The new day was not one I looked forward to. Josh offered to give me a ride today and actually walk me to my first class. He has basically chosen my side over Ali's. To be fair though he knew about it all prior and didn't think she gave me a chance. I loved him for it. He was one of my greatest friends.
As I'm finishing my makeup by applying my red lipstick he honks and lets me know he's here. I grab my school bag and run out the door as I say goodbye to Aunt Cheri.
The minute he sees me he whistles like he's cat calling. I jump into his passenger seat over the door. His car doesn't have the top on right now.
"Someone is looking mighty fine today!" He boosts.
"You're so sweet sometimes Joshykins." I laugh at him.
He turns the music up and speeds off to school which is about a mile away. When we pull into the parking lot he finds a space near the building my class is in. He stops me from getting out right away.
"Why didn't you just say something when she met him?" He asks. I pause.
Honestly Alice has never been the most understanding person. She's always been so self centered and talking about any type of sadness or issues that don't involve her in anyway just never interest her. Therefore she never really cares and will try to change the subject. When Anne passed I practically only had Josh. There were moments I tried to talk to her about it and she just told me to get over it and that she did it to herself. I just let it go because I didn't want to lose her. She was so good to me at first but somewhere down the road she started to deteriorate into a typical cheerleader bitch.
"She wouldn't have cared."
"You should've tried," he sighs. "She's definitely done with me now." He laughs.
"What do you mean?"
"We made out."
He's straight?
"Oh," I pause. "I didn't even think you liked her like that."
"I don't" he chuckles and smiles like he's an idiot. "She came on to me, told me she's had a thing for me for a while and I guess you both thought I was gay? She was a little drunk"
"When?" I laugh to try and cover my embarrassment.
"Her eighteenth a couple weeks back, blew me off for that ex of yours," he has a hurt face as he says those last few words.
Maybe he always had a thing for her and that's why he's never hit on any girls or cared much for having one. My heart hurts a little for him. He's such a sweet guy who deserved a lot better. If he was straight why didn't he pick any other girl?
Alice had never dated someone like Josh. Friendzone? Definitely. She clearly had a type and if he didn't play any sports they never had a chance. Josh was the kind of guy that volunteered to paint over buildings that have been tagged or vandalized. He also read various books to kids during their school days. It had been quite sweet and he was caring in all the ways you wanted a guy to be.
"You could do a whole lot better Josh." I sigh and I reach for his hand to squeeze.
"I know but I wanted her and it just sucked she chose that dude over me," he has a fake smile on his face to try and mask the hurt. "She's not even important."
"We should go to class," I say and get out of the car. He gets out too and locks it. I walk towards him and give him a small hug and we walk to class together.
We see Alice as we head to class. Purple eye backed up by her squad and they all have matching postures with their arms crossed. Josh doesn't bother even glancing towards her but I do. I just hate her even more now for what she did to Josh, clearly led him on. She stares back for a second but looks away.
Flashback:
Ali and I are walking around after eating lunch for the rest of the time we have left before class. She's going on and on about Vicky, her step mom who's only six years older while her dads in her 40's.
"I can't believe she would just go into my room and look through my things," she sighs and throws her arms up in the air. "Do you even know how long I'm grounded for this time around? Dad threatened to take cheer away next year if he found it again!"
She was caught with a vape and nicotine juice. Her dad used to smoke, survived the cancer, caught it just in time and wrote a book about it. Now he's an inspirational coach that does lectures everywhere, especially high schools. He did one annually here at the beginning of the school year. His famous slogan "Smoking, a slippery death sentence", was hung throughout various halls on posters.
"Why was she in there? What was she looking for?" I ask, not really interested but still talking about her yet again.
"I guess she was trying to see if I stole her earrings, like I'd ever willingly wear something so hideous!" She exclaims in disgust.
"Yeah," I sigh. Wanting and waiting to talk about my issues. "Alice, can I—"
She cuts me off "OMG look at that pathetic loser," she points at some guy walking from a distance carrying a teddy bear, a poster, and an ice cream cone.
I think he's walking towards us.
"Is he coming over here?" I ask.
"God I hope not," she chuckled. "Someone should record him"
"No."
"Oh come on, promposal fails are the greatest. Most likely would go viral!" She laughs. She whips out her phone and starts recording. "If he comes to me I'm definitely handing it to you to film me!"
Unfortunately for the boy he would be crushed within a few minutes as he was indeed making his way towards us. I think the poster said something cheesy and there was a bunch of candies glued on to the poster. The effort the boy must've gone through. And a fresh ice cream cone? The cafeteria had ran out two days ago. He was accompanied by two of his friends and I think one of them was in the schools band.
"Dork alert." She says.
"Hi," the boy says "Alice I was hoping you'd be my sweetheart to the prom this year." The poster is covered in sweet tarts and her favorite candy, the fun dips. She hands me her phone but I don't record it. I just hold it down. The boy didn't deserve his rejection to go public.
"Awe," she says "if only you weren't a total loser, I'd consider." She reaches for the ice cream cone and crushes it on top of his head and it leaks on to his hair and face. She walks away, expecting me to follow.
Instead I ask him his name and hand him some napkins I had as extra in my bag.
"Larry." He says, he looks like he's about to cry. I call my sister to come where we are and she arrives within minutes.
"Larry, this is Anne. She's a sophomore but I know she'd love to go to the prom with a sweetie like you!" I smile. His face immediately lightens up.
Anne without question, accepts the date.
"We're gonna have to go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner!" She extends her hand to him. He grabs it and they walk off together after he hands her the teddy bear.