Envy

II

Chad, one of the school's most honorable basketball players walked up to us in the lunchroom. He wore denim dark blue jeans. He also was wearing a red and white varsity, wool jacket with the letters CHS imprinted on the back with a basketball near the front pockets. His initials CB were on the front of the jacket with his graduating class' year on the left sleeve. Chad smiled at Sadie with his deep dimples showing and his perfectly lined, white teeth shining. His vibrant olive skin glowed as it touched the sunlight and his dreamy hazel, green eyes with dark limbal rings looked in awe. His dark brown eyebrows raised with curiosity as his dark brown almost black colored, corkscrew curls moved along with every motion he made. He was one of the most charismatic boys known to Columbian High School. Even his fellow teachers would never even think to write him up for detention no matter how much in the wrong he was.

He spoke in a deep, soft tone, " So, are you going to the hangout spot tonight?"

He was spiraling a basketball in one hand while resting the other at his side.
Sadie wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her t-shirt and then responded flatly, " I don't know. Might join my mom for her late friday night Zumba class."

Julia knew that Chad had no intention of acknowledging her presence. She never once thought that he was coming over to talk to her, it's always because of Sadie. Julia played what-if scenarios in her head. She was trying to envision herself in Sadie's shoes. She could not have fathomed how Sadie had been so calm and able to keep eye contact.

" Well, text me if you change your mind. You never know, there could be a surprise just waiting, " Chad said confidently.

Chad winked at Sadie and then strutted across the cafeteria, furthering the distance between the girls and himself.

"Sadie, you just blew him off, how rude?" Julia scolded.

Sadie glanced at Julia and then rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, your mom's Zumba class? That's the best excuse you could come up with? This is a party we are talking about!" Exclaimed Julia.

"And where exactly did you hear party? I heard hangout. He's just trying to get in the pants. Typical player move."

Julia sighed. She hated how harsh Sadie was on potential dates especially when she didn't have any reason to be. Sadie was always standoffish and cold which made the most-wanted guys fall so hard. Julia despised it because those same guys never paid mind to her but invested all of their energy into girls like Sadie who clearly weren't interested.

"Sad, you can tell he really has an interest in you. He's always liked you since the third grade, " said Julia softly.

And Julia always liked him. But she knew he would always choose Sadie. A tint of jealousy flashed on her red face

"No, you mean he's always like Kathy Bridgewater. I was just the rebound, " Sadie spatted at Julia.

Flashbacks flooded Julia's mind. She could vividly recall that noteable day when all of the kids in her grade were playing in the back of the elementary school , on the playground. Chad Brown confidently walked over to Sadie playing on the money bars with Julia watching her with awe. Julia always was a kid who never took risks. She was always so scared and frightful. Sadie on the other hand, was a daredevil and always drew outside of the lines while Julia frantically made sure she was in between them. Sadie was the leader of their group and Julia stood behind her waiting for the next best adventure she was planning to go on.

Chad's bright-colored brown eyes and his chubby cheeks glowed in the mid-afternoon sunlight. He was wearing a Tom and Jerry T-shirt with blue shorts. His naturally, curly hair was cut into a mohawk. He was Chad the adorable kid then not Chad the beautiful, greek looking god. He was holding a newly picked sunflower in his miniature hands and he had his stereotypical smile. All of the kids on the playground, looked immediately in his direction.

He bent down one knee, dramatically and questioned, "Sadie, Will you be my sugar plum queen, please?"

His two front baby teeth were missing and his voice was prepublescedntly high-pitched. Sadie looked him up and down like he was in a job interview and placed a serious look on her face. Julia knew that deep down inside Sadie liked him and was blushing but to the other kids who didn't know her they probably were fooled into thinking that she was stoic, on the inside.

She took the sunflower from his hands, delicately and spoke, "Thanks, Chad. But I don't like you, sorry."

She spoke with no emotions and then ran off to join the other kids in a game of tag. Chad had a look of disappointment on his face but he ran off in the opposite direction before anyone could see his sadness progress any further.
The annoying sound of the bell ringing, brought Julia back into the moment.

"Sadie, I know you like him, it's obvious and I know he likes you. No one is going to chase someone for all these years and not be in love with them. Text him and tell him that you are going. "

"And if I don't?" Sadie said with her arms crossed.

"I will personally text your dad to make that dish that you hate and I love for dinner on Saturday!" Julia exclaimed.

Sadie rolled her eyes and then said, " Fine, you are lucky that I don't want to be poisoned."

They both embraced each other through a warm hug.

Once, Julia got home from a long, grueling walk, she threw her purped-colored backpack onto the wooden floor and collapsed onto her mother's leather couch. She was so grateful that hell was finally over and the weekend can finally began.