Lucas ✔️

Seventeen

"So, did you hang at the café and meet anyone?" I asked Memphis as I took small, slow steps over a particularly precarious patch of melting ice. He took a sip of his hot drink and walked next to me effortlessly, the slippery ice not fazing him in the least.

"Yeah, I did, but I didn't like anyone as much as you," he said with a big grin, making me blush. God, how could he say such embarrassing things with a straight face? I know I couldn't.

"Oh, uh, thanks?" I said awkwardly, picking up my pace once I passed the icy patch.

"You're welcome!" Memphis sung happily, his long strides easily keeping up with my short ones. He was tall, probably even taller than Lucas, and I wondered why we didn't get any shorter people moving here.

Memphis babbled on as we walked, and he seemed happy to chat about the people he had met from school. I didn't blame him for not liking them - they were a mix of popular kids all looking to cling onto the good-looking newbie. I was a bit sad that my helpful advice hadn't left him with any nice friends, but at least he met some people. 

"So?" Memphis said, sending me a cautiously curious glance.

"Sorry, what?" I said, pulling myself from my own thoughts.

"You weren't listening?" Memphis asked with a sad smile, shaking his head and laughing slightly. "It doesn't matter."

"No, I'm sorry, I was just distracted. What did you say?" I pleaded, feeling guilty for zoning out. 

"I just asked why you ditched me the other day," he said with a shrug, not looking at me.

"Oh." I gulped. "Well, I'm not exactly the most loved girl in town," I said with a shrug of my own. Not anymore, at least. "I thought it would be better for you not to hang out with me."

"You make it sound like you're some pariah," he laughed, sending me a doubtful gaze. I said nothing and just raised an eyebrow at him before nodding my head to the grocery store.

"You'll see," I said with a grin. "Maybe you'll decide to stay away from now on."

Memphis definitely wasn't expecting the reactions I received as I made my way through the aisles, a small basket in hand. The grocery store was always the worst place for the gossip and looks - simply because all the nosy old hags were there. 

I chucked a bottle of milk in the basket, crushing the loaf of bread and box of cereal underneath, and ignored the horrified glances two middle-aged ladies were sending my way. They curled into each other and whispered loudly, both sporting matching perfectly ironed pants and crisp shirts. Gross.

"Did you hear? She was in an alley with three guys last week. Joanna told me about it. Right near that bar - you know the one?" One whispered as the other egged her on, her nods of disapproval and heated glares shooting my way.

"Like father, like daughter, hey? They say she didn't go to school for over two months. Just wait, soon they'll be finding her body in the river just like they found his. I heard suicide is genetic." 

I rolled my eyes at their ignorance, but I also felt like maybe they were right. Who knows? Maybe in a few months, I would be at the bottom of the river. I wasn't sure myself how much longer I could continue this shitty existence. 

I raised an eyebrow at Memphis who had been following me silently since we entered. He nodded his head and stepped up to walk beside me easily with his long legs.

"Well, I'll admit it, Lilith. It seems like you're some kind of social pariah!" He laughed, taking a sip of his drink. I doubted it was even still that warm, but he was one of those gross people who had cold drinks on cold days. I stopped where I was and sent him a glare.