alone | noen eubanks

4

                                      Scarlett's POV
Lyra leads me through the hall to a bathroom on the other side of school. I know my mom isn't gonna be home when the school calls so I'll just delete that incase she wants to be moody. This isn't my first time skipping nor smoking in school so I wasn't scared. I used to do it by myself all the time, now I had a potential friend with me.

"No security guard ever checks these bathrooms. They're the bathrooms everyone's goes to do stuff." Lyra says as we enter the girls bathroom.

"What type of stuff?" I ask, stupid question. I already knew the answer.

"Sex, drugs all that jazz." She laughs a little.

Lyra opens her bag and pulls out a baggie filled with buds. She rolled up two and gave me one.

"Cheers." She said and lit up mines than hers.
We spent the next hour and thirty minutes getting high.

I felt so peaceful.

"Do you ever wonder what's the point of feelings." Lyra says while looking at the roof.

I close my eyes, it helps me think. "Not really. I don't think I'll ever find love." I giggle.

"What's so funny." She giggles too, we burst into laughter, grabbing each other's arms for support to not fall over.

I regain my balance  and shush her, placing my finger over her lips. "Listen."

We quiet down, there's distant moaning. "Oh my god someone's getting laid in the boys bathroom." She starts laughing like crazy.

I join in. After a while, we calm down. The bell rings signaling lunch. There's two lunch periods and we have the first one together.

We walk out arms linked together. "Fuck I'm hungry." Lyra says, I nod.

I can barely make out anything so I let Lyra guide us as she's obviously used to this.

We arrive at the lunch area and we sit at a table.
"I'll go get us snacks from the vending machine." Lyra walks away.

I close my eyes and begin to think.

"Scarlett?" A voice says breaking my concentration, I open my eyes and look in the direction. Noen.

"Noen, how are you." I say. He eyes me.

"You're high." His voice trails off, he sits down next to me.

"Please don't get mad dad." I laugh, he rolls his eyes.

"Hey look it's Noen." Lyra says dropping atleast $10 worth of snacks in the table. "If you're here for snacks you better contribute. Scarlett's the only exception." She places her hands on her hips.

"Whatever." Noen says. "Next time just text me that you're okay."

"You're not my mom." I shoot back.

"Yeah well you're mom told me watch out for you so." He says and folds his arm.

Lyra walks up to me and grabs me protectively. "She has me, your job is done. Now shoo." Lyra says to him.

"Yeah I don't need you to babysit me anymore." I say sobering up. We aren't even real friends.

He rolls his eyes and walks away.

"Well that was instense. Are you still gonna come to my party?" Lyra says opening a bag of chips and giving me candy.

"Yeah." I say taking it and stuffing my mouth, she hands my her phone to put my number in.

The last two periods went by in a breeze. My high disappeared by the end of third period. I had math then french with Noen. We practically ignored
each other as if we didn't know each other, correction we didn't know eachother. Our parents know each other.

I hop on my school bus back home and listen to music the way there.

I get home and do my math and french homework. By the time I finish I realize I've gotten a text from Lyra, it had her address and start time.

I begin to feel instant regret in agreeing to go.

I text Noen.

Noen🤡

im sorry for earlier
still down for the party?

N: No.

pls?

N: No.

damn so you really were just trying to be my friend
cuz my mom told you to be..?

N: At first no.

please just come to the party
we can talk & hang together
i wouldn't mind you as a friend tbh

N: I'll think about it.

text me by 7:30 if so
i'm not going without you

I begin to plan my outfit. My parents work late every single day, they're either working or traveling, no inbetween. Yesterday was one of the only days I've spent the entire day with my mom in a long time, not even when I was in the hospital she was there.

An hour went by, I kept checking my phone for a text from Noen, he sure takes his time.

I pick a black shirt with black shorts, I put on leg hardness to add to the look and wear my best chains. I'm going big but I won't stand out as much as it's all the same color. It's usually what I like to do. I apply a little bit of marscara and some lip gloss. I begin to braid my hair when the doorbell rings. I check the time, 7:04pm, who would be at the door.

I open it. Noen runs his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry too." He eyes my outfit. "I like it."

"Thanks. Come in I'm almost done." He sits on the couch while I sit at the mirror and continue braiding my hair.

I leave a few lose strands in the front too outline my face, Noens also wearing an all black outfit.

"It looks like we're matching." I laugh a little.

"Yeah you're right. We should take pictures." He says.

"Wait we're missing something." I say. I grab my eye liner and go to Noen.

His eyes widen. "If you're trying to make me emo I swear." He laughs.

"No idiot." I grab his face in my hand and begin drawing under his right eye, I put a heart and fill in it. "Better."

I go to the mirror and do the same.

He looks at it in the mirror. "Cool."

We go to my backyard and begin taking pictures as the sun sets. I text Lyra that I'll be late but I'm still going.

"I'm going to post these to my instagram." Noen says and looks at me.

"Alright." Is all I say. "You don't have to tag me." He nods.

"Let's go." He gets up and I follow him out the door. It's already 8 o'clock and the sun is finishing setting.
I'm in a completely new state and all is going well. My past doesn't seem to haunt me as much now. I feel happier with my two new friends. Best friends. I smile at Noen. He looks back at me and smiles too.
I put my arm around his neck and pull him to walk closer. I could get used to having friends again.