"It feels like I have just made two friends today but it is funny how they both came from Johan. I cannot help but think that my life is all tangled up with him. No matter how hard I try to get him out of my head even for a day, I end up talking about him or getting talked to about him. Meanwhile, I can't help but sense that Melanie is drifting away from me because of her obsession with Grey. I saw him today in literature class and he was sitting right in front of me. I didn't get to talk to him though. And I wondered if she had the chance to finally talk to him today. But somehow, I understand her. I must have not realized that I also drifted away from her when Johan and I still had a thing together. But she was there for me and she still cares about me, always has. And that is more than enough for me. We will always have each other's back. By the way, I am beginning to feel that things might start to get really interesting."
*
Days turned to weeks and weeks added up to a month. So much has happened in those three weeks in Scarlet's life. First, she, Adam and Melanie now hang out together and it seems Adam has been a replacement for Johan. Second, Johan seems to be avoiding her lately and they haven't had an actual conversation ever since that day. Sometimes she feels guilty whenever she sights him just around the corner or in the classroom, but she doesn't know what could have went wrong. He was the one who was acting out and wanting to be the one to control her by dictating the kind of friends she should have. It wasn't fair at all. To her, it felt like he didn't want to see her around any guy other than him but he on the other hand can go around having other female friends he wants.
And also, she now knows the name of the curly-haired boy. He is Damien Grey. It sounds odd and stands out in a way, and it only makes her even more curious about the kind of person he is.
Scarlet squint her eyes a bit to the noise of Melanie's straw as it reached the bottom of whatever she was drinking and she saw her set the bottle down before leaning closer to the table. They are in the lunchroom, a big hall filled with students who chatted as they eat, and noise of different kinds filled the air.
Scarlet had always thought these kids had no manners and she hates it every time she steps inside to eat. But then, Melanie was also no different and it seems to have become a habit in the lunchroom. She turned her head to her side to see Adam laughing at something Melanie said, and despite how crowded and noise-filled the lunchroom was, he looks so relaxed. He seems to adjust to every place he finds himself in and Scarlet find him to be cool.
Adam is a nice person, she thought. He is someone she is always comfortable with whenever he is around. He smiles all the time and doesn't have any issue with Melanie. She still remembers the first time she introduced them to each other. Melanie had straightaway pointed out about the other day where he had taken the seat that was supposed to be hers and they both bickered about it. It was nothing like the first time she had met Johan. She had always been too wary and was always ready to walk away at every chance she gets.
"Scarlet, what should I do?" Melanie asked, looking troubled. "Should I be the one to go to him or should I just wait for him to notice me?" she asked and Scarlet could already figure she was referring to Damien.
As she thought of the reply to give, she could see Melanie's impatient face and then, Adam beat her to it by saying, "Usually, girls think they got the upper hand when they approach a guy first but I'll tell you how we feel about it." This got Melanie's whole attention as her eyes were fixed on Adam. "Girls like that are cheap, and they will be easy to toy with," he said and Melanie's eyes turned dull immediately.
Scarlet agreed with Adam and she pursed her lips before saying, "Come to think of it though, we don't really know much about this guy. He is in our school and yet, he is not."
Melanie looks like she was also reasoning with what she said until she blurted out, "And that is what makes me fall harder for him."
Adam shook his head and said to her, "You are not romantic. Who falls harder for a guy who rarely makes his appearance known? It is like falling in love with a ghost."
"Well aren't ghosts exciting?" she asked as she placed her hand on her chin.
Scarlet watch the two of them bicker back and forth until it was time for their next class and they left the lunchroom together to now walk in the midst of the crowd of students. As they walked down the hallway, from a distance, Scarlet could see students gathering around a place and holding fliers in their hands.
"What is going on?" Melanie asked, curious, and she made her way there.
Scarlet and Adam soon caught up with her and Melanie turned to face them with wide eyes. She had the flier close to her chest and she dropped, "OMG! The orchestra class are having a performance at school this evening. It's in the fliers and even on the poster board. Geez! I can't wait to be there. Are you coming?" she asked.
Scarlet knew this was a chance for her, a chance to see Damien again, to see him perform and probably talk to him if there ever was the chance to and as much as she would love to be there, she shook her head and said, "No." she could see the disappointment already on Melanie's face and she tried to convince her, "It's Friday and I know my mother. She won't even let me go for evening class, so an evening performance is a no-no for her."
"You won't know if you don't try. Just tell her that you will be going with me."
"Ugh Melanie," Scarlet groaned a little, "I know her answer already. She won't let me and she would rather have me not even bring it up. I'm still a kid to her."
"Fine. What about you Adam?" she turned to him.
Adam quirked his lips down and said, "Well, I'm in."
Melanie beamed at the answer she got from him and she went to his side before placing an arm around his shoulder. "Let's go," she said and they started walking to their next class.
Scarlet smiled as she watched their backs and then she moved her eyes down where she saw one of the fliers and she walked to it before picking it up. She folded it and dipped it inside her trouser pocket and then she headed to class.