Salted Wound

Chapter 27- Oct 22

Anastacia

The air is finally starting to get breezy and I get to wear my cardigan for the first time this semester. I sit by the tree with Esme talking about our Calc notes and homework. Midterms just ended a couple of weeks ago and Mrs. Allen still wants to test our knowledge for the millionth time. I don't mind math that much. It's always been my best subject, but this teacher loves to pull some random shit and I am frightened to see the final.

    "Is this due today or tomorrow?" Esme asks.

    "I think tomorrow, but I wanted to get it done beforehand so I don't have to worry about it later," I say throwing my binder in my backpack.

    "I want to be like you when I grow up," she jokes and I chuckle.

    I check the time and we have 20 minutes before we have to go to class. Noah, Naomi, and Dante went to the cafeteria to get breakfast and Freddie is nowhere to be found.

    "Where's Freddie?" I ask looking around the field.

    "He said he should be here in a bit. Ellie was taking a while so he was running late," Esme mentions his sister.

    "Oof. That's tough," I say.

    "Yes. She's getting to that age," she mentions.

    "True. Anyways, he's here," I say pointing to the entrance. Freddie comes in in a grey turtleneck and some khaki shorts. How does that even work? We wait for him to walk over to us and he takes his sweet ass time.

    "You are not going to believe what happened this weekend!" He screams when he reaches the grass. Esme and I look at each other wondering what crazy story he's gonna tell.

    "Good morning to you too, Freddie," I say showing a peachy smile.

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. So how was homecoming?" He asks.

    "It was a night to remember," I say looking at Esme. I told her all the "chisme" that happened at my house after we got home. I still have to tell the rest of them but I don't know when. Maybe in a bit, since we are all here.

    "I thought you were going to go," Esme says.

    "See, I was, but there was an inconvenience," he says raising his eyebrows and smoldering his face.

    "Which was?" I ask trying to get to the point. He's about to speak when I see the familiar faces walking behind Freddie. Noah puts his finger on his lip and scurries his way behind Freddie and picks him up like a child. Freddie shrieks and tossels in Noah's hands. Dante and Naomi burst into laughter and Esme and I giggle watching the torment.

    "You're bigger than me, that's not fair!" Freddie complains. Noah puts him down and they make their way to the table.

    "Anyways, what was the thing you were going to tell us?" I ask.

    "Oh! Well, I texted Jade and was like 'Hey, girl, wanna hang out today?' and she was like 'Pick me up at 7:30,' and so I did and we went out to a movie and had some Chinese and made out a little in my car." He finishes with a proud face.

    Dante rolls his eyes already knowing this is just another fantasy. "That's full of shit, Freddie."

    "I'm not lying! It actually happened!" He exclaims.

    "I swear you mentioned a story like that the night of the sleepover," Noah says. Freddie's face flushes.

    "Probably. I don't remember much about that night to begin with. But I swear I was with Jade. Okay, maybe it was not the theater or fancy Chinese food. It was more like Netflix and Chinese takeout," he says looking up at the sky.