Behind Close Doors

Chapter Ten

"THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN TO ME, FLO," Malaysia sobbed into the phone after explaining her situation to me.

I wanted to cry along with her because the sounds she made caused my heart to ache. It just wasn't fair. "Have you told Ethan what you just told me?" I questioned in a soft voice. As I waited for her to answer, I glanced to my left and then to my right before walking a little farther up the street.

"N-no, he already has so much g-going for him," she confessed with a shaky voice, "maybe it isn't too late to reverse what's done."

I sighed before asking her, "Wouldn't that just create more problems for your parents?"

"I'll be eighteen in a few months, and it's my last year in high school, Flo. They should have asked me first instead of making the decision without me."

I nodded silently and muttered a "yeah" as I ran a hand up my shivering arms. She was in a tough situation. I honestly don't know what I would do if my father bought a house in Georgia and told me I'd have to leave all my friends behind and finish senior year there.

"How about I come over tomorrow so we can hang out?" I offered, hoping that it would lift her mood in the slightest. "I'm sure my dad can let me take off for the day."

"Would you really?"

"I absolutely positively would," I said in my best impression of Anastacia.

"You're the best Flo. I'll see ya tomorrow then," Sia told me before hanging up.

"See you," I managed to say right before the line went dead.

I stuffed my phone into the back of my pocket and walked down the street to Adrian's. When I entered the pizzeria again, I saw Mr. Twist talking to my father near the booths and spotted Harry eating a slice of pizza at the kitchen counter. My eyes became the size of saucers as I did a double-take in the window to make sure no leaves or twigs flew into my hair before I joined Lester and the others in the kitchen.

"You good?" One of the bus boys asked me as he dusted off his hands on his apron.

I nodded my head and looked over my shoulder to see Harry poking his tongue out before munching on the pizza crust. "Yeah, I was just talking to Malaysia," I explained as I glanced down at the floor.

"Hey, do you know that guy or something?" I heard Lester ask, but somehow my head managed to turn in Harry's direction again, and I became distracted by his heart shaped lips. "Earth-to-Florence."

"Hm?" I hummed, mindlessly twirling my hair as I tried to contain my smile. "What. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Somebody's gotta a little crush," Lester teasingly sang. "Florence has a crush," He began to chant no matter how many times I begged him to stop.

"Will you knock it off? I don't want him to hear you," I hissed, pushing Lester further into the part of the kitchen where the sink and dishwasher were located.

"So you do like him then?"

I let out a loud huff and then finally spilled the truth. "I mean--sort of...but, like, he just got out of a relationship, and I don't want to be the rebound. It's stupid really."

"Trust me, you definitely wouldn't be anyone's rebound. Have you taken a look in the mirror lately?" Lester raised his eyebrows, staring down at me with a smile. "You're beautiful."

My cheeks were beet red by the end of his statement and all I could mutter out was a cheap "Thank you" in response to his compliment.

"You're welcome." He nodded his head and captured his bottom lip in between his teeth. "You should go talk to him before he leaves."