One Letter Away

Sleepover with the SLC

Who could this anonymous admirer be? Could this person be Alex? The most handsome guy in school who makes all the girls drool and stare. Am I this lucky girl? Are we going to be holding hands in the hallway while everyone screams "Goals." But what about my friends? What about the SLC. God damn it, Emma! Please stop overreacting.

I packed my bags with all the Saturday morning clothes I could find. My style is very simple and it's not-so-girly, so everything in my drawers and closet is not everything it should be for a girl like me. My mom tries to tell me to wear more girly things so I can get more guys to look my way but I keep telling her that I'm part of the SLC. I also like wearing over-sized long sleeve shirts. It's basically my "weekend" appearance.

"Do you really have to go again?" Logan asked standing at my door. Logan is my 14-year-old brother who is always wondering where I'm going. If he catches me sneak out the house so I can go to a party, I have to pay him $15 to keep his mouth shut. He's used to me being at home so he can brag at his friends saying that he has the hottest sister in the world.

"Yes Logan." I answered. "I always sleepover at Zoey's."

"Even though you're only gonna be gone for a couple days but I'm still gonna miss you."

"Yea right." I scoffed.

"So what are you guys gonna do?" he asked.

"Probably gossip, eat junk food all day; maybe watch a couple movies while we're at it."

"Sounds like fun for a girl sleepover."

"Yea it's gonna be fun." I reached out of my backpack and grabbed the letter. I'm still wondering if Alex put that letter in my locker. I might as well take it with me so that I can look at it every now and then to remember what it's like to have love again. A sound from outside fills my ears. Sounds like a car horn. I walked over to the window to see who it was. It was Zoey, along will Riley, Valentina, and Kayla all sitting in the backseat when Zoey's in the driver's seat. They all waited impatiently for me to come out the house. I packed the last of my clothes and threw my iPhone and charger inside along with them.

"That's my ride." I said putting the letter in my overnight travel bag and picking it up.

"See ya." Logan said, waving his hand in the air as I walked out the room.

"See ya, Logan."

I ran out the room and into the living room to get to the door.

"Hey, no running in the house." yelled Mom pointing at me.

"Sorry, Mom," I apologized. "Bye guys."

"Bye sweetheart." said Dad, drinking his coffee while reading the newspaper. Who still reads the newspaper these days? That's why they invented television. I almost tripped over my Van's as I ran down to down the steps just to get to the car. I ran to the other side of the car and opened the door. I laid down my bag on the floor and simultaneously jumped in. Why am I acting so impatient. Probably because I can't wait to spend my weekend with the Single Ladies Club. Just don't let them know what you've found in your locker, Emma.

"Looks like someone can't wait to spend some time with us." Zoey said, pulling the gear lever and turning the steering wheel.

"It's Single Ladies Weekend." I said.

"Yea and that means we get to talk about how Anna Parker needs to be in the SLC." said Kayla.

"So who dumped who?" asked Valentina.

"Alex dumped Anna." answered Riley. I didn't say anything because I don't wanna accidentally come out and say that Alex is my secret admirer.

"We're gossiping already and we're not even at my house yet." said Zoey making a left turn.

"We've got more things to do Zoey." said Kayla.

"Oh, like eat junk food all day and get fat." said Riley. Riley is always the one to make the jokes; especially Valentina. I think the two should be stand up comedians.

"It's better than staying at home while group chatting the SLC." said Valentina.

After driving and flaming each other in the car, we all started to do each other's makeup in Zoey's room. We all used to tell each other that we're all beautiful without makeup. We'd always dance around the room naked while admiring each other's bodies.

"Hold still." said Riley, clipping my eyebrows with tweezers.

"It hurts." I exclaim. I'm not so used to someone clipping my eyebrows.

"All right, just one more.... and done." She pulled the tweezers away from my face.

"Thank god." I sighed.

"You look like a goddess." said Kayla.

"I do?"

"You look beautiful, Emma." said Riley. She's so sweet. She tells me that everyday so I wouldn't have to be ashamed of myself saying that I look ugly. Every girl does that.

"Thanks Riley."

"All right, enough with the sweet talk." said Valentina. "Now it's time for the blush." Blush? I've already blushed so hard about like 2 hours ago.

"It's in my bag, " I gestured at my vacation bag. We'd always use each other's makeup and say that we ran out of it so that we can go to a party or something. Last weekend we stole Riley's mom's makeup. She wears a lot of it anyway. I'm surprised she isn't on Ru Paul's Drag Race even though she's a woman.

"Uh... what is this?" asked Valentina. She pulled out the letter. Oh shit, I forgot I put it in there. What are they gonna say?

"Oh, that's nothing." I said as I walked up to her trying to get the letter, but she pulled her hand back.

"Friends don't keep secrets." she said opening the letter.

"Don't read that!"

"Read it out loud." said Zoey.

"'Roses are red, violets are blue. They're both beautiful and so are you. '" she read out loud. Oh my god, they know. They know about my secret admirer, well... not that secret.

"Who's that from?" asked Kayla looking at me. I looked down at my knotted fingers afraid to tell them who it was from. Should I tell them? Should I not? What should I do? What's going to happen? You're being ridiculous, Emma.

"Alex." I murmured. There I said it. Happy now, Emma? They all looked at me and dropped their jaws in shock.

"Alex Carter?" asked Zoey. "The most popular guy in school?"

"The guy who dumped Anna Parker?" asked Kayla.

"Wait, you're not gonna go out with him are you," asked Valentina. I don't even know the answer to that question, so I came up with one word.

"No." I answered. They all sighed in relief.

"Thank god." sighed Kayla. "Thought you were gonna leave the Single Ladies Club." I hate the thought of leaving the club. What else am I supposed to do? Chat with my boyfriend while my acquaintances gossip about me after kicking me out of the group chat? I don't think so.

"No, I would never leave you guys." I said taking Riley's hand. I turned over to look at her. She looked down at her knotted fingers while she played with her fingernails. What's wrong with her?

"Riley, are you okay?" I asked. She looked up at me and smiled. Looks like a fake smile.
 
"I'm fine." she said. I tend to believe her because we'd always tell each other what's going on and how we're gonna help each other. She's fine so we're good. But what about this letter? Alex came up some good thinking putting all the hearts into the letter. I should tell him next time to pick rose petals. I am glad my friends think that I'm not leaving the SLC. I don't want to, it's just that I've found myself in a very hard decision. Friends or love?