Work in Progress

1

"Bitch what the fuck I haven't seen you all day!" My best friend Rachelle Faingold teased as she slid up against the disgusting yellow stained wall by my locker.

I rolled my eyes playfully.

"I know, I know, it's a Monday so I woke up late and my brother drove me this morning and I went right to the library to study for my French exam." I responded while closing my locker and turning to walk down the hall.

"Ou la la, Madame Marina, lady of the world!" Rachelle yelled, long dark hair swishing behind her as she jogged to catch up with me. "My lunch got switched today!"

"Oh so that's why you're following me." I teased while Rachelle rolled her eyes.

"I hate you." Rachelle laughed. "Anyway...you have to spill the tea, how's your man!"

I groaned. I guess I was "dating" this guy from one of the other high schools in our area but I could barely call it a thing, we never hung out and hadn't even hooked up yet!

"It's fine I guess.." I mumbled while skipping down the crowded main stairs of Greenview Heights Collegiate Academy, the shittiest high school in all of suburban New York.

"Whoa, what do you mean I guess? You we're so totally obsessed with him a month ago!" Rachelle exclaimed keeping up beside me.

"I know, I know, I just.. I don't even know how to explain it." I trailed off as we reached the bottom of the stairs and Rachelle pushed open the cafeteria doors.

"Hold up," I said before Rachelle could continue walking to our regular lunch table. "I need to heat up my food."

Rachelle turned back towards me and we made our way to the microwave. "Ugh I am forever jealous of the lunches you make yourself everyday, like homemade macaroni? Come on I could never!" Rachelle whined.

"And I'm forever jealous of the endless supply of lunch money your mom gives you." I laughed back. I had finished heating my lunch and we walked over to our usual table. We plopped down in our seats, and just as I was about to start complaining about my ridiculously hard French exam, Rachelle interrupted me.

"Before you get off topic, like usual, tell me about your man! What's going on you two literally just got together, it hasn't even been a month!" Rachelle said while raising her eyebrow and munching into her ham sandwich, unusual for her to have a bagged lunch.

"Don't look at me like that!" I exclaimed.

"Then spill!" Rachelle urged leaning closer to me from across the table.

"Fine." I said reluctantly. Just then my phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket to look at the notification. Of course another text from Mark, my man who is barely my man.

Mark: Babeee y aren't u answering ur snaps??

I rolled my eyes and placed my phone back on the table. Rachelle snatched it and looked at the message.

"See, this is what I'm talking about." I complained, running my hands through my hair. "He'll expect me to answer 24/7 but won't ever consider that I have other things to do or try to make plans to hang out in real life!"

Rachelle cringed and put my phone back on the table.

"Yeah, that is a major yikes." She said while taking another bite of her sandwich, a splatter of mustard appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." I muttered while looking around the cafeteria and placing my hands back onto the table, hearing the satisfying clink of my rings hitting one another.

I looked back at Rachelle and saw the splatter of mustard and couldn't help but giggle.

"What?" She asked, mouth full of ham sandwich. I just laughed more and wiped the corner of her mouth with my thumb.

"Mustard incident." I explained, while showing her my finger, then wiping it on my unused napkin.

Rachelle laughed. "Thanks babes, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Love you," I said while making a kissy face with my mouth and winking, earning another laugh from Rachelle.

"Well, listen," Rachelle began as I took a bite out of my mac and cheese, "Don't stress about it too much. If it isn't working it out then it isn't working out! We're 16 it's not the end of the world if you don't want to be with someone."

I looked at Rachelle gratefully, she's such a good friend.

"Thanks Rach I-" Before I could finish my sentence this scumbag of a human, Jason Ovard interrupted me.

"Yoooo, Rachelle, Madison!" The most annoying person on the face of the Earth exclaimed. I rolled by eyes.

"It's Marina, actually." I tried to explain but Jason just ignored me, turning all his attention to Rachelle.

"Free base this Saturday! It's gonna be live! Oh and Makayla," He said finally turning to me, while putting one of his meaty hands on my shoulder, "Invite all your other friends too, kay? Great!" He gave one last 'whoop' before walking away to some other group of 'hot girls'.

My whole body cringed. "Ew, I hate that guy, what a dick. He'll only talk to a girl if he thinks they're 'hot' and he only talks to me because he knows I actually have other friends who don't go to this shitty school!" I exclaim, my anger getting the best of me. Rachelle pouted and grabbed a hold of my hands over the grey, plastic lunch tables.

"It's okay Marina, you don't need some douche and a half to tell you you're pretty, I already know you are! Believe me!" I gave Rachelle a huge smile and squeezed her hands.

"We don't even have to go to his party, you could come over and we could just watch movies and eat pizza!" Rachelle continued.

"I love you so much Rachelle," I gushed, "But it's ok we can go, I know how much you love partying and we haven't been to one in a while. It'll be good once I invite everyone, plus his house is basically a mansion!" I laughed.

"Ok love," Rachelle giggled, "But if you change your mind don't let me be the one to make you feel like you have to go!"

I whipped out my phone and texted everyone I knew.

Marina: party on sat at 36 bernadotte drive
Marina: invite everyone u know and bring drinks and loud it's gonna be liveee