Bleeding Color

3. The Golden Girl

My first week at school isn't absolutely horrible. At least, I can't complain much. Having four classes a day instead of seven, like I was used to, actually makes school feel shorter to me.

Christina and I continue to eat lunch with Athena every day, but Chloe and Logan fail to make appearances throughout most of the week. Logan doesn't show up at all during lunch, despite my hoping she will. Chloe sits down and eats with us for a couple days, and even asks if Christina and I want to join her and Athena downtown after school today since it's finally Friday.

Christina made plans with someone she met in one of her classes, so I'm left to fend for myself with Athena and Chloe. We walk the streets downtown and explore some of the shops that catch Chloe's eye, then a small bookstore that Athena is excited about.

Chloe stops short and stares at her phone with a grin, signaling Athena to guide Chloe to the side, so she's out of the way of other people walking. I follow behind Athena, and make sure to avoid any possible collisions. Athena asks Chloe whom she's so giddy at.

"Golden girl finally promised to make time for us." Chloe beams at Athena.

"Wait," Athena perks up, "I thought she would be busy with her mom." Athena turns to me quickly to explain. "Her mom is always doing something with the country club and dragging her along." I nod, but still don't completely comprehend what they seem to be talking about.

Chloe scouts the block around us like a meerkat. "There she is!" Chloe shoots one of her hands in the air to catch the attention of someone across the street, but I can't see whom Chloe has caught eye of. Chloe and Athena start walking, and I follow their lead. Chloe nearly runs up to the girl she spotted and squeals, pulling her into a hug. "Bout time you saw us." Chloe teases.

Chloe is blocking my line of sight to the girl, so I hang my head while Athena and Chloe say their hellos. I'm not one for crowds, and I get awkward and shy around new people so I stay out of the way. "Alycia, this is Cammie." I tune back into the conversation when I hear my name.

I lift my head and lock eyes with the absolute most gorgeous person I've ever seen. Her dark curls frame her mocha skin perfectly, and I stare at her light pink lips, feeling a need to catch my breath. I catch myself staring at her lips after watching the corners lift into a grin. My green eyes travel up to meet her golden brown ones.

Seriously, what are they putting in the water in this town?

"Hi." I mutter. I can't manage to say much other than that. I don't know if I can meet many more of Athena's friends. They all seem to give me heart palpitations. Even talking to Chloe sometimes gets distracting.

You don't have to be interested in someone to find them distractingly attractive. Chloe is one of those people. Even though I see Chloe as a friend and only a friend, there are times when I'm talking and just stop because she's staring at me and I suddenly forget what I'm saying.

Having this many attractive women around me is starting to be detrimental to my health.

➳ ➳ ➳

I spend a lot of time speaking to Alycia while downtown, and fail to recognize that the sun has begun setting until Alycia has to leave. She is so easy to talk to that she makes it hard to say goodbye after just a few hours after meeting her.

Chloe and Athena's nickname for Alycia makes more and more sense as I spend more time with her. She plays field hockey, volleyball, and softball during the school year, and spends her summers training for all three. When she's not at practice, she's her mom's shadow. Alycia's parents are the most elite members of the local country club, and her mom organizes most of the club's events. Alycia spends a lot of her time helping her mom with those events. She does all this while still managing to keep straight A's in school.