Write Me A Letter

04 | over

CHAPTER FOUR | O V E R

"YO, BRIE! PAULA! COME ON OVER."

Paula was the first one to recover. She looked at her, eyes wide and breath suspended as Brie tried to process what was going on.

Okay. Simon was calling them. She got that figured out. Okay. Xander was there with Izzy. No, scratch that. Xander with Izzy wasn't okay. Not at all.

"We can just eat outside." Paula jutted her chin toward the school garden exposed to the inside through a sliding glass door. "It's a nice day and the breeze is cool."

Paula was right. Today was pretty - warm sunrays and puffy clouds dotted the vast blue sky. She wanted to run outside and hug a tree, but she was couldn't move. Her body was still recovering from the sight of her first love and the girl he likes.

"Guys." Simon suddenly came up to them with a huge grin on his face. His forehead was sweaty, and he smelled faintly of cheap coffee. Brie kept her arms to her sides. She wanted to punch someone or cry. Or better yet, punch someone and cry.

"What took you so long? Xander has something to tell us and we've all been waiting for the both of you."

Were they? She looked at their table, the one at the right corner of the cafeteria, right beside the water fountain. A table they stole from a group of freshmen at the beginning of the school year. It was a good memory. On the same day, Xander wrapped her in a quick side hug. Nothing special to him, probably. But it was a solid and golden memory to Brie. It was the first time she felt the infamous tingle that could be brought by significant feelings. It started at her shoulder where the palm of his skin touched her, and then, it traveled to her fingertips. She could remember how her eyes went wide at the sensation. She looked up at him then, but he was busy laughing at Simon who was hugging the table.

Now, though. Their group of seven has now grown to eight. All thanks to the smiling brunette who seemed to have caught everyone's hearts. None of them looked like they were waiting for her and Paula. Jean, Troy, and Ollie were all enamored; laughing at Izzy's waving hands and animated face.

Gee. To think Brie already succumbed herself to sleepless nights because of that lame side hug.

"We're gonna eat outside," Paula said, grabbing her arm. Her tone was higher than usual. Brie closed her eyes. "I kinda like the weather today and wouldn't want to miss it."

Simon's dark blue eyes rolled. Brie wanted to protest when he began pulling at her sleeves. No! Gosh, please no. "Come on. Xander has some cool news."

"Can you please stop pulling her," Paula said, latching onto Brie's other arm. She looked like a toddler, sandwiched between two young, bickering parents. "We wanna eat outside."

Simon looked at Brie. "Do you?"

"Um."

Stupid. Brie wasn't exactly a public speaker nor a writer who could formulate words cohesively, but she was at least an okay human being who was old enough to submit five-page essays. So why was her ability to speak suddenly unavailable?

A grin appeared on Simon's face, he began to pull at her arm again. "Cool."

Oh, she was anything but cool.

As they got closer to the table filled with trays and bags, all Brie could think about was Xander and Izzy together. They looked cute in a high school, romance, teen movie kind of way.

A hot chick falling in love with an equally gorgeous student slash basketball player. If Brie was the lead, she probably wouldn't have been cute enough to be paired with Xander. She was better off as the side-kick or the random girl who accidentally bumps into the male lead before he finds his girl.

They were almost there. Just a few more steps. Oh my god. Xander looked up from whispering something in Izzy's ear that made her giggle. Her throat tightened, and she quickly looked away when their eyes met.

It was too much and all too soon.

Paula leaned into her, voice low enough for just the both of them. "Are you sure about this? We can always Vin Diesel away from here."

An image of Paula riding her hot pink Vespa came into her mind and she quickly shook her head. "Cute, but I'm good. I got this."

"Really, I'll just grab my--"

She sighed. "Paula, please." Please, stop. Please, they can hear you. Please, I just wanna go home.

"Yo, ladies!" It was Jean who scooted over to give them space. Paula watched Brie as she sat down, eyes cautious and weary.

Jean's bracelets clinked together - an assortment of gold and plastic bangles in every color available. They slid along her petite arm, and the movement made Brie even dizzier. "What took ya so long?"

"Uh." She managed a laugh. It was a bit squeaky and phlegmy. The table turned quiet and she could feel all their eyes on the side of her face that was starting to glow red. Brie cleared her throat, cleared it three times more before she managed a quiet, "just had something to do."

Two seconds of agonizing silence passed. And then, poof. Just like that, they turned their attention back to Izzy and they were all laughing again. She let out an exhale, sagging against her seat. She didn't know if she should be relieved or not. At least, they were no longer staring at her but it felt like shit when it was Izzy who stole all her friends' attention.

A swift kick to her purple Chucks made her lookup. Paula was looking at her, brow raised and a mouth full of Ollie's mashed potato. You okay?

Yes.

She wanted to say that Paula looked stupid mouthing words, but then she knew they'd hear. She wanted to go home. Why was Izzy even here?

"Guys." All heads turned to Xander and Brie's throat tightened when she saw the smile that grew on Izzy's pretty face. Oh no.

The loud buzz of the cafeteria was suddenly muted in her ears. Paula kicked her foot again. Jean's bracelet's clinked louder. Simon let out a hoot. Troy and Ollie laughed. Brie? Oh, she wanted to go home and dive head-first into her pillow and cry until the year was over.

Xander rolled his eyes. Brown irises alight with mischief and glee, cheeks tainted pink. And she knew, god, Brie knew before he even got to open his mouth.

Brie's heart already broke even before the words left his lips - a pair that she'd never, ever get to touch.

She knew. She knew. She knew.

"We're together now."

She knew.