You Can't Keep Running

Chapter 3: One And Only

It's been a couple weeks since my birthday and things at school have been great. My grades are still pretty good. I was exempted from 4 out of 6 of my final exams. I managed to be the top student of my class for the term. Things with my friends culdn't have been better. After setting Ian and Stacy up, I got three more of my friends to meet a match. I know that these stupid high school relationships wouldn't last but since they wouldn't shut up about how lonely they were I did my best for them. Like Stacy promised, she didn't rush anything with Ian.

At home, Maria and I were having a blast. Since my dad and Bailey were out for the next two months, we were able to do whatever we wanted. We baked cookies, cakes, anything we felt like having. Some nights when we felt like going crazy, we blasted music and just had fun. Even with no stress factors at home, I still went to the park occasionally. I still brought my book along with my all the time but I never planned on reading. Whenever I went to the park, Nik was there with Alli. Sometimes I would just sit and talk with Nik and other times I would play with Alli and Nik would join us. 

"Karmen?" I must have lost myself in my own thoughts.

I snapped out of it and saw Tori waving her hand in front of my face. "Yeah?" 

"So? Do you want to do it?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Do what?" I pushed back my hair and furrowed my eyebrows.

Tori rolled her eyes at me clearly annoyed. "We were saying," She motioned to all 4 couples that I helped set up that were sitting around the lunch table. "since you've set so many of us up maybe we could return the favor for you." 

I began laughing because my friends have tried to talk to me about this so many times before. "Tori, you already know how I feel about th--" 

"Before you give us your lecture about how you are happy on your own, at least see who have for you!" Stacy interrupted.

I shook my head at her. "Guys, I have no clue why you keep on bringing this up--" 

"Because you're an amazing girl that deserves to have a guy worship her!" Linda spoke up. 

"But," I glared at her. "I have an awesome time on my own! I don't need you to worry about whether or not I'm gonna end up alone during summer!" I took a sip from a water bottle I bought for lunch. 

Stacy groaned at me. "Don't be such a boring mess! Just go out to a party with us for once and maybe you'll meet someone!" 

"Hey, I go to parties with you guys!" I raised a finger in protest.

"School parties hosted in the gym don't count." Mathew finally said something.

I dropped my finger with nothing left to say. "Matt! Why are you one their side?" Matt and I had a pretty close bond because he was the first guy that never tried to hit on me in this school.

"Come on Karmen!" With one arm around Tori and one gripping a Red Bull can he shrugged. "You never hang out with us outside of school!" 

I turned to Ian. "And what do you think?" Along with every other person at the table, Stacy glared at him making sure he would say the right thing.

Ian glanced at every one of the eyes that stared at him. "Uhm, well." I saw Stacy nudge him with her elbow and he smartly avoided eye contact with her. "I think you should go out with all of us. Even if you don't want to meet a guy there at least you could have fun with us." 

"Yay! So it's settled!" Linda flipped back her long blonde hair and clapped. "You're coming with us Friday night!" 

I crossed my arms over my chest. "This is not fair! All of your were against me!"