” Carmen snipes. Getting a look from Madison.

“What's that supposed to mean?” I turn around to face her and ask. She opened her mouth to speak but Mr. Fitz beckoned us all to be quiet and then began teaching.

I took out my phone and texted Madison. 'What is going on with her?' I text.

'I don't know. She's been acting weird lately.' She replies. No shit.

'I'm gonna talk to her after school cause this is ridiculous. I feel like we're not even friends anymore.' I say feeling a little sad at the thought. Sure, Carmen was being an asshole right now, but we've been friends since freshman year. If there was something I could do to fix us—I would do it.

'Yeah. Do that.' Madison texts back then puts her phone in her purse. I don't know why I get the feeling Madison knows a lot more then she's putting on. I shake the drama outta my head and listen to Mr. Fitz lecture.

–

When lunch time rolled around I got a text from Ashley, asking me what I was doing for lunch. I told her about where we were going and invited her to come along. Now that Madison knew about our 'situation' I wasn't scared about bringing her around anymore. She gleefully accepted my invitation and joined us. After we picked up our food we headed back to school to eat. Thank goodness our lunch was an hour.

We're sitting at our usual table eating, Ashley is at the end of the table talking to Madison—which I don't mind. I actually appreciate Madison attempting to get to know her. Carmen sat quietly at the other end of the table watching Madison talk to Ashley. Which if you ask me—is borderline creepy.

“You gonna eat that babe?” Aiden ask, breaking me outta my inner thoughts. I look down at my take out box and realize I've barely touched my food. I look at him and shake my head, he grabs it and scuffs it down. Boys—yuck. “Can I come over today, after school?” He asks with food still in his mouth.

“You don't have practice today?”

He swallows then answer, “Nope, well we do but as captain I don't have to be there today.” He says proudly. Aiden took his sports extremely serious. He'd gotten a basketball scholarship to UCLA in the 10th grade—unofficially of course. They didn't actually offer it to him until the end of his junior year when King High won the state championships.

“I might have to help my mom, but if not, then sure.” Truthfully, I was hoping to hang out with Ashley. She hadn't asked me to hang out today or anything but I had hoped she would.

“Kay babe.” He smiled and kissed me—I zoned. “You thirsty?” Aiden asked and I must've nodded because he got up and left.

I pulled out my phone and texted Carmen to meet me at my car after school, that we needed to talk – apparently. I watched as she took her phone out and read my text. She shook her head then slide her keyboard open to reply. My phone buzzed and I looked down to read it. 'Can't. Got homework.' Was all it said. Ugh, really Carmen, really! I wrote back a please, that it was important. She snorted when she read it, then wrote back a 'whatever.' I'm not sure if that means she's gonna show up or not.