Conscience

3.

"Talk about a political scandal." Esmee shook her head and clicked her tongue disappointingly. "And to think that I thought Serafina was a nice person. I mean, I nominated her for gosh sakes!"

I laughed. It sounded forced, even to myself. "Serafina might still be nice. I don't blame her. Chase is the one who is at fault. He lied to me; who's to say he didn't lie to her as well? I'd take her word over his."

How can you say that? Chase is your boyfriend!

Ex-boyfriend, I corrected Conscience.

Well, don't trust that Serafina girl. She is nothing but trouble. Everything she says is a lie.

Usually, I took what Conscience said as law. She knew more than I did. But this time, a flicker of doubt crossed my mind. I didn't know Serafina, so I didn't know if she was trustworthy or not. But I also didn't know how Conscience knew she wasn't trustworthy.

"Lark? Lark?" Esmee repeated, clearly trying to get my attention. I guessed that I had missed something she had said.

I shook my head, struggling to rid myself of the voice. "Yeah? Sorry Es, what was that?"

"I was saying that you should go to winter formal. There is so much more at stake now, I mean, you have to show Chase that you are so much better than he is. You have to prove to him that you don't need him to have a good time!"

"I don't have to prove anything to him," I growled.

Esmee was following me down the hallway to my locker, but I really wished she would just leave me alone. I wasn't the type of person who liked to talk out my problems. Preferably, I would be alone. Of course, I was never really alone. Conscience was always there with me.

But Esmee continued to follow me like the persistent person she was. "Well, obviously you don't have to prove anything to him. It would be fun though, and it would be a great chance for us to hang out! Plus, don't you want to get the full..."

"...high school experience, I know, I know." I rolled my eyes as I finished Esmee's sentence. Her look of disappointment led to my defences weakening. As I sighed, I knew she had won the battle. "When is it?" I asked begrudgingly.

Esmee clapped her hands in excitement. "December 16! Tickets are on sale now!"

Finally, I reached my locker. A wave of satisfaction washed over me as I realized Esmee had provided the perfect way for me to get out of attending this school event. "Es, that's my birthday.

"Well duh," she said with a laugh. "What better way to celebrate than going to a dance?"

"I can think of a few." I rolled my eyes and twisted my lock open.

"Oh come on Lark!" Esmee whined like a little girl begging for ice cream. "It will be so much fun!"

I grabbed my coat out of my locker and turned to face her. "If I say yes will you shut up?"

"Yes yes yes!" Esmee shrieked and jumped up and down, clapping her hands in excitement.

I glared at her pointedly. She was clearly missing the most important part of our deal.

"Oh." She gasped as she realized her mistake, and slapped her hand over her mouth. She gave me a thumbs up, and then slowly began to back away. For Esmee, the best way for her to stop talking was for her to simply leave. At least she realized that.

With a deep sigh, I turned back to my locker. I had this weird feeling that I was forgetting something, and it was very annoying. I couldn't quite place what I was leaving behind.