How To Be Beautiful.

The One where they said enough.

"You ok?" Asked Zack, as he came to stand next to me in the parking lot. "I don't know," I admitted with a shrug, taking my eyes off my phone screen."It'll be okay," He said with a smile.

"How would you know that?" I asked. "If it's meant to be, who are you to stop it?" He replied with a shrug.

"Senna wants to meet." I said, motioning to the text she sent me a few minutes ago.

"Why?" He asked, reading the text over my shoulder, and I shrugged, not knowing what this was all about.

"Ask her when and where?" And I did as I was told to get an immediate reply asking if I was free tomorrow after school. "Tell her you'll see her then." Nodded Zack, keeping up with the sequence of texts from his position over my shoulder.

"What would she possibly want from me?" I asked, shoving the phone back into my pocket, as we leaned on one of the few cars still in the parking lot. "You'll find out tomorrow." He said simply, "You're of no use when I need to rant," I chuckled.

"If I throw topics in the air, you'd die of anxiety," He smiled. "True that," I nodded.

"You should really try and ask before throwing your opinions on people," He smiled.

"I didn't throw anything on him," I cried a little too loud, getting frustrated by the accusations. "Then why is he acting like that?" He asked, completely oblivious to our little episode back in the bathroom earlier in the day.

"I freaking asked him if he liked her, and told him I wouldn't mind if he dated her," I repeated what I said to the girls. "More like I wouldn't have the right to mind it." I shrugged.

"You know, sometimes we think we're helping someone, but we might not be that far from hurting them instead." He said. "Just," He added. "Give yourself some time to observe your counterpart and try to understand where they're coming from."

"It's not like we can keep this one-sided misery going on for life," I shrugged, not knowing what else to say to that.

"Maybe it wouldn't be such misery if you gave him a chance," He shrugged. "As if," I gave out a pitiful chuckle.

"Funny, you all keep saying that, but here I am standing with you in a parking lot when he is probably off somewhere with his soon to be girlfriend."

"I can't compare to her, Zack," I cried with a sad smile. "Look at me!"

I know they don't like me diving into my episodes of self-pity and hatred, but I couldn't help it if that's how I'm feeling!

"It's not about how you are, Claire. It's about who you are." He sighed. "And you're great. You're just too scared to let yourself out there for a reason still unknown to me!"

"I don't know how to believe you, but I appreciate it." I smiled at the guy. "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked. He was supposed to be riding with Adam today, but I see no Adam in sight.

"Nothing, just came to check on you." He shrugged. "I heard you and Zee got into an argument." and I smiled at him in appreciation. "Thank you,"
"What about you?" He asked. "Where are the girls?"

"Didn't wanna face Zayna so soon, so I called Amy to pick me up on her way home." I explained. "Good, I've been meaning to call her for quite some time now, so might as well say hi." He nodded.

"Speak of the devil." I chuckled as I saw her bright red Honda pull into the parking lot.

She pulled up in front of us, getting out of the car to hug Zack who gladly accepted it with open arms, "It's been so long," She said excitedly as they broke the hug.

"Too long," He chuckled, "I feel like we went nowhere this summer." She shook her head.

"Yeah, it went by too fast," He nodded, giving her a warm smile. "How are Niall and Max?" He asked.

"Max has grown so much over the summer. He might be as tall as I am in a few months," She chuckled. "Ask Claire. She can't hold him up anymore." She chuckled as I nodded in agreement.

"That's why I never wanna have a pet. They grow way too fast." I shook my head.

"And how is Niall doing?" He asked. "How long has it been since he came home?" He added.

"Two years!" She exclaimed as he nodded in agreement. "That guy moved away. The next day, he forgot all about his family, I swear!" She chuckled.

"And that my friend is how Europe can change a person." He said sarcastically.

"He's not coming back anytime soon?"

"He says he would, but nothing is decided yet." She shrugged.

"Not gonna lie Zack, the house has been pretty empty after he moved." She sighed.

I nodded in agreement. It hasn't been the easiest couple of years since Alex moved to New York for college, so I understand how she may be feeling, with her only sibling all the way across the ocean in pretty Europe. But I still think it was one of the reasons we grew closer, with the absence of our siblings and the loneliness we must have felt. "You ready?" Asked Amy as the conversation came to a halt.

I nodded yes, waving goodbye to the guy standing in front of me. "I'll see you later." I smiled.

"Do you need a ride?" She asked Zack as she stood by the driver's seat. "Nah, Adam will probably be out in a few, don't worry." He shook his head, motioning back to the school door where Adam would be emerging.

She nodded, getting into the driver's as I buckled my seat belt. "You know, sooner or late, you gonna have to learn how to drive!" She exclaimed, starting the car, before speeding into the empty street. "Not if I have you," I shrugged with a smile, as she shot me an 'Are you series' look.

"I'll try to get my license by the end of the year," I offered, hoping that would shut her up. "Good,"

"So, why am I picking you up?" She asked as she looked at me through the rearview mirror. "I kinda had a small argument with Zee, and I didn't wanna force myself on her just yet," I explained vaguely.

"What happened?" Her eyes back on the road.

"Nothing much," I said, tired of repeating the same stuff over and over again. I think I'll just do a podcast and name it Claire's adventures. "I kinda asked Adam if he liked Senna and that I wouldn't mind it if he liked her, and now he is acting weird, and everyone is mad at me, saying I am being stupid!" I explained.

"Mmmm," She hummed.

"So they already scolded you enough?" She asked, "Pretty much," I replied, my eyebrows arched up in confusion.

"Okay then," She simply nodded.

"You're not gonna say anything." I asked, confused by her peaceful reaction.

"I'm sure they said enough." She shrugged, her eyes never leaving the road.

"I just wanted to be a good friend and show him that I support him no matter what," I said, annoyed by her silence. At least the last three told me what they thought!

"Could have been done with a bag of chips!" She argued.

And I had no idea how to answer that, so I just stayed quiet for the rest of the ride home.