Vanessa
At lunchtime, I found Addison sitting at a table in the corner of the cafeteria. She was munching on carrots while scrolling through her phone. I breathlessly rushed over to join her at the table, dying to tell her about my new crush and how I had met him. “Addie, you are never going to believe what happened to me in Math class,” I squealed excitedly. “I could’ve just died!”
She glanced up at me, her jungle green eyes shining with intrigue for the latest hot gossip and she shoved her phone aside, her full attention on me now. Addie was a great listener and I was so thankful to have her in my life. She was a loyal friend to the end and when she started getting popular and I didn’t, she hadn’t let it faze her like some of the other girls from middle school had and stayed by my side. With her long, tousled raven-colored hair and her fashionista level of dress, it wasn’t hard to gauge why she was well-liked. She was beautiful, charismatic, and already well on her way to becoming the senior class Prom Queen. Which meant we were opposites in nearly every way.
I studied her as she gave a 100 watt smile and tossed her hair flirtatiously over her shoulder as a junior boy walked by. He gave her a grin in return which she lapped up. She loved the attention and had no trouble getting it either, in her tight pink sweater and black mini-skirt. She loved dressing to impress and spent hours perfecting her hair and makeup every morning but she reaped the rewards from the effort she put in. People flocked to her with the girls wanting to be her and the boys hanging on her every word.
As for me, I was more of an introvert and with my shyness holding me back; I was nowhere near close to popular. If a cute boy so much as said ‘hello’ to me, I could barely manage to sputter out a reply and wished that the floor would just open up beneath my feet and swallow me whole. However, despite our differences, Addison was the truest friend one could ever have and I absolutely loved her for it.
She propped her chin in her hands, her eyes laser focused on me. “Tell me everything.”
I recounted what happened with Matt, the flush returning to my cheeks and my pulse quickening. “So yea, he probably thinks I’m a total dweeb now,” I finished lamely.
Addison scoffed. “If he thinks my awesome and gorgeous best friend is a dweeb then the only loser here is him. But I have to at least know, was he cute?”
I let out a small squeal. “You have no idea!”
She leaned forward and whispered in a conspiring tone, “I would have asked to sit on his lap then.” We erupted into giggles at the thought.
I began to relax and popped open the top of my cherry yogurt that I had brought for lunch as I chatted with my best friend. Addison always had a way of making me feel more confident whenever I acted like a total dummy around boys. “There is just one thing he said that was a little odd.” Addie raised an eyebrow at me, urging me to continue. “He told me not to believe anything I heard about him. What do you think it means?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “Hard to say, really. It could mean anything. At least he cares what you think about him, though. That sounds promising.”
Still mulling his words over in my head, I dipped my spoon into the container and was about to take a bite when I froze, the utensil halfway to my mouth. Matt had just strolled into the cafeteria, pausing at the entrance with his backpack slung over one shoulder as he gripped a worn out book in his hand. His steely grey eyes surveyed the room as a chorus of angels from the heavens sang. Was it my imagination or had he gotten even dreamier since the last time I saw him?
Addison, noticing the wistful, love-struck expression on my face, turned around to follow the direction of my gaze. “What is it?”
Clutching her arm, I stared at her wide-eyed. “That’s him,” I whispered, pointing towards the double doors. Matt was still standing there, biting his full lips and scanning the cafeteria for a place to sit.
“Oh, he is cute!” She breathed. “Forget him.”
I looked at her startled. “What, why? What’s wrong with him?”
With one finger, she prompted me to come closer. “He’s clearly a two-timing jerk. He’s way too good-looking not to be. I’m willing to bet he has multiple, fuming ex-girlfriends running around this school bad-mouthing him and that’s why he doesn’t want you to listen to it because he’s trying to put the moves on you next.”
I glanced over her shoulder at him, all pouty lips and brooding stares. “You think?”
Addison slightly winced as she turned around once more to look him over. “Maybe not. He does look kind of lost and unsure of himself. Nobody’s even asked him to sit with them yet.” She frowned for a fraction of a second before raising her hand and calling out “Yoo hoo! Over here!” in his direction.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, yanking her arm back down.
“What?” She asked innocently. “You can’t get to know him if you never speak to him.”
“Maybe, I prefer it that way. Do you not remember Aaron?” I tried slouching down in my seat and covering my face, praying that Matt wouldn’t notice me but it was already too late. He looked in our direction and realizing that both our gazes were locked on him, actually laughed. My face burned with mortification.This was it. Another Aaron Long moment. He would probably shake his head, walk away and then tell all his friends about the geeky girl that thought she was cool enough to sit with him at lunch. I waited for it to happen. Any second now. I was so sure it would happen but it never did. Instead, and to my surprise, he actually made his way over to our table. Was I mistaken or was that relief on his face?
“Hey V,” he said, nodding at me and sliding into the empty seat beside me.
I did my best to avoid his gaze. “Uh…yea...hi.” I stared down at my yogurt, swirling the spoon around in the pink mixture. I peered up at Addison, chancing to shoot her my most venomous stare. I could just kill my best friend right about now.
However, Addison, not one to be perturbed, propped her chin in her hand and stared at Matt. She batted her long eyelashes at him and turning on her most flirtatious voice, said, “Hey. I’m Addison but you can call me Addie.”
Matt laughed. “I’m Matt. You can call me Matt.”
And that was how I found myself contemplating pulling the fire alarm so I could hide in the bathroom and not come out again for the next 70 years.
***
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