Upper Six (Completed, Being Edited)

Seven: You're a Star

I find Laura after school, sitting outside the cafeteria, kicking dirt all over her black school shoes.

"You still mad?" I ask her, but the answer is obvious; she's fuming.

"How does anyone stand her?"

"We don't have a choice," I say, sitting beside her, causing her to stop and look up at me.

"Did you come looking for me?" she asks curiously. My cheeks become hot with embarrassment; I've been caught.

"Yes, I did. I was worried that you got into trouble."

"Would you have defended me?" She asks cheekily.

"Yes," I say, my entire face now aflame, pathetic as ever.

"That's nothing to be embarrassed of, Fiona," she tells me. "It doesn't mean that you're in love with me, it just means that you care. There's no harm on caring, is there?"

Yes, there is, because caring leads to other things.

"No," I tell her, "there isn't."

"So you finally admit it," she says smugly.

"Admit what?" I ask.

"Admit that you like me."

"Yes," I say, sounding more defeated than anything else. "It makes no sense denying it."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that you're finally coming to your senses."

"So what do we do now?" I ask her.

"What do you mean?"

"Are we... What are we?"

"Dating, I guess. I wouldn't rush to say girlfriend just yet."

Girlfriend. I've never been someone's girlfriend, male or female.

"You good with that?" she asks me, just to be sure.

"Yes. That's perfect." There is definitely no rush for me.

"Okay. Well, I have to go home. My mum just called right before you walked up."

"You taking the buss?" I ask.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you could come with my mother and I."

"You sure she would be cool with someone she doesn't know just hoppin' into her car like that?"

"Yeah, she always complains that I have no friends."

"Oh. Okay."

"When you get into the car, say "Good afternoon Mrs. Erickson. How are you today?" It'll earn you a shitload of points. She'll feel like you care, and I really want her to like you."

"Uh, okay," she agrees with a small smile.

"Thanks."

***

Ur mom is funny - Laura

It's nine o'clock, and I'm talking to Laura because I have nothing else to do. That's bad. If you're trying to improve your relationship with someone, shouldn't talking to them be more than a last resort?

My mum is weird - Fiona

Y u spell mom like that? - Laura

Huh? I spelled it right, ur spelling it like an American - Fiona

It's still acceptable, and more common than "mum" I say "mom". I stress the 'o'. - Laura

The way I say it, it could be spelt either way. I don't stress an "o" or "u" per se; it can be passed as either - Fiona