Maraschino 🍒 (gxg)

8

The sun was still burning bright outside when Chelsea's free period was over. The students were allowed to spend their time how they wanted after classes -- hang out in the rec hall, attend extracurriculars -- as long as they stayed on school grounds. After the frustrating encounter with mystery girl, Chelsea decided to grab her board and skate around to clear her head.

She changed out of her uniform into her usual t-shirt and ripped jeans before heading back out. Of course, Carlie was still nowhere to be found, so that meant Manny and Stephanie were either hanging out with her, or doing their own thing. She was starting to feel left out.

There was a winding path right outside her dorm building that wiggled and curved all the way back around the school grounds in one big circle, hitting all of the main buildings on the way. She decided to take the long way around the school; she plugged in her earbuds and started rolling.

She kept her head down and out of other students' directions as much as she could. The point of going on this ride was to clock out and forget the stress of school, so she didn't feel like giving anyone her attention and mistaking it as an invitation to talk.

She was rounding the library when she saw a flash from the corner of her eye. She stopped and turned, taking an earbud out of one ear.

Carlie was standing before the front doors, one of the doors slowly closing behind her. She was fiddling with one of the buttons on her shirt, trying to balance the books in her arms while doing so. She moved the wrong way and all of her books fell to the ground, and she made an exasperated face as she bent down to retrieve them.

As much as Chelsea wanted her solitude, she'd already stopped and was watching. She figured she might as well help, and maybe get an answer as to where the hell she's been the whole week.

"Chelsea?" asked Carlie, surprised, like she would never expect her to be walking around campus.

"Yeah? I was skating by and saw you drop your stuff." Chelsea handed one of the books to her.

Suddenly, her face blanched, her black eyeliner in contrast with her pale skin. "You walked by just now?"

"Yeah... what's up? Why are you at the library?"

"Nothing... nothing. I was getting lessons from Mr. Rowley."

Chelsea looked down the path; ahead of them, walking towards the admin building, was Mr. Rowley, one of the Economics teachers. He was one of the younger teachers at the school; Carlie had told her he was a TA just last year, but managed to land a position at the academy right away. It also might have helped that he was eye candy to the girls here -- and to some of the other teachers, too.

"Don't tell the girls I was getting lessons, though," she said dismissively. She'd sounded paranoid, but her tone lifted. "I'd never hear the end of it. They'd make fun of me for being stupid. I'm having a panic attack right now just thinking about it." She fanned herself in a mocking way, and Chelsea noticed the sweat building on her forehead and shaky hands.

"I won't tell them, but are you feeling alright? You look like you're about to vom."

"I think it was something I ate earlier, really tearing up my stomach. Anyway." Carlie derailed the train of thought, reaching into her shirt and pulling out a carton of cigarettes. She handed about three or four to Chelsea. "I meant to give you a couple. I had some extras."

Distantly, Chelsea took them. Since when do people hand out free cigs? "Thanks, I guess."

Carlie smiled. "Cool." Then turned, walking up the path in the same direction Mr. Rowley took. "For real, though, don't tell the girls. See ya later!"