Letters For Indie

~Chapter 13~

"So he just bumped into you, and offered to give you a ride home?"

Did he? I think I kind of pressurized him. 

"Hmm...yeah," I replied, my voice trailing.

"And he spoke with you?" she squealed loudly.

"Shhh! Gabby, lower your voice."

"I cannot believe that Ethan Montgomery gave you a ride home! Oh my god!"

"Well, believe it," I mumbled, and took a bite into my pear.

"AHHH!" she shrieked.

"What!? What's wrong?" I asked, alarmed at her sudden outburst.

"Ethan Montgomery actually....talked to you!" she said slowly, taking a minute to process her own words.

"It's no big deal--"

She continued to giggle and fanned her hands near her face dramatically.

"Just ignore her, Blair. She has wet dreams about Montgomery," Marcus snickered.

"Shut up, Marcus!" she swatted him on the back of his head.

The three of us were situated at in the cafeteria for lunch. Our table was at the edge of the hall, near the salad bar.

The cafeteria was buzzing with students-- some talking and messing around with their friends, some waiting in the lunch line, and others scrambling to copy unfinished homework.

I looked down at my plate, which held a vegetable burrito, a small salad, and a bottle of water.

"So did you two do anything else in his car or....?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Gabby! Look, he just gave me a ride home, that's it."

"So nothing else happened?" she asked giggling.

"No!"

"Indie should stay away from him, Ella," Marcus said sternly.

"He's on the football team," she chanted dreamily.

"He's a freaking asshole," Marcus said, blowing on his cigarette.

"He's the quarterback," Gabby muttered.

"He's also a dick and a womanizer," he said louder.

"But his eyes, they're so--"

I slammed my hands down on the table, snapping both of them back into reality.

"Please. Please. Just let it go," I shouted, throwing my hands up into the air.

Marcus laughed and tapped the end of his cigarette. Little granules of grey soot fell off of the burnt tip. 

"Marcus, you really should stop smoking. It's bad for you," I said.

He laughed and put the cigarette back in his mouth. Then, slowly, he blew foggy patches of smoke right into my face.

"Sweetheart, when have I ever done something good for me?"

I glared back at him and turned away.

"Aw, come on, Indie. Don't be mad."

"Whatever."

"Sorry," he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. 

"Mhmm."

"Jesus woman," he cried, throwing the cigarette onto the floor, and then smashing it with his foot.

I smiled at him.

"I still can't believe Ethan Montgomery has a thing for you," Gabby giggled. Her words gave me butterflies. Did I like him?

"What!? He does not," I snapped.

"You should ask him to the dance next Saturday!" 

"No!"

"I'll help you get ready!"

"NOT HAPPENING!"

"You can get married in Greece and honeymoon in the Maldives!"

"You have got to be kidding me."

"You'll have beautiful children, one boy and two girls."

I yanked the Physics textbook out of her hands and smacked her repeatedly on the shoulder.

"Ow, ow ow, Indie!"

She laughed, trying to yank the book out of my grasp. I finished with a exasperated look on my face and threw the book at Marcus. 

I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Ethan Montgomery sitting with about ten other football players at the center of the cafeteria. 

The other tall, stalky guys were tossing around a football, laughing loudly, and hooting random things at eachother. They were all the same-- the emerald colored jerseys, the perfect hair, and the blinding smiles.

A gorgeous girl with black hair and startling green eyes was seated on Ethan's lap. She had flawless tanned skin and defined cheekbones. 

The girl was laughing along with the rest of them.

 "Hey Gabby," I started, my eyes fixed on them.

I felt the slightest pang of jealousy shoot through me.

"Who's the girl with Ethan?" I asked.

"Ohhhhh, jealous are we?" she asked, grinning like an idiot.

"Come on Gabs, who is she?"

"Ahh, I see you Indie. You are so jealous," she said.

"Gabriella," I warned, trying to sound stern.

She kept laughing, and muttering how I was destined to fall in love with a wannabe football player.

Surprisingly, Marcus, who had been occupied with his Twitter for the past five minutes, answered me.

"That's Skye Stanwood. Hottest girl at school, AND not to mention her dad owns the biggest resort in Hallowsbury," he said, looking at her with dreamy eyes.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch a fly," I said grumpily.

"She has a great bod--" he said, scanning her up and down.

"Marcus--" I warned.

"I wonder what she's like in be--" he started again.

The table shook slightly as I got up and collected my things. I  thrust my book bag over my shoulder, and glared at Marcus.

 "Indie, he's just kidding," she said softly.

He looked at me like he was going to say something, but I surprised him by stalking off.

"What the f*ck is her problem?" I heard him whisper to Gabby.

I walked into the hallway without looking back at them.

Ring ring. Ring ring.

I stopped at the railing in front of the library to answer my cellphone.

The name on the screen gave me a little heart attack.

Oh my lord.