𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ⇾𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘬

SEVEN :

⠠⠄⡐⠠⠁⠄✰☽⡐⠁⠠⡐⠄⠄

       My eyes scan the pink room. I had finally gathered the courage to talk to Sadie one on one. I keep searching struggling to find her before I hear her giggle. It's a very distinct sound.

"Hey, Red." I awkwardly say. She was talking to one of the girls on the Varsity team. They both turn to look up at me.

Red shuts her locker and adjusts her bow. She was trying her best not to look at me. "What's up?" She finally answers.

"Uh, I was just wondering if we could hang out or something?" I scratch my arm. I felt as if the awkward silence would consume us.

"I can't right now. We were about to go down to the arcade with the boys." Red dismisses me picking her bag off the floor.

I knew exactly what was happening. It was only the first day and she was already trying to distance herself from me. Of course, I couldn't make assumptions so quickly but it was pretty clear what was happening.

I nod my head.

Walking over to my locker feeling stupid for actually being upset. I twist the lock attempting to open it but instead, it refuses to open, I try again but it doesn't work. Out of frustration, I kick the locker and violently tug on the lock.

"Fucking piece of shit!" I pull on the lock harder on every word.

"Here let me help you." Someone comes out of the corner of the stacked up lockers. Startled I step back nearly falling over the bench behind me.

Carmen gives me a warm smile. Carmen was on the cheer team as well we have never really talked before but she's always been nice to me. She walks in front of me grabbing the lock. "Combination?"

I tell her my combination and she opens it effortlessly. Nodding with a proud smile she steps out of the way so I could grab my stuff. I grab my duffle bag and throw it over my shoulder.

"Hey, I heard all the girls are going to the arcade and Jackie actually invited me. Wanna come?" Carmen asks. Unsure I hesitate to answer.

"I don't know. I wasn't really invited." I shrug but Carmen rolls her eyes hooking her arm into mine.

"You're part of this team too. Plus you don't need an invite into public property. Let's go." She leads me out of the locker room.

We walk down the street passing multiple suburban houses when she lets go of my arm to tighten her ponytail.

"Were you and Sadie close?" Carmen's question shocks me.

I think for a second. I did see Red as my best friend but I'm not sure if she ever considered me to be that close to her.

"Umm kinda yeah. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I heard when she blew you off. And I was at the party last week. I saw what happened." She pauses for a second. "I hope I'm not intruding." Carmen stops to look at me waiting for my reaction.

I stop with her not really knowing how to react.

"No, you're good." I continue to walk and she follows quickly behind me. I cross my arms over my chest.

"Well, what Finn did was fucked up. I would have fucking socked him in the face." Carmen laughs.

We continue walking and cracking jokes. I was getting comfortable around her. She was quite a character.

Once we make it to the arcade the sun had already started to set. It had taken us an hour to get there not because it was far but because we had walked painfully slow as we talked.

Carmen opens the door allowing me to walk in first. She grabs my hand and skips to the counter.

"Hey, Babe." She speaks smoothly to the teenage boy behind the register. His cheeks flare-up. Carmen was beautiful and she knew it.

"Hey, Carmen. What can I do for you?" He attempted to play cool and leaned against the counter.

"Well, Lana and I were really in the mood for some cherry colas." The blue eyes boy smiles flashing his pearly white teeth. He nods quickly going to get us the sodas.

I smack Carmen's arm playfully in disbelief. "You are bad," I whisper to her before the boy returns.

"It's on the house?" The brunette bats her eyelashes knowing the answer.

"Only for you." He looks down. Carmen hands me the soda and guides me into the neon-lit room.

My eyes immediately met Red's and her smile falls when she sees us walk in. Instead of walking up to them, I pull Carmen over to an empty booth. She looks at me in confusion but still sits across from me.

"I don't think Sadie wants to be around me right now." I sip on the soda while I lay my head on my Palm.

"Do you think she's mad about the Finn thing?" She gasps and whispers like a middle school girl.

I didn't want to think that's why she may be mad but it made sense. She clearly was still annoyed with Finn but she had say with him today at lunch. And we were ok until today.

"I don't know maybe." I look up not allowing my eyes to get watery. It was stupid crying over some high school drama.

Looking back at my freshman and sophomore year it's funny seeing how insignificant I really was. Never in problems but never around friends. I guess it all goes hand in hand.

"That's fucking stupid. You said no and he still threw himself onto you." She runs her hands through her hair, "you see that's what I don't get," she points dramatically at me and continues, "why do girls always blame the girl when boys cheat? Like I'm sorry it takes two." She finishes off by taking a sip from her soda.

I nod in agreement. It's true. I told Finn no, he should have understood and backed off. Carmen's words really hit me. I felt like my anger towards Finn was unjustified but he had no right.

"That's so true. I shouldn't have to feel bad. I didn't do anything wrong." Carmen gave me a nod of encouragement.

Carmen looks behind me and smirks. In confusion, I turn to see what she's staring at and I see Red staring at us. She looked mad. Normally I'd feel uncomfortable, but for the first time, I didn't care.