Who Are You \\ Laucy

Chapter 6

"Lo, open it already." Lucy groaned as I got to my final present.

She was being ridiculous. "I don't get why I have to open your present last every single year." I sent a skeptical glance at Mani, who shrugged. Everyone was used to Lucy's antics by now: Camila, Dinah, and Ally seemed completely unfazed. Vero seemed confused, not quite used to the dynamics of our group yet.

I sluggishly reached for the large box just to spite her, grinning when I elicited an exasperated pout. She always got upset over the smallest things, but I still loved her for it. Last month I lost her J. Cole CD and of course, she initially freaked out. But it only took her a day to forgive me, it would've taken at least a three if I were in her place.

The box was heavy and clad in blue wrapping paper, an obscene amount of scotch tape adhering it in place. I swear she was secretly an eight-year-old because only a child could possibly wrap something with less tact. It didn't take a genius to cover a box without turning the entire thing into a lumpy mess.

Nevertheless, everyone was staring at me as I started to unravel the paper. My cheeks flushed as I realized that Lucy's caramel eyes stared at me with a profound intensity. She seemed more excited than me, and hung off my every motion.

Piece by piece, the lettering on the package was revealed. An image of white Beats on the box made itself apparent as I frantically clawed at the remaining bits of blue paper that clung to it thanks to the tape.

Immediately, I leaped up from my position on the couch and tackled Lucy in a bone-crushing hug, careful to place the box down gently before doing so. I embraced how our bodies fit together perfectly, like an enzyme and its substrate (at least I learned something from that rough semester of biology).

"Thanks, Luce! You really shouldn't have..."

I released her momentarily to glance back at the headphones. Sure enough, it was still there and not a figment of my imagination. I was in disbelief and albeit a little guilty. They must've cost a fortune. She worked at her father's music store, but I doubt he paid her much, if anything.

"Well, considering I sat on your last pair and broke them, I thought you'd need a replacement. Happy birthday, Lo." Her arms were around me again as she quickly pressed her lips to my cheek, a burning sensation soon following. She hid a shy smile behind her messy hair, although her face morphed into a frown as she seemed to remember something. "Sorry they're not blue. They didn't have it at the store, and the lady there told me th-"

"No. It's perfect." I interrupted, brushing strands of her brown locks away from her face, along with her insecurities as a confident smile emerged. She had to have known that this was the best present I'd ever gotten. From anyone. She could've gotten me a box of crayons, and I still would've loved it because it was from her.

We held each other's gazes for a moment before Dinah cleared her throat. "Y'all are weird as hell." Ally and Mani snickered like they knew something we didn't. The two of them got up from the couch, presumably to get more food from the kitchen, Lucy following suit. Dinah called out to them as they were halfway up the stairs, "better hurry cause we aren't gonna wait all night for your fat asses to get back down here!"

"You know my mom can hear you, right?" I told her between giggles.

She shrugged like she didn't really care. "Don't worry, Clara's chill."

Amongst all the fun we were having, I noticed that Vero seemed kinda uncomfortable--she seemed very shy. In class, she only spoke up when the teacher called on her. Lucy was the only real friend she'd made all year. Not wanting her to feel left out, I left my position on the sofa and plopped down next to her on my basement's abrasive carpet.