Things That Are Red

Chapter Six, Eva

“I’m seventeen. I like studying, and my favorite movie is The Matrix. Anything else?”

As of now, I’m answering questions asked by Carmine (who made it in the student council room somehow), and secretly giving Red signals about how much I’m annoyed by this. I don’t have anything against Carmine, but I hate being barraged with questions. He says, “What’s your favorite color?”

This is actually a really funny question. I get what his intentions are. If I say red, he’ll think I have feelings for Red. But if I say carmine (which is just a darker red), then he’ll think I have feelings for him.

My favorite color is carmine, but just to spite him, I say, “Red.” The look on his face is hilarious. He seems deeply offended, but he smiles it off. It’s not even in a sad way; he gives the impression of it being comical.

When the principal shows up, I thought it’d be about Carmine being here for no reason, but it’s actually about Red and some man named Derek. I think that man has a big ego. Why does he think he could just show up? I won’t say I’m not surprised, but considering how little I truly know about Red, it makes sense that I’d feel this way. But there’s something else. Something about seeing his back get farther and farther away is weird to me. I don’t follow him. But as time passes by, he’s not back, and so I wish I’d gone after him then.

As we’re done with work for the day, Lucifer and Gypsy walk over to me. “Vice Prez, I’m really sorry about not telling you about Lucy earlier. Is it alright if he takes me home, though?”

“Sure, it’s all fine, Gypsy. But why won’t the two of you stop putting yourselves in agony and just date?”

“No,” Gypsy says, “we don’t want to start something we might not be able to finish.”

“You guys might regret it soon. But alright. Now off you go, I don’t want to be infected by your love disease.”

As they leave, I notice Carmine had left already. I wonder where he went. It’s only Ana and I left, so we decide to walk home together.

Outside, the sky is amber-colored, and has hints of blue from this afternoon. “Eva?” Ana asks in the way that someone asks before they ask you the question they really want to ask.

“Do you want money again? I only have three. Oh, damn, that reminds me, I have to find work this weekend.”

“Do you like that Red guy?”

I almost spit out the scarce amount of saliva in my mouth. “No! Do you?”

“No. I just wanted to know. We’ve known each other for nearly three years now, and yet I haven’t seen you truly smile once.”

Here we go again with this conversation. “I don’t need a guy to make me feel that way, though.”

“I didn’t say that. I meant you might still need someone to put that smile on your face. You’ve always been indifferent to most things, so I thought that guy could be a good start. The atmosphere between you two is different, you know.”

“Oh, stop it.” Really. I don’t want to hear those things. That thing people call “love” is what ruined my family.

“But it also created your family.”

“How did you . . . did you read my mind, Ana?”

Ana shakes her head and taps my cheeks. “I just generally know the way you think. It won’t hurt to try.”

“Actually, it will.”

“But won’t you regret it if you don’t?”

“We are still talking about Red here, right?” Ana shrugs, and the rest of our walk is in silence. When we reach my place, Red is sitting, again, in front of the door. Ana nudges me and leaves.