"The Cut"

Chapter Five- The Golden Goose

After the bell rang, Bailey ran to the ladies' locker room to grab her full cheer uniform. It was in desperate need of a thorough cleaning. She ran so fast to meet Grace in the parking lot, she nearly trampled Carson, who was exiting the door simultaneously.

"Whoah...", Carson yelped with her hands up and Bailey halted.

"Hey. Sorry, I was in a rush. We're heading to Starbuck's."

"Yes, I know that, Fucktwit. You invited me, remember?" She gave Bailey a crooked sneer.

"Oh, duh. Right. I forgot. So, you're on your own still? When are the rents coming back from their trip to Chicago?"

"Who in the hell knows?" Carson rolled her eyes, and toyed with her keychain anxiously.

"Wow. They seem to be gone a lot lately."

Even Bailey was well aware that Carson's folks were practically phantoms. They were much more involved when they'd first moved to Fairview. In more recent months, they treated Carson as though she'd already gone off to college.

The "adult" treatment meant lots of alone time, which usually resulted in trouble for her best friend.

Bailey knew deep down that it was more of an attention plea on Carson's part.

"Yeah, they definitely have been." Carson replied. "Dad is just about to wrap up with a few other brokers and the firms have been holding more 'last minute' conferences than usual. He has some November deadline. Not that it makes a difference to me. They don't give a shit, even when they are here. I'm the invisible girl, remember?"

She grimaced as she plucked fictitious lintballs off of her pleated cheer skirt.

"Oh, I don't think that you're quite 'the invisible girl'." She gestured with air quotes.

"You're wearing Golden Goose shoes on your feet, and your studs are one and a half carats from Tiffany's. You're not exactly hurting, my friend." Bailey quipped.

Carson examined her bright white and gold cheer shoes. They were exceptionally expensive and she loved her accessories, but driving a GS-F series and having a wardrobe most teenagers would lie, cheat or steal for didn't mean she felt an ounce of love from either parent.

They were equally selfish and lacked empathy; over the years they'd become nauseatingly co-dependent.

And, sadly, they believed money was comparable to love, which was never enough for Carson. She yearned for more.

She felt withdrawn most days beneath her false exterior, and the closest things she had to family besides her ever-absent parents were Chase and Snoop.

Carson shrugged.

"It's whatever. When they're gone, at least they're not up my ass about which college I'm going to attend. That's all they've been spewing about for the last three months. Be glad you're only a junior, Bail." she sighed.

Bailey grumbled with a toss of her hair. "Pshh. Yeah. I am eternally grateful that I get to hang out with these douches for another year." She gestured toward an invisible audience.

"Well, it may be better than hanging out with a whole new group of douches like I will be in the fall!" Carson responded with a hint of pessimism.

Bailey laughed. "Yeah, well, at least the guys will be hotter. I'm going to visit you every weekend."

"Every weekend? Kind of like your intent to visit Brooke every weekend when she went away to college?" Carson said. She couldn't see it. Bailey and her big sister, Brooke, were once so close.