Boys & Bikes

Chapter 6

The school bell rings, signaling the end of class. I scurry out of the room and tap Esmé on the shoulder abruptly. She pivots on one foot, wide-eyed as if nervous. She sees that it's me and her expression relaxes and then she smiles.

"Hey," I speak before she can. "Could you- Could you tell me about what you were starting yesterday before you had to go?"

Her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised in an irked manner, before releasing a drawn-out sigh. She looks up at me, "He was just a jerk, that's all. We didn't click." There is something about the way she spoke that I didn't trust. Why couldn't she just tell me honestly what happened between them? It's not like I'm gonna tell someone. I just want to know. Esmé glances at her feet before looking back up at me.

"Anyways," she changes the subject, abruptly. "I gotta go to the library to get a book for Spanish. See you later!". She turns around and hurries away suspiciously. Why does she get so uncomfortable talking about Willem? So what they used to date? I text Andrea asking where she is and she tells me to come to the cafeteria. I sit down with her.

"Andrea, what's up with Esmé?" I ask in a hushed tone, as if Esmé could be around and listening.

Andrea leans in like I'm telling her a secret, "What do you mean?". She takes a giant bite of a sandwich, pink sprinkles slipping out and bouncing off the table.

"Well, you know, with Willem?" I prod. "Obviously something went down between them!"

"All I know is that she got "mistreated"" Andrea airquotes. "I don't even know what that means  but I wouldn't ask if I were you. She doesn't talk about it and you don't wanna get on her bad side"

I'm silent for a second before speaking, "So- So does that mean I can't go for him?"

"I'm sure you can," Andrea shrugs. "Esmé won't tell us how she feels so I wouldn't know. Oh! By the way, there's a party on Saturday at Dylan's. We're meeting at Esmé's. Get ready with us, 'kay? Maybe you and Willem could hook up!"

I gulp at the thought.

"I'll check with my parents" I smile.

***

I ring the doorbell. I hear a chime vibrate throughout the large, double-doored house looming over me. Soon enough, Andrea peers her head out the door and embraces me in a hug.

"Come on in!" she cries. She's dressed in an overly sized Nantucket t-shirt. I wonder if she's wearing that to the party. I follow her up the carpeted, creaking stairs to a bathroom at the end of a long, narrow hallway. The white tiled floor feels cold on my feet as I pad over to the mirror where Esmé and Abby are gathered. Post Malone blasts out through a bluetooth speaker as Abby jams out to it, the most I've seen her let loose ever. They greet me hello and continue applying their makeup.

"Andrea, get dressed, we have to go soon!" Esmé whines. She's wearing a white bodysuit with black lowrise jeans and some vans. Abby is dressed in a checkered tube top, shorts and... crocs. Other than the monstrosities on her feet, she looks gorgeous. I take off my long jacket to reveal my red tube top and black jeans.

"Cute fit" Andrea smiles and Esmé hums in agreement as she continues her mascara application. "I'll be right back"

I squeeze myself next to Abby so I can see myself in the mirror too and begin my eye makeup. I turn to look at Abby who's eyeshadow is extremely gorgeous.

"Whoa, Abby, who did your eyes?" I gasp. "It's so pretty!"

"Thanks," she shyly smiles. "Did it myself actually"