petrichor

Confessions

Lena

Again, why am I always so early? she thought. Lena looked at the time on her phone, it was still fifteen minutes to six, but here she is, waiting for her other friends to come all thanks to her parents. When she told them, she had plans to go out on Friday at six, they were surprisingly okay with it, in fact, they insisted driving her to the restaurant Pandora told them to meet up at. "Have fun." Her dad said.

While waiting, Lena thought about why Pandora suddenly called for an emergency meetup outside the weekly support group meetings, moreover, she only invited the WILDCATS group. She tried to ask her friend at school yesterday, but Pandora didn't answer.

"Hey, why did you suddenly told us to meet each other all of a sudden," Lena asked, "I mean, I've no problem with it or anything, but like, why?"

Hmm, it won't be fair to the others if I tell you first," Pandora replied diplomatically, "you gotta wait 'til tomorrow."

Upon hearing that, Lena really thought that she had to wait for tomorrow---or today to come, until Amanda, or Manda accidentally told her about it. She shared gym class with her and they were sitting on the bleachers, when Manda said, "I really don't understand how Pandora can look so happy after what happened to Luke," she sighed, "I mean, I would've been scarred."

Lena frowned in confusion, she didn't know anyone named Luke in school, "Huh? Luke who?" she asked, "Uh, her boyfriend, duh."

"Wait, Pandora has a bf?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, wait..." Manda placed a hand over her mouth and looked at Lena, "you didn't know that yet? I thought she already told you at some point."

Lena shook her head, "No, what about him anyway?" Manda glanced to the left and right, as if making sure no one was listening and leaned in closer to Lena, "He killed himself." she whispered. Lena was stunned, the story of Pandora having a significant other was shocking enough, but with that extra information, "Well that escalated quickly." she finally said.

Manda took a sip of her drink, "I'm surprised she hasn't told you though, because it's been like, well not quite, but quite a while ago I guess."

Maybe if Lena had been a different person, she would've been angry that Pandora didn't tell her about this thing sooner, but her friend had kept the secret so well from her and the whole school that she found herself not really minding it. And like, maybe she needs to see if she can trust me first. Lena theorized.

"But like, don't tell her I told you that already," Manda warned, "she prefers to keep this thing a secret. Like for real, I didn't even know she was close with that guy until she called me saying she's officially not single." Lena nodded in agreement. Ah, I think I know why Pandora called us all in all of a sudden. "Yeah, okay." she told Manda.

Lena couldn't believe that a person as cheerful looking as Pandora could be hiding a major burden inside herself, and she kept it away from everyone so carefully. She tried to remember the last time Pandora looked hurt, probably seldom, she was always smiling and laughing along with the others, it didn't look to Lena that she was grieving. She probably cries when she's alone when no one's looking.

She looked at the time again, five minutes, she thought she would've to wait another minute for anyone else to come, but then Natasha came in. At six pm sharp, came in Riley and Talia somehow at the same time, and then fifteen minutes later, Riley came in. "Sorry guys, I was doing some work." she apologized. Finally, everyone was here.

Pandora

Everyone had finished eating, their plates gathered at the center of the table. It had been a good time, they told each other what happened with their lives, Natasha told them she'd be joining a writing competition, Riley told them a story (read: gossip) she overheard on campus, and they laughed over some jokes together. Pandora sighed, she had to tell them now.