I paced the linoleum tiles of the foyer restlessly, my sneakers squeaking as I walked from wall to wall, and to wall again. I checked my watch anxiously. A hour has passed and Sunset wasn't here. She was always prompt, and never was this late without good reason. I would've very well driven a dent into the floor hadn't Snips stopped me.
"Flash? Something wrong?" he asked, quirking a brow.
He shifted his backpack to the floor and leaned down to make eye contact with me. I shook my head fretfully.
"Sunset always shows up here at two thirty. It's now," I checked the clock above the door, ". She's an hour late. She's never an hour late. I'm afraid that she's gotten herself in trouble or maybe she hurt herself." I waved my small arms to acentuate the meaning. My brows knit tightly and I felt my face scrunched into a scowl, I let out a frustrated groan. "Argh, I hope she's alright."
He smiled and rested a hand on my shoulder.
"You worry to much, pal. Especially for an guy who owns a mustang. She can handle herself just fine. Now I haven't seen Sails all day. That's the real nerve wracker..."
With that, he picked his backpack back up and left the room. I grumbled as he left. Sails was probably slacking off or something like that, not worrying about Sunset, which, I stressed, was way more important that goofing off at this moment in time.
Thirty minutes passed. And then an hour. And I couldn't take it anymore. Something was definitely wrong, and I had to find out.
"Are you still waiting for your girlfriend to show up? I mean jeez, it's been like, three hours and even I know she's outside with some guy!" Snails quipped, rolling his eyes and pouting.
I stopped in my tracks and looked straight at him .
"Wait, she's where?" I shook my head obnoxiously, "and she's not my girlfriend!"
"Duh! She's in front of the school with this kid named Ace! I literally just said that! Are you even paying attention to me?" He threw down his stubby arms in dissatisfaction and glowered at me like a brooding housecat does his owner when he wishes to be heard. I ignored his whining and asked,
"How do you know she's out front?"
"I was just there three seconds ago when I went to throw toilet paper rolls, duh! Really, Flash, I thought you were smart," he frowned.
He continued on.
"So I was there and she came up to me and I was like, 'Hey, what are you doin' here? My favorite guy and bestest buddy Flash will be worried!' And she said she was hanging out with this guy she liked since like, a few months ago named Ace. So I said, 'But Sunset, that's like, cheating on Flash since he's so totally in love with you! Follow your moral compass, my dear woman!' But she left to go play with the other guy anyways so I walked up to him all heroic and buff and-"
It was about this time that I realized that he was about to ramble on so I had took off and left him behind. I grumbled and walked to the lounge.
I raced down the sidewalk as fast as my legs could carry me. Ace better not have done anything to her. I found myself muttering his name over and over under my breath. I wasn't sure why I was so spiteful at the moment. It could've had a lot to do with jealousy, but I brushed that possibility off. All I cared about was Ace probably doing something stupid most pretty boys things with not stupid and not dumb Sunset. Probably holding her hand and talking with her and- and- I growled and shook it off.
I found myself at the front of the school and there sitting on the statue was Sunset. Funny, I didn't see anybody else there. I wondered for a moment if Ace was actually just an imaginary person Snails made up, but then rationalized with myself. Why would she have a crush on someone like that? But if it wasn't him, then where was he? I walked towards her and my eyes darting about warily in search of Ace. I found myself feet away from the typically serious girl, who was now just hardly rocking herself on the statue with her feet.
"Sunset? Are you alright?" I questioned softly, walking around to face her.
"Do I look alright to you?!" She snapped back.
She had a point- her face was red and tearstained, and her nose oozed snot. She wiped her face with her jacket and sighed.
"Sorry, sorry. Dumb question," I absolved. "But really. What happened?" I took a seat next to her and frowned.
She took in a long, shaky breath before responding.
"There's this guy in my class named Ace. Yeah, I kinda sorta liked him since like, all of last year. He has really nice gray hair and yellow eyes and stuff so I was like, totally in love. Or so I thought because Ace's actually a super huge jerk. I finally picked up the courage to ask him to hang out after lunch and he agreed, and I was so excited that he agreed that I already like, started picking out cute nicknames, but when we got here he told me he didn't even want to be friends with me, not to mention like, girlfriend and boyfriend."
She gnawed on her lower lip and choked out a weak sob.
"He told me I was ugly and snobby and too mean, which I thought was kinda stupid since he was basically screaming it at me, or maybe I just thought he screamed it but anyways- he said my hair was horrible and my smile made him wanna barf and you know what he told me? He told me he'd- he'd rather kiss a cat than hold hands with me! I know I'm kinda mean and stuff but I'm not lower-than-a-cat... Am I?"
I felt rage boil in the pit of my stomach.
"How dare him! How dare that jerk make a mockery of you! And all those insults were just unessecary! You may have been mean or a tad bit arrogant sometimes, but never in my life would I say you was ugly of all things! Nor would I nitpick like that. If I was in his place, I would've told you how beautiful you are! Like how you'd frizzy hair was actually really soft, or when your mean, it was kind of cute and it was really cool how your smile can make others happy and how spontaneous and wonderful you can be, and if he couldn't see that, then he's was just a horrible, mean, jerkface!"
She raised a brow and then broke off into a giggle. And then a full fledged laugh. I realized in horror that I had just said all of that. I blinked and I felt my face flared deep red.
"I-I mean that's w-what I would say if I w-was him," I floundered, spluttering like a lawnmower that just wouldn't turn on.
She glanced up with a smile on her face.
"Didja really mean all that, Flash?"
I tried to word out a lie, but I relented upon seeing the hopeful look in her eyes.
"Yeah. Yeah I did. Every word of it."
She blushed softly and played with her hands. They had somehow grown sweaty.
"Um okay, I'm gonna do something and you gotta promise. Promise me you will close your eyes, okay?"
"Oh-kay...?" I drawled out.
"Promise! And you gotta keep 'em shut!" She exemplefied with a wild hand gesture. "Like, no half-lid peeking either, 'cause I'll know!"
I nodded furiously and closed my eyes, bracing for the slap that was sure to come. I had just insulted someone she had a crush after all and made totally weird comments about her. I bit my lip, and only then did I realize that my teeth had pressed against a lip that didn't belong to me. One of my eyes shot open and my assumptions were confirmed. Sunset- my mean and slightly strange best friend, was kissing me. On the lips.
She bounced back with a grin.
"Wow I thought I would have to ease you into it but you like, used your teeth right away! You know you're a really good kisser, Flash and- hey! I told you not to open your eyes!"
"Um, uh sorry, but I, uh- well- I mean- that was my first kiss and I so wasn't expecting it and, uh, um. Do you like, wanna, I don't know, like, try again?" I stammered, mentally hitting myself after each stutter.
"You sly dog, you! You're like that famous model guy I saw on tv once!"
I didn't have the heart to correct her, and instead was trying to keep myself from smiling like a complete idiot.
She trailed off on her usual rambling as she seen a gang of boys approach.
"Oh god. That's him! That's Ace! Yikes, oh god oh god oh god, Flash! Hold my hand, quick!"
I didn't question it and grabbed her palm quickly. It was a little smaller than mine, and rather sweaty as well. I winced- I'd definitely have to pick up hand sanitizer if this was going to be the norm from now on. Ace approached us. He had gray floppy hair and yellow eyes that peered out critically. His underbite was a dentists's worst nightmare and his ears were pieced with spokes. He was followed by two cronies of which were whispering to each other deviously.
"This is her, guys. This is the stupid girl who asked me out," he showcased Sunset, who subsequently gripped my hand tighter.
I steeled my glare. I had to do something.
"And this," I sneered, pointing to Ace angrily, "is the stupid boy who turned her down because he can't realize what a great person she is! He was also lucky, because she's probably the only girl that would ever like his judgemental face anyways, and he's an idiot for not realizing that he just got asked out by the prettiest, coolest, most creative girl I know!" I hissed, tugging her away from the group of boys.
He snorted a snide whatever and claimed there were too many losers at the school anyways to hang here.
"Thanks, Flash," she hummed, finding her shoes to be unusually intruiging.
"No problem. If that guy ever says something mean to you again, I'll make him regret the day he was born," I promised, still holding her hand tightly.
We arrived at the library just after five and Snips practically tackled us as we walked through the door.
"Where were you Flash? I was worried sick! What, were you out kissing your girlfriend?" Snails joked, wiggling his eyebrows.
I shrugged and nodded, "Yep, pretty much."
We walked up the stairs hand in hand, leaving them flabbergasted and wide-eyed.
