The Clique

Part 5

  This is the part where a snippet of the enigma's secret is revealed.

Rita liked shopping. Freddy did not.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Freddy complained, following her into another fucking lingerie store. " How many pairs of knickers do you actually need?"

"A girl always can use a new pair of undies," she retorted. "Aha!" she stumbled in her too big heels over to a display table full of different colors and patterns. "What about these?" she held a pair up to-

"Oh my god, no. Never. No.No. No," the younger covered her eyes. "See, this is why I don't go shopping with you. You do stuff like this," she vaguely directed her hand towards the blonde, "and scar me for life." 

"Oh, come on," Rita smiled, moving Freddy's hand away from her face. " Can you at least act like a girl for once? Maybe you've been hanging out with the new kid too much," she smirked at the other's mock horrified face.

"I have not," she replied scandalized. " He's just.... Well okay, he's-"

"Gorgeous or handsome whichever you prefer, smart, fit," Rita listed off.

"Intriguing," Freddy concluded. "Yeah, that's it. He just strikes me as someone different than all the others I've been with, you know? Like, he listens to me and actually wants to spend time with me."

"Sweetheart," Rita said softly. She put down the cloth and rubbed her friend's shoulder. "Most guys are like that. You've just dated some really shit men in your life."

"I know Ritz ," Freddy sighed, wiping her bangs out of her face. "But there's just something about him that says look at me I'm better than you and I know you want me and for some fucked up reason I really like that phrase. Plus," she held her finger up," he has a sick taste in music and doesn't tell me to dress any better. Remember William?" 

Rita laughed at the memory. "The douche who always made you change outfits before you went out and then concluded you were a lesbian?"

"Yes, him," Freddy chuckled. " He's nothing like that. And that was the last 'serious' thing I've done in years," she took a breath. She glanced out at the surprisingly sunny London day and waited a moment before responding, tears prickling her eyes.." And even you guys told me to leave him but I didn't listen and-"

Rita pulled her into a hug. Although the younger girl always had up a "defensive wall" you could say and had no problems telling people to fuck off and mind their own business, behind the facade was a weak child who had to grow up really fast and who had dealt with things no ordinary person would ever  have to deal with. "Freddy," she spoke softly. "Darling, look at me," she pulled her friend back from the hug and looked her in the eyes. " You need to stop beating yourself up over that, okay? " she brushed a piece of the brunette's hair behind her face. " And I know he's not the only one you're beating yourself up over either," Freddy went to interrupt her but the older continued," listen to me," she said fiercely in a whisper, "that was not your fault. You didn't know Sam was going to go that far, no you look at me Elfrieda," Freddy's eyes widened at the use of her full name. Rita continued in a shaky voice. " Look at me for Christ's sake's. Do you understand what I'm saying? This kid is a good kid, and I think he would be good for you if you gave him a  chance."