Just Between Us #Wattys2019

On Wednesdays We Meet

"The fact that they were never bothered by me and my self-consciousness added to their perfection, and the perfection of this sisterhood."
-

"If you're not angry, you're not paying attention", Lisa Borden once warned me. And yes, indeed, I was paying very close attention.

Maybe it was just me and my the-cup-is-half-empty mentality, but the universe seemed to be conspiring against me; and boy, I was mad. It seemed the earth moved slowlier when I was in a hurry and the stars just didn't shine very bright when it was dark and I needed to see.

It seemed like every little bug and every flourishing flower wanted to see me try and fail continuously; and although there are very few things in this world that don't look good on me, I'll admit, frustration was not my color.

But it was between ninth and tenth grade that it all finally made sense to me. At last, I understood that the world was not against me; it was testing me. The universe was kicking me in the guts until I stood up and told it that I'd had enough.

"What ya thinkin' 'bout?" Cleo asked, chewing each word like they were gum. I shook my head, shining some light onto my dark thoughts. "They'll be here any time now." She said taking the popcorn, that was now ready, out of the microwave.

"Where's the butter?" I asked, opening some drawers in her kitchen.

"Are you gonna do that thing where you melt it and we pour it on the popcorn?" She asked, smirking seductively at the thought of the naughty idea.

I smirked back. "The day I don't is the day I've given up on life."

She giggled and threw me the butter from across the kitchen.

Cleo was a mixture of flavors. Sometimes she was cool, calm, and collected, and others, a complete mess and hysterical fangirl. She knew all of the hottest bands and artists years before they hit the top charts; that was her superpower.

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," I said, as I marched towards the wooden front door. I opened it and stroke a pose as if at the other side were paparazzi's waiting for me; the girl waiting to be welcomed into the house did the same with a different pose that was just as glamorous.

We both laughed and then hugged, "Why if it isn't Miss. Finn Jones." I said, and she closed the door behind her as she entered Cleo's residence.

"You know I prefer to be called her royal highness."  She teased.

I chuckled. "Follow me, her royal pain in the ass." I commanded, and with a smile she entered the kitchen where Cleo waited for us.

Immediately, she smelled the popcorn and made a face. "Are you guys doing that thing with the extra butter—"

"Hell yes." Cleo interrupted, licking some of the butter off her fingers.

I looked at Finn and noticed her lack of interest in the butter-filled recipe. "I thought you liked it." I said, evenly distributing the butter throughout the bowl of popcorn.

Finn brought her hand to her stomach. "I do but have you seen my stomach? No popcorn for Finn tonight, babes." She concluded, grabbing herself a glass of "fat free" water.

I rolled my eyes and Cleo sighed with her eyebrows raised. Finn was thin, gorgeous, and looked completely healthy, but was never satisfied with her figure. We were bothered by such comments, but neglected to say anything about it because we all knew she'd be eating those butter-bathed popcorns by the end of the night.