"PIÑA coladas don't have to be alcoholic!" frieda whispered to molly who sat two tables away from her. they were in science class, a class so boring that they were arguing about the stupidest things instead of paying attention.
"that's the stupidest thing i've ever heard, piña colada isn't piña colada without booze. what's the point if you can't get drunk?" molly retorted a little too loudly, drawing the attention of their teacher mrs. dunningham.
"what? that doesn't make any-"
"miss hofstadt, miss holloway, i don't want to hear you two talk again unless it's about newton's laws." the teacher snapped from the front of the classroom. molly flushed as she heard the quiet snickers of her fellow peers.
but instead of shutting up as she was told, freida scoffed. "how'd you manage to get your degree if you get distracted by people whispering?" a few choruses of 'oohs' replaced the laughter as mrs. dunningham's face turned red with anger.
"i didn't ask for a reply, frieda!" she spat with the fiery vengeance of a teacher who got embarrassed in front of her own students by a student who was at least 30 years younger than her.
frieda still couldn't take the hint even though molly was giving her rapid hand signals to shut up before she got in trouble. "and nobody asked you to cut off our conversation, so i guess that makes the both of us."
frieda left third period science with a stern lecture and a detention slip as well as homework on the laws of motion.
+
"man, i still can't believe you told that old hag off. you see her face? she looked like a god damn slice of pepperoni!" stanley cackled from behind frieda and molly as they made their way to lunch.
molly side-eyed frieda for a reaction only to find that she looked pissed but ignored that warning sign. she rolled her eyes at the boy, "of course you'd get excited about something stupid like that. she got detention for it, it wasn't worth it!"
"wasn't worth it? are you insane, of course it was worth it!" stanley shouted, catching the attention of students as they walked past them. molly gave him an unamused look.
molly sighed as they finally reached an empty table in the back of the lunchroom. "worth it my ass. you never think frieda. never! you always do this too, don't you ever learn?"
"you aren't my mom so don't give me another fucking lecture! i already heard one from mrs. pepperoni and i'm going to hear one from my actual mom after i go home today so just shut up." frieda yelled and the both of them went quiet for a few minutes.
"aw shit, look," stanley pointed behind the girls, being the first to break the awkward silence. frieda and molly both turned and spotted mark marching over to them in all of his letterman jacket wearing glory.
"is this the girl?" were his first words to molly. she nodded sheepishly in response. frieda's face dropped quickly once he turned to face her. "why didn't you call me?"
"what?" frieda asked cluelessly.
mark rolled his eyes, "what do you meant, what? molly said you'd call me yesterday so we could go out tonight."
molly dashed behind stanley, attempting to hide from her now furious friend. "i never—" frieda began.
"oh come on, you're backing out?!" mark shouted, highly agitated now.
"backing out? how can i back out on a date i never even agreed to go on?" frieda snapped. she felt her face grow hot and her dark hair stick to her face, the fan that was running the cafeteria couldn't stop her hot flash of rage.
"whatever man, i wouldn't go out with a loser like you anyways!" mark wrinkled his nose in disgust as he turned to walk away.
"what an idiot," frieda remarked loud enough for him to hear. she thought mark would turn around and yell at her some more for getting smart but he scoffed and walked away, leaving a dumbstruck stanley and molly staring at her.
"why didn't you tell—" she started to chew out her friend until the bell rang, cutting her off and saving molly. the blonde girl gathered her things and ran out the cafeteria before frieda could even attempt to stop her.
stanley followed after her, but not before giving frieda an apologetic look which made her feel like shit even more.
+
detention was hell. frieda's fingers and arms ached from the hour she spent wiping down chalkboards in 30 different classrooms. by the time she got home, she was practically sprawled across the floor of the foyer moaning in pain.
thankfully though, her mother wasn't home yet to ask her why she was late from school. frieda laid on the carpet for a few more minutes before picking herself up and sulking over to the kitchen to get a bag of chips.
then the phone in her room rang. frieda sighed and went over to it, placing the receiver up to her ear. "hello?"
"hello, gorgeous." a familiar voice filled her ears. it took her a second to process who it was, but once she did she let out a sigh of relief.
"god, robert, it's you!" frieda smiled weakly. she heard a laugh on the other end of the line, that cheeky laugh.
"woah, it's only been a day and you've already missed me?" he teased. frieda quickly realized how desperate she sounded and felt her face flush for the second time today.
"sorry, just had a bad day." she answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.
robert went quiet for a moment and frieda just about asked if he was still there until he spoke up in a quiet voice. "you know what'd make you feel better?"
"what?" she sighed, rolling her eyes. she was expecting a dirty comment. but it wasn't.
"if we met up at the diner around 21st street." robert sounded as if he were smirking, and he probably was.
frieda felt her eyes widen. he was trying to meet up with a complete stranger only a day after meeting her? he really was crazy, but she was too.
"fine."
