Proceed With Caution

Chapter 12

Angelina's POV

"You're awfully chipper today, aren't you?" I said to Carrie. It was Saturday, and we were going shopping. I felt like I deserved a break after the unbelievable week that had just passed.

"Yes! I'm just so happy about last night!" Carrie sang, skipping along the pavement.

"What happened last night?" I asked.

"I had a phone conversation with Justin for a whole hour!"

"Ah, I see. So what did you talk about?"

"Well, he talked most of the time, and we're going out again tomorrow. He told me all about his gym routine, and how many push-ups he can do in a minute! A hundred and twenty! Isn't that cool? No wonder why his biceps are so big!" she squealed.

"The only thing about him that should be getting bigger is his brain,"

"Ooh, I don't care if he's dumb. He's just so dreamy! Should we get married here in Cali? Or should we elope in Vegas? No, we should do it in Barbados! Oh, how romantic! Will you be my bridesmaid?"

"You should really think about what he's like before you virtually marry him, chica. He's been around quite a lot, and as Danny Zuko from Grease said, 'Sloppy seconds ain't my style'."

"Angie, don't be so judgmental! I think he's changed, and I'm the one who changed him." Carrie said excitedly.

Along the pavement, there were bushes that were thriving with small, red flowers that had delicate, velvety petals. Carrie gently pulled on one of these flowers, and it dislodged from its stem with a rustle of leaves. She examined it with revered scrutiny. It was a vibrant red hue, and its petals curled up at the edges gracefully like a slight smile.

Disregarding cognitive thinking for a brief moment, Carrie twirled flower between her fingers. She held it up to her face. Grinning like a complete idiot, she slowly plucked out each petal.

"He loves me, he loves me not..." she muttered quietly, repeating the mantra with complete concentration while removing each petal and scattering it on the ground around her like a soft, red carpet.

"Oh, for god's sake, Carrie!" I said in exasperation. "This is ridiculous."

Her eyebrows were knitted together as the number of petals on the flower slowly diminished. Deciding that her fate would be determined by the outcome of the irrefutable accuracy of this petal-plucking business, her hands began to tremble with excitement and tension as the last few petals remained, waiting to be plucked.

I tapped my foot against the ground impatiently. I went out of my house to buy clothes, not watch my lovesick friend moon over some jerk.

"He loves me, he loves me not... He loves me!" Carrie gasped with surprised content. "See? We were meant to be!"

"Yes, Carrie, because the mysterious fortune-telling red flower in the middle of a random bush we've never seen before, has predicted your future with someone you've been going out with for two weeks. Brava. Can we go now?" I said.

"Have a little faith, will you?" Carrie said, ignoring my pessimistic talk.

We resumed our journey to the shopping mall. Carrie had a blithe skip in her step, and rattled off more details about her wedding with Justin. She derived intricate calculations about their children together, and designed the interior decorations for their future house.

But then, my dear friend guiltily figured that she might have been taking things a bit too slowly, so she conjured up their future graves as well, and told me to remind her to indicate clearly in her will that they were to be buried side by side and as close as possible.