Mint Condition

Elliot|Chapter Four

It was safe to say that after introducing Anne into my group of friends, it was hard picturing the group without her. She wasn't exactly the life of the group, but she meshed well with everyone in such away that her absence was more apparent than her presence.

A few days had passed since we bonded in the school courtyard. Anne had decided to join us at lunch instead of going out to the courtyard like usual, but she was still quiet. It baffled me, actually. She was so lively when the two of us were alone, but around anyone else she clammed up. I wasn't going to delude myself; she probably just had some sort of social anxiety, and since I was the first person (at least, I thought I was. She hadn't really given me reason to suspect otherwise) to attempt to know her, she trusted me. Or maybe I was just stupid and imagining it all. That was just as likely.

"So, Anne," Ruby started. Anne looked up at her, startled. "Are you going to join us today?"

Anne's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"It's Friday," Ruby explained. "I'd thought Eli would have told you. We go to the local bakery every afternoon to hang out and whatnot."

"Basically," Kenneth said, "we go to satiate Ruby's sugar fix so she doesn't murder someone." He shrugged. Ruby glared at him, and we all chuckled besides Anne.

Anne looked confused for a moment, mouthing what seemed to be "Eli" to herself. Then her eyes trailed to me, and realization dawned on her face. She blushed slightly and looked away when she realized I was watching her, turning to look at Ruby. "Um... I wish I could," she said. "I really do. I just... I have plans."

Call me cruel, but I was slightly surprised. Plans? "What sort of plans?"

Anne regarded me oddly for a moment, before smiling slightly. "My brother's coming down from his college for the weekend," she explained. "Him and his girlfriend. I don't get to see them a lot, so we're planning on hanging out after school and all weekend before they have to go back."

"Oh." I shrugged. "Alright. So you won't be at the library today?"

Anne grinned, ducking her head and picking at her salad with her fork. She'd barely touched it besides to move it around, I'd noticed, but I didn't question it. Why should I? We're barely even friends; hardly known each other for a week. Her eating habits weren't my concern. "No, not today, unfortunately," she replied. "Or this weekend. Not at my usual times, anyway. But I will be Monday, I think."

Liz chuckled softly. "What's it to you, Elliot?" She refused to call me by Eli, despite my incessant pressure for her to. Apparently, besides Anne and her boyfriend, she calls everyone by their full names. It was just another odd quirk of hers.

I shrugged. "Just wondering if I needed to change my plans this weekend." It wasn't at all because I wanted to see Anne that weekend. Not at all. Tch, that'd be absurd.

Liz hummed thoughtfully, a knowing smile flickering across her expression. Christ, it's like the girl could read minds or something.

Anne peered at all of us, before speaking up. "How long have all of you been friends?" she asked.

"Well, Ken and I have known each other since Kindergarten," Ruby said. "I met Liz and Jon in third, and they introduced Kai over here in fourth. They've all known each other since they were in diapers. Vivi, we met through Kai later that year. Eli was the newest recruit last year. And now you."

She made us sound like a cult. Maybe that was the point.

"That is," Viviana started, "if you want to be our friend."

We all looked at Anne expectantly. She studied us all in turn, tilting her head. Her eyes landed on me, and she smiled with something I didn't recognize. "Friends? I suppose I could make some room on my list for you all."
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Final word count:

678

So, I wanted to write more, but pausing it where I did seemed like a better option. It flowed better, I think.

Did you catch my reference, sammy8300? 😉