Chase & Adrienne

15

CHASE

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

"The first Back to the Future is a million times better than the second one will ever be. It's a classic!" I argue with Renee. We are both avid fans of the Back to the Future franchise. Whenever we watch any of the movies, Adrienne and Andre yell at us for being annoying as we quote every single line in the movie, word-for-word. Both Renee and I have agreed to put that little talent on our college applications and résumés. 

This is what we are discussed as we pull up to Mike's. It's a Friday tradition the six of us have. I have no idea if Adrienne is coming or not, but I assume the latter. After seeing her face yesterday after my hissy fit and the determination with which she so fiercely ignored me afterward tells me so. I try to keep myself distracted, letting her have her space. Deep down, I have enough confidence in mine and Adrienne's friendship to know that it's gonna take a lot more than an emotional explosion from me to tear us apart. Besides, I can have fun with the rest of my friends just as easily as I can have fun with Adrienne. 

We pile out of my truck, the decided communal vehicle for the day's excursion, and I hold the front door open for my four noble companions. At first, I'm confused when I bump into my friends in the entrance. They seem to be frozen in place, something I thought only happened in movies and bad sitcoms. I follow their horrified expressions to a booth against the side wall. Adrienne is sitting there, Luke next to her, with his tongue down her throat. As we all stand there, they stop sucking each other's faces for a second to stare back at us in surprise. We must have interrupted their make out session. 

I let out a bitter laugh, fueled by disbelief, and start for the door. Carmen, Renee, Andre, and Danny are at my heels. 

"What's wrong, McCarthy? You jealous, man?" Luke calls out after me. 

"She's all yours, Gates." I shout back, waving my middle finger back at him, not bothering to turn around and give him the satisfaction of seeing the fury or the pain in my eyes. I get back in the driver seat of my truck and slam the door a little too hard. Everyone else follows suit, piling in with me. We all sit in complete silence for minutes on end. No one knows what to say. What could any of us possibly say? Honestly, none of us knew it had been that serious.