“Wanna hang out after school today?”
Skye didn’t look up from her lunch. “I can’t, I have computer club.”
Amos was unconvinced. “And computer club is more important than me?”
She sighed. “No, but I really have to go today.”
“Why?”
“There’s this guy…”
Amos made a strange face. “You like someone? Why haven’t you told me about it?”
“Do you have to know every detail of my life?”
“You don’t have any other friends, so yeah. I do.”
“You don’t like to hear me whine about Anna, though.”
He rolled his eyes. “What does the guy you like have to do with Anna?”
“Well…” She looked away. “Anna likes him too.”
Amos stared at her. “Do you actually like him? Or is it just your Anna obsession?”
“He’s really nice!”
“Are you into nice? I thought you liked the bad boy type.”
“He’s pretty, too.”
Amos pouted. “I bet I’m prettier, and you’re not begging to date me.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Amos. I just like him. Can you stop harassing me about it?”
“I’m not harassing you, I’m trying to show you how shallow your reasons are! This isn’t about him, this is about Anna.”
“So what if it is? I still like him! Most high school crushes are for stupid reasons, I don’t see how mine are any worse than anybody else’s! The whole point of dating is to get to know each other-”
“Oh, so you’re dating this guy now?”
“No, but I want to! What’s wrong with that?”
Amos’s voice was cold as he stood up from the table. “I’m leaving. Clearly I can’t argue with you. You can come find me when you realize that your stupid obsession with Anna has left you blind to what’s in front of your face.”
He walked away, and Skye stared at his back, at a complete loss. She would still go to computer club, but… she didn’t know what about this argument was worth losing a friendship over. She mentally shrugged and returned to her food. Surely he’d have cooled off by tomorrow.
-------
Flora was excited. Tonight, she and Wren were going to a bonfire party.
Most kids had to sneak out to do things like this, but Willow just insisted on meeting Wren, told them she trusted them and to be safe, and gave Flora a long lecture on what to be careful of. Flora loved Willow for that - for giving them freedom, along with the information they needed to make educated decisions.
Flora wouldn’t have done anything stupid anyway, but she felt better with the official stamp of approval from Willow.
“So? What do you think?”
Flora looked around, debating whether to be honest. In the end, she decided in favor. “I thought it would be more fun.”
Wren laughed and nodded. “Same.”
The problem, they decided after some discussion, was that there were too many people and too much space. Instead of playing games, or dancing, or doing any group activity, people were mostly drinking, having small group conversations, or making out.
Flora and Wren, who didn’t want to drink and weren’t particularly interested in making out - Flora had made her boundaries clear to Wren, intimate contact had to wait until they were established adults - could only sit and talk, effectively doing the same thing they would have done at home.
After a while, Wren looked at her. “Not that I don’t love talking to you, but… want to take a walk? Get some new scenery at least?”
She smiled gratefully at him. “Yeah, this is kind of boring.”
“We’ll make a round of the party and then leave. We can just hang out at your house and not have to worry about bugs or someone puking on us.”
She laughed and took his hand as they started to walk around the party. There wasn’t anyone to make their goodbyes to - neither of them knew who had organized this party, just that it was a tradition.
They continued to chat as they walked, their soft conversation and occasional laughter heralding their presence in the dark.
“Nanami? Max?”
It was dark, and the two of them had separated by the time Flora and Wren approached, but it was still clear what they had been doing.
“Flora… Can we talk about this?” Nanami looked nervous.
Flora looked at Wren, who nodded and led Max a respectful distance away.
“What do you want to say?” Flora left unspoken, what’s your excuse?
“Max and I… we didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“He’s your best friend’s boyfriend, Nanami. Whether you meant it or not, that’s a fact.”
“We both love Elsa, but she’s such a prude, and-”
“I’m way more of a prude than Elsa, that’s a terrible argument to use on me.”
“You always say that, but you’re here with Wren Grove.”
Flora held her chin up. “I’m allowed to have a boyfriend-”
“Sure, but you’ve never told us about your secret boyfriend. Clearly, I’m not the only one with something to hide.”
Flora frowned. “Don’t make it sound like the same thing.”
“Maybe it’s not the same thing. But who do you think Elsa would believe?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“If you tell on me, I’ll tell on you. My retelling might not be as innocent as yours would be.”
Flora stared at her friend in disgust. “Mutual destruction? You make me sick.”
“Just consider whether you want to be completely and utterly socially ruined before you tell anyone about this.”
Nanami walked back to join Max, and Flora and Wren went home, where she cried on his shoulder over the loss of a friend and a new burden on her soul.
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