Magnolia in May [H.S]

Part eleven

Magnolia

— -

The beckoning rain washed away, but it was for not. Flurries fell from the once clear skies. Fog snuck in, whimsical, and yet gloomy to say the least. And though it seemed the warm weather had transformed into a long waking blizzard.

Pushing forward the command of campus being shut down, practice canceled, stores closed. Only the idiotic snowboarders were daring enough to be out in such a mess.

A subtle tuned out voice comes in, I stare out the frosted window. Ignoring it further.

"Did you hear what I said?" She beckons "Meg? Hello? Am I boring you," Indie continues. I stay gazing at the falling flurries, cars passing her apartment.

"No...." I trail off, tracing the moisture on the window with my finger. I draw patterns following it with my sore eyes.

"Okay.." She mumbles, "So? Are you gonna go with me? Cause I don't think I'll be able to handle drunken Styles by myself."

"I dunno Indie." I grimace at the thought of being around at least a dozen trashed jocks.

"Oh come on!" She groans into my ear, throwing her hands up in the tepid air.

"I just don't feel like dealing with him, he's nice to you— just. I guess not to me.." I pace recounting the events of yesterday.

"What do you mean? I thought y'all were buddies." She grips, sitting next to me on the windowsill.

"I haven't got a clue... he kinda blew up on me yesterday.." I take a deep breath, "I saw him at the rink— again— and the one time I decide to be a nice fucking person I get treated like shit." I huff, still boiling from the incident.

-- -

Yesterday...

I nearly jumped for joy when I saw a Packers beanie trail off down the hall, I hadn't admitted it to anyone but I was actually excited to go to his party Indie told me about last night. Apparently, he had a reputation for being an amazing host, and the whole concept of his party seemed like fun.

I shuffle over, watching him from afar as I lace my skates up, he looks.. great, slouching near a wall chatting to some guys in jerseys. They all match but he unmistakably looks the best in the lime green colors. Tightening the bearings, I pull the laces taut, sliding the guards over my blades so I can walk. I waddle over like a disgruntled penguin, seeing his expression slightly change when I come into view.

Though I kept on I couldn't decipher the emotion not so obviously displayed on his stoic face. His green eyes greet me, glancing unapologetically over the entirety of my body, his lips purse into a drowned out smirk. Turning the heads of the two guys talking to him. I wave politely, walking closer to the group of them. They go silent as I arrive, darting their eyes back and forth between each other, instantly I regret my decision. Feeling exposed and self-conscious with their gazing.

"Hey," I exclaim, consciously tucking hair behind my ear to distract the arising pit in my stomach.

"Hey.." He says softly, "What's up?" he continues hastily, changing from soft to loud and cheery within a second.

"Oh," I huff, "Nothing much-" "You're Magnolia!" One of the two guys cuts me off. I choke back my urge to talk over him, finishing my sentence. He grins with his off-centered smile, pushing back his red fiery hair.

"Urm, yep that's me," I shrug, feeling weird with his glancing.

"I am Cliff, this guy right here is Rory... So how do you know Harry?" He presses, throwing his arm around me like I was some free real estate. I bit my tongue, waiting to put him in his place. I'd seen both of them around I just never got the chance to chat until today.

"Oh we're just-" He cuts me off again, "Are you too dating!" He says loudly, I push out of his sweaty grasp. Feeling my cheeks flush with the sudden unwanted attention.

"Are you kidding?" Harry chuckles, I awkwardly smile. "This? Right here," He points to me "Not in a million fucking years!" He exclaims, I throw my eyes to the floor as my throat starts to burn. His words send Cliff into an obnoxious laugh, whilst Rory sits there shooting uncomfortable glances at me.

"Hell, I'd. Maybe after a few beers!" Cliff grimaces, I clench my fists, chomping down on the bloodied inside of my cheek. Rory nudges Harry, giving him a look and a slight shake of his head. Harry gulps the breath in his mouth, staring at me with a smirk. "It's not like she'd have you anyways.." Rory chimes in, they both snap their head to face him "She likes girls, right?" He gives me direct contact, staring with his dark grey eyes.

"Um, I actually play for both teams... I'm bisexual.." I acknowledge, trying to cool it with the bitterness. They all nod. Style's grin fades and I feel better with myself. I give Rory a 'thank you' look and gear up to leave.

"It was nice talking to you Styles." I sneer, keeping my face completely monotone so he knows I'm not fucking around. He winks at me, I turn around, rushing my way out of there. As soon as I'm faced away I can hear the small chuckle come out of Cliff's mouth,  followed by an 'ow' which I presumed to be caused by Rory. If it wasn't for the dozens of witnesses I'd have the lot of them on their asses.

-- -

"Yeah so no... After that, I don't wanna see his stupid little dimples." I scowl, wiping the moisture off my hands onto my black jeans.

"What a dick!" She huffs "I'll clock his ass my next shift," She continues, pacing the room from my filled in story about yesterday.

I scrape at my nail beds, scratching the leftover red polish from them. She finds her way back over to the windowsill, instead of sitting down on the plushy bean bag beside it. I keep my knees folded, tossing my head back to look at the old basil green painted frame.

"You know what?" She throws herself up after a series of pondering, taking my hand and pulling into her room down the hall.

"What do I know?" I whine, letting her drag me like a child throwing a tantrum.

"I say we go to this fucking party!" She raises her voice as I slump down on her purple comforter, fixing the unruffled sheets. I groan, pillowing in the soft blanket at the end of her messy bed. "Why?" I grumble

"I rather just sit here and wallow, eat shitty food. And maybe drive into town, go to Target and buy stuff I don't need... Why spend one of my only nights off with the biggest twat of the century." She stops the scrounging of her drawers to give me a grounded roll of the eye. As if it was obvious why we should go to his dumb party.

"For starters, you can show him up, prove the point that he was just talking out of his ass. Put on Meg's seductress face." I grimace at her words, cringing at the seriousness in her voice. "Eww" I choke out, chuckling at her.

"I'm not kidding, were something insanely scandalous, show off those D cups of yours!" She encourages, throwing shirts from her closet at me.

"Stop!" I groan, pulling the covers over my head. She rips them off, holding up some of the things hung on hangers.

"And you can't just wear something booby, you have to show off your ass, maybe with skin tight jeans or..." "No," I cringe, hiding my flushed cheeks in my hands.

Her playful expression recedes, she gives me a serious face. Furrowing her eyebrows. "Noliee. We are going to this party." I scowl, giving her the evil eye "Okay mom!" I pester.

"Coolest mom in the fucking world!" She fights back. "Soo?"

"Fine." I deadpan, accepting my ultimate defeat. "But there's a catch,"

"Uh-huh," She says eagerly, "You have to drive us—" "Check!" Indie chimes in.

"And— you have to help me find an outfit," Before my words can trail off she interrupts excitedly,

"Check!" She exclaims, waiting for me to continue. "You have to buy me a pack of Marlboro's that night, and if the party's a dumpster fire inside of a train wreck then you can't get pissed off when I say I told you so..." She grins widely, pursing her lips.

"Deal. No, take-backs."  I nod willingly, holding out my pinky. She takes it interlocking it with hers.

"Come on my sunshine," She winks, I roll my eyes matching her contagious smile.