"Hi, is Mary there?"
Mr. Barker, Mary Louise's father, grinned at me when he opened the door. I usually didn't visit Mary Louise, but she was probably my only girl friend. I grinned back at Mr. Barker and he beckoned me forward.
"Lark! What a pleasant surprise—haven't seen you for awhile," he closed the door behind us and I was greeted with the warmth of the Barker residence. "Mary Louise should be around her somewhere—er—Mary Louise!"
I heard scurrying upstairs and no more than a few seconds later Mary Louise came rushing down the stairs and smiled when she saw me. Her blonde hair was tied loosely behind her and she was wearing her blouse and skirt from school that day.
"Lark! Hey...what are you doing here?" Mr. Barker left and went into the kitchen and I followed Mary back up the stairs to her bedroom. I loved her house—it always smelled nice. But it wasn't like mine—it was so...calm. My house was always hectic, my sisters and brother constantly running around. Mary's life was...normal. She didn't need to worry about boys liking her—she had Gordie. And Mary Louise was pretty, with her freckles dusted around her small nose. Mary wasn't bothered with siblings...she was an only child. She got along with her parents and was basically happy. I was jealous of the security she had.
I sighed and plopped onto her bed, my hair falling around her pillows. "I have a problem." Mary sat atop her desk and flipped through a magazine.
"And...what kind of problem is this?"
I looked around her bedroom. It was girly and pink, and it quite frankly; it was annoying. Her bed was all frilly and she had this vanity with all make-up and perfume on it. It smelled really sweet and it was actually tinkling my nose—I felt like I needed to sneeze.
"Er...guy problems."
Mary Louise laughed. It wasn't a mocking laugh—more like a friendly tease laugh. "I can't believe you just said that...Lark O'Reilly actually has guy problems?"
I frowned. "And what is so wrong about that?"
She shook her head. "Nothing...nothing at all. I'm just happy you're coming to me. Anyway...what's your situation?"
I sighed and sat up on her bed and looked around. "I like this guy."
"You like this guy..."
"But he doesn't like me THAT way...he likes me as a friend."
"He likes you as a friend..."
"And I have no idea what to do or how he can see me as more than just one of the guys," I finished.
"He likes you as a guy..."
I cried out in frustration and hit her with her pillow. "Would you stop doing that? It's incredibly annoying...I need advice. What can I do?"
Mary shrugged. "I don't know. If he doesn't like you that way, he doesn't like you that way. You can't change that. Get over him and move on."
I rolled my eyes. "It's hard. And that's not the answer I wanted to hear...I'd prefer it if you would have lied to me and say that we were meant to be...would have made this so much easier."
Mary Louise laughed and folded her hands on her lap. "You have much to learn young grasshopper. Life doesn't work out that way sweets. If the guy doesn't like you, chances are even if you changed, he still won't like you. Now, I'm not saying that this guy will never like you. He might just not feel that way right now...who knows? He may be wooed by your undying love for him. It might take time for feelings to evolve."
I grumbled and rubbed my head. "This is a lot to remember. How do I start this 'wooing?'"
"Well..." Mary hopped off of her desk and came sat across from me on her bed. I turned to face her and sat Indian style. "Did you tell him how you felt?"
"Er..."
Mary rolled her eyes. "You've got to tell this guy how you feel!"
I frowned and crossed my arms in stubbornness. "I did! Sort of...I hinted at it."
Mary Louise laughed and threw her hands in the air. "That's not good enough! You have to be very blunt about it—you have to tell him straight out."
I sighed. "It's not that easy. I can't—it's different with Chr—this guy. Very different."
Mary Louise squinted her eyes suspiciously. "Who is this guy anyway?"
I shook my head. "Noooo—uh-uh. Not telling."
"Oh come on!" Mary begged. "Please! I gave you all that advice crap—the least you could do is tell me who the lucky bugger is."
I sighed. "It's—er—it's..."
But I never got a chance to tell Mary Louise who my guy was—at least I didn't get to tell her myself. Because just when I had enough courage to utter his name, her door burst open and in came Gordie looking all moody and shit. I looked at him angrily and he raised his eyebrows at me.
"Whoa Lark, pissed about something?"
I rolled my eyes. Mary Louise, however, smiled at Gordie. "Hello there sweetheart," she said, laughing. "Lark was just about to tell me who her mystery man was."
Gordie arched an eyebrow and came over to kiss Mary Louise. "Chris? She's like in love with the kid..."
I shoved Gordie and he stumbled backwards. "So much for not saying anything asshole!"
His eye's widened. "Oops..."
I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, thanks for your...erm...advice Mary. I'll see you later." I grabbed my jacket and quickly existed the room—as if I wasn't embarrassed enough I tripped on the way out.
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On my way home, the cool wind whipped my face and I smiled. Friday afternoon was probably my most favorite time to be ever. School was done for the week, I was free from all the pressures of academics, I could just breathe for once. And I loved to be outside—it was so beautiful out there, the sky showing above me. I actually stopped walking on the sidewalk and just looked up into the vacant blue sky, and sighed.
"Lark—er—are you okay?"
I didn't need to look at the person to figure out it was Chris. I sighed and kept looking at the sky. Why did he always find me in the most random places? I didn't want to face him—I didn't want to look at him. I didn't feel like being reminded of something I couldn't have and wanted so badly, so I kept looking in the sky. This was the second time in a few days Chris had been with me while I looked at the sky and I wondered if it was an omen of some sort.
"I'm fine."
I felt Chris move beside me and his face tilt up towards the sky. "What's with you and the sky?"
I finally looked at him and I was literally blown away. He was watching the sky, his fiery sapphire hues sparkling, his miraculous disheveled hair going about in all directions. He had his hands in his pockets and I couldn't help but feel slightly light headed.
"I...um..." I trailed off. I didn't seem to be able to talk. Chris turned his head toward me and grinned.
"Right...anyways I was just heading over to find you," he said. "What are you doing tonight?"
We began to walk down the street and I sighed. "I don't know. What about you?"
Chris shrugged looked over at me. I could feel my heart starting to pound and the color rise in my cheeks. It didn't help that it was becoming more and more cold out and my hair was flying around in the wind and my teeth began to chatter.
"I'm starving, want to go over to the diner for a bite to eat?" I should have known...Chris Chambers was always hungry. I swear, I honestly didn't know where he put it all...he was tall and lanky, yet the only other thing more important than girls to him was food.
"Okay," I said. I glanced at my watch. "It's still early. Let's walk."
Chris whined. "Let's take my truck...come on." I shook my head.
"Chris, it's such a pretty day out." I looked at the sky again. "It's really nice. It'll be good exercise."
Chris finally let out a low sigh and shrugged. "Fine, you win."
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The diner was actually extremely packed, to my surprise. I figured the teens of Castle Rock had better things to do on Friday nights, but nope...It was packed to every single corner with chattering teens. Chris and I made our way into a booth by the window and I slid in opposite of him. He picked up a menu and began examining it. I looked around the diner. I noticed quite a few girls throwing surreptitious glances our way...looking at me angrily and whispering. I rolled my eyes—I was used to it by now. After awhile, it got annoying. I always wondered why the girls didn't mind Chris' reputation—suppose he had to be that good. Shame I would never find out...
I played with the corner of my napkin and sighed. It would probably never end...I would just always be known as the girl who Chris always hung around with...the aforementioned best friend. The girl who was just always there.
"So," Chris said, after we had given the waitress our order. "Where were you coming from when I bumped into you?"
"I was on my way home from Mary Louise's," I said, taking a sip of my pop. "I needed to talk to her."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Girl talk, eh?"
I rolled my eyes and he laughed. I couldn't help but grin—I loved when he laughed. It made me want to make him laugh always. Chris' laughter was so rare, so tainted, and so special it was something only few heard, but still it was so precious. I may have been over the top, but what could I do? I was 'in love.'
"I guess you can call it that," I said. "I needed her advice."
"About what?"
I raised my eyebrows. "Aren't we the nosy one?" Chris shrugged his shoulders.
"Just curious."
I nodded. "Ahh, I see. I needed advice...on...erm...boys."
Now as soon as I said this I expected Chris to laugh at me. But I was surprised when he just raised his eyebrows and laid his arms on the table. "Really?"
I stared at him momentarily because I was certain he would tease me...but he didn't. He actually looked interested, mildly disturbed even. I must have hit a nerve. Sure, I knew what it felt like to have your best friend suddenly become interested in the opposite sex. It'd happened to me long before...but I suppose it was new to Chris, with me that is. Gordie and the others were all into girls a long time ago, but with me and Chris it was different. I suppose Chris felt that I was his or something, like he had that special bond with me. But, as the story goes, all things do come to an end.
"Really," I said finally, wanting desperately to change the subject. I was sorry I had even brought it up. I felt stupid—it's not like I actually had a situation. It was just me having a hopeless crush on my best friend—very typical in many ways.
"What kind of boy advice did you need? Do you have a boyfriend? Is someone using you? Is he a punk? Do you need me to beat him up?"
These questions came so fast out of Chris' mouth and the look of panic that went across his face made me the one who burst out laughing. I couldn't help it—I expected the exact opposite reaction. I expected Chris to not take me seriously at all like he so often did. He was changing, and I felt hopeless.
"Chris, calm down," I said, after my laughter had died down some. His face softened a little but he also blushed and I couldn't help but grin. I thought it was cute when he blushed, I was always the one blushing. "I don't have a boyfriend, you should know that by now, as you were so kind to point that out not too long ago..."
A guilty look crossed his face and I smirked. "Again," I started. "It's nothing. I just—well—it's nothing."
"It has to be something if you needed advice!" Chris said. He seemed really disturbed with this whole conversation. I had to admit, it was awkward. Chris and I never talked about my romantic life—it was always his girl troubles. It was odd and honestly it didn't feel right.
"Well basically it's just that I like this guy and he doesn't like me in the same way," I said simply. I wasn't going to tell Chris that I liked him, that was just stupid. But I figured I could hint at it—what could is say, I was bored.
"Who is it?" Chris immediately pressed curiosity evident on his face.
"You know Chris," I said, taking a long sip of my drink. "Curiosity killed the cat." Chris rolled his eyes.
"Come on, who is it? Do I know him?"
"Better than you think you do..."
Chris narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Is it one of the guys? Don't let it be Vern—please."
I laughed. "It's not one of the guys. Not those three anyway." Chris didn't catch on and I was happy. This was getting fun. I knew I wasn't going to tell Chris, I couldn't, he wouldn't feel the same way. But it was nice to talk about guys openly for once...though very strange with the object of my affection.
"I have no idea..."
I shrugged. "Forget it—it's stupid anyway."
Chris looked at me. "Why is it stupid?"
I looked down for a moment then back up. "Well, it's pointless. No guys think of me in 'that way'. You of all people should know that."
Chris arched an eyebrow. "Oh, and why is that?"
I should have kept my mouth shut—I immediately regretted this topic of conversation. I searched for something else to talk about, something easier and light but my train of thought never got too far. A girl with long, black hair and shocking blue eyes came walking up to us. She grinned at Chris and Chris smiled back, though by the look in his eyes it looked like he wished she would go away.
"Chris! What are you doing here?" the girl asked, smiling happily. Her face was pale, contrasting lovely with her hair which had a bluish tint to the natural black. She was absolutely stunning to say the least.
"I'm eating."
The girl didn't seem to sense the curtness of his voice, and she looked quickly at me.
"Oh! And who's this?" She smiled a very sugar-coated smile and I tried my best to grin politely, though it was very hard.
"This is Lark O'Reilly," Chris said, smiling at me and looked back to the girl.
The girl waited for Chris to introduce her, but when he showed no intention of that whatsoever, her lips formed a tight line.
"Well...how nice to meet you. Er—Chris, I just wanted to say hello. And that...well...maybe later you could call me?" The girl sounded pathetically hopeful and I tried hard not to laugh. I thought it funny how girls begged Chris to call them and acted like it was this huge deal, when I talked to the guy on the phone a few times a day.
Chris shrugged and smirked. "Sure. See you around Samantha."
"Sarah," the girl said through gritted teeth. I was amazed at how she could keep a smile for so long. She turned on her heel and walked quickly away, back to the crowd of the night.
Chris turned back to me as if nothing had happened. "I wonder where our food is?"
"Who was that?" I asked, not caring where our food was.
"Who? Oh—Samantha?" Chris asked distractedly, looking around for the waitress. "Just some girl I fucked at this party last year..." he stopped mid- sentence when he saw the look on my face. It wasn't a look of disgust; I was looking at him with sadness. The look on his face slowly changed and he turned red and looked down.
"S-sorry," he mumbled. I continued to look at him sadly.
"Chris, you know, you don't have to get with all these girls all the time," I said slowly. "You're worth so much more than that. You deserve to be loved for who you are..."
Chris looked very uncomfortable and a bit startled. He looked up to me with the most heartbroken eyes I had ever seen.
"Why do you say that?"
I looked at him and tried my best to keep my cool, even though inside I was falling deeper and deeper.
"Because it's true. There's someone out there who loves you for you, and you don't see it."
Chris looked at me and I quickly looked away. I hoped he hadn't understand the true meaning of those words, and I was glad when our food finally arrived. It had been one strange night.
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Thanks guys for all the feedback! I appreciate it greatly! I know I've been updating a lot lately—this is the third chapter in one day. It's just that sometimes I get this ideas and I just go with it. I do have a life, I don't sit here all day, though there's nothing wrong with that. It's just some days I have nothing to do. It's been crazy hectic with play practice this week and homework and life and the dance and all that good stuff. So I'm glad I get all these chapters uploaded. Shout-outs in the next chapter! Keep reviewing! :) Love & Strawberries, The Good Girl
Mr. Barker, Mary Louise's father, grinned at me when he opened the door. I usually didn't visit Mary Louise, but she was probably my only girl friend. I grinned back at Mr. Barker and he beckoned me forward.
"Lark! What a pleasant surprise—haven't seen you for awhile," he closed the door behind us and I was greeted with the warmth of the Barker residence. "Mary Louise should be around her somewhere—er—Mary Louise!"
I heard scurrying upstairs and no more than a few seconds later Mary Louise came rushing down the stairs and smiled when she saw me. Her blonde hair was tied loosely behind her and she was wearing her blouse and skirt from school that day.
"Lark! Hey...what are you doing here?" Mr. Barker left and went into the kitchen and I followed Mary back up the stairs to her bedroom. I loved her house—it always smelled nice. But it wasn't like mine—it was so...calm. My house was always hectic, my sisters and brother constantly running around. Mary's life was...normal. She didn't need to worry about boys liking her—she had Gordie. And Mary Louise was pretty, with her freckles dusted around her small nose. Mary wasn't bothered with siblings...she was an only child. She got along with her parents and was basically happy. I was jealous of the security she had.
I sighed and plopped onto her bed, my hair falling around her pillows. "I have a problem." Mary sat atop her desk and flipped through a magazine.
"And...what kind of problem is this?"
I looked around her bedroom. It was girly and pink, and it quite frankly; it was annoying. Her bed was all frilly and she had this vanity with all make-up and perfume on it. It smelled really sweet and it was actually tinkling my nose—I felt like I needed to sneeze.
"Er...guy problems."
Mary Louise laughed. It wasn't a mocking laugh—more like a friendly tease laugh. "I can't believe you just said that...Lark O'Reilly actually has guy problems?"
I frowned. "And what is so wrong about that?"
She shook her head. "Nothing...nothing at all. I'm just happy you're coming to me. Anyway...what's your situation?"
I sighed and sat up on her bed and looked around. "I like this guy."
"You like this guy..."
"But he doesn't like me THAT way...he likes me as a friend."
"He likes you as a friend..."
"And I have no idea what to do or how he can see me as more than just one of the guys," I finished.
"He likes you as a guy..."
I cried out in frustration and hit her with her pillow. "Would you stop doing that? It's incredibly annoying...I need advice. What can I do?"
Mary shrugged. "I don't know. If he doesn't like you that way, he doesn't like you that way. You can't change that. Get over him and move on."
I rolled my eyes. "It's hard. And that's not the answer I wanted to hear...I'd prefer it if you would have lied to me and say that we were meant to be...would have made this so much easier."
Mary Louise laughed and folded her hands on her lap. "You have much to learn young grasshopper. Life doesn't work out that way sweets. If the guy doesn't like you, chances are even if you changed, he still won't like you. Now, I'm not saying that this guy will never like you. He might just not feel that way right now...who knows? He may be wooed by your undying love for him. It might take time for feelings to evolve."
I grumbled and rubbed my head. "This is a lot to remember. How do I start this 'wooing?'"
"Well..." Mary hopped off of her desk and came sat across from me on her bed. I turned to face her and sat Indian style. "Did you tell him how you felt?"
"Er..."
Mary rolled her eyes. "You've got to tell this guy how you feel!"
I frowned and crossed my arms in stubbornness. "I did! Sort of...I hinted at it."
Mary Louise laughed and threw her hands in the air. "That's not good enough! You have to be very blunt about it—you have to tell him straight out."
I sighed. "It's not that easy. I can't—it's different with Chr—this guy. Very different."
Mary Louise squinted her eyes suspiciously. "Who is this guy anyway?"
I shook my head. "Noooo—uh-uh. Not telling."
"Oh come on!" Mary begged. "Please! I gave you all that advice crap—the least you could do is tell me who the lucky bugger is."
I sighed. "It's—er—it's..."
But I never got a chance to tell Mary Louise who my guy was—at least I didn't get to tell her myself. Because just when I had enough courage to utter his name, her door burst open and in came Gordie looking all moody and shit. I looked at him angrily and he raised his eyebrows at me.
"Whoa Lark, pissed about something?"
I rolled my eyes. Mary Louise, however, smiled at Gordie. "Hello there sweetheart," she said, laughing. "Lark was just about to tell me who her mystery man was."
Gordie arched an eyebrow and came over to kiss Mary Louise. "Chris? She's like in love with the kid..."
I shoved Gordie and he stumbled backwards. "So much for not saying anything asshole!"
His eye's widened. "Oops..."
I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, thanks for your...erm...advice Mary. I'll see you later." I grabbed my jacket and quickly existed the room—as if I wasn't embarrassed enough I tripped on the way out.
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On my way home, the cool wind whipped my face and I smiled. Friday afternoon was probably my most favorite time to be ever. School was done for the week, I was free from all the pressures of academics, I could just breathe for once. And I loved to be outside—it was so beautiful out there, the sky showing above me. I actually stopped walking on the sidewalk and just looked up into the vacant blue sky, and sighed.
"Lark—er—are you okay?"
I didn't need to look at the person to figure out it was Chris. I sighed and kept looking at the sky. Why did he always find me in the most random places? I didn't want to face him—I didn't want to look at him. I didn't feel like being reminded of something I couldn't have and wanted so badly, so I kept looking in the sky. This was the second time in a few days Chris had been with me while I looked at the sky and I wondered if it was an omen of some sort.
"I'm fine."
I felt Chris move beside me and his face tilt up towards the sky. "What's with you and the sky?"
I finally looked at him and I was literally blown away. He was watching the sky, his fiery sapphire hues sparkling, his miraculous disheveled hair going about in all directions. He had his hands in his pockets and I couldn't help but feel slightly light headed.
"I...um..." I trailed off. I didn't seem to be able to talk. Chris turned his head toward me and grinned.
"Right...anyways I was just heading over to find you," he said. "What are you doing tonight?"
We began to walk down the street and I sighed. "I don't know. What about you?"
Chris shrugged looked over at me. I could feel my heart starting to pound and the color rise in my cheeks. It didn't help that it was becoming more and more cold out and my hair was flying around in the wind and my teeth began to chatter.
"I'm starving, want to go over to the diner for a bite to eat?" I should have known...Chris Chambers was always hungry. I swear, I honestly didn't know where he put it all...he was tall and lanky, yet the only other thing more important than girls to him was food.
"Okay," I said. I glanced at my watch. "It's still early. Let's walk."
Chris whined. "Let's take my truck...come on." I shook my head.
"Chris, it's such a pretty day out." I looked at the sky again. "It's really nice. It'll be good exercise."
Chris finally let out a low sigh and shrugged. "Fine, you win."
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The diner was actually extremely packed, to my surprise. I figured the teens of Castle Rock had better things to do on Friday nights, but nope...It was packed to every single corner with chattering teens. Chris and I made our way into a booth by the window and I slid in opposite of him. He picked up a menu and began examining it. I looked around the diner. I noticed quite a few girls throwing surreptitious glances our way...looking at me angrily and whispering. I rolled my eyes—I was used to it by now. After awhile, it got annoying. I always wondered why the girls didn't mind Chris' reputation—suppose he had to be that good. Shame I would never find out...
I played with the corner of my napkin and sighed. It would probably never end...I would just always be known as the girl who Chris always hung around with...the aforementioned best friend. The girl who was just always there.
"So," Chris said, after we had given the waitress our order. "Where were you coming from when I bumped into you?"
"I was on my way home from Mary Louise's," I said, taking a sip of my pop. "I needed to talk to her."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Girl talk, eh?"
I rolled my eyes and he laughed. I couldn't help but grin—I loved when he laughed. It made me want to make him laugh always. Chris' laughter was so rare, so tainted, and so special it was something only few heard, but still it was so precious. I may have been over the top, but what could I do? I was 'in love.'
"I guess you can call it that," I said. "I needed her advice."
"About what?"
I raised my eyebrows. "Aren't we the nosy one?" Chris shrugged his shoulders.
"Just curious."
I nodded. "Ahh, I see. I needed advice...on...erm...boys."
Now as soon as I said this I expected Chris to laugh at me. But I was surprised when he just raised his eyebrows and laid his arms on the table. "Really?"
I stared at him momentarily because I was certain he would tease me...but he didn't. He actually looked interested, mildly disturbed even. I must have hit a nerve. Sure, I knew what it felt like to have your best friend suddenly become interested in the opposite sex. It'd happened to me long before...but I suppose it was new to Chris, with me that is. Gordie and the others were all into girls a long time ago, but with me and Chris it was different. I suppose Chris felt that I was his or something, like he had that special bond with me. But, as the story goes, all things do come to an end.
"Really," I said finally, wanting desperately to change the subject. I was sorry I had even brought it up. I felt stupid—it's not like I actually had a situation. It was just me having a hopeless crush on my best friend—very typical in many ways.
"What kind of boy advice did you need? Do you have a boyfriend? Is someone using you? Is he a punk? Do you need me to beat him up?"
These questions came so fast out of Chris' mouth and the look of panic that went across his face made me the one who burst out laughing. I couldn't help it—I expected the exact opposite reaction. I expected Chris to not take me seriously at all like he so often did. He was changing, and I felt hopeless.
"Chris, calm down," I said, after my laughter had died down some. His face softened a little but he also blushed and I couldn't help but grin. I thought it was cute when he blushed, I was always the one blushing. "I don't have a boyfriend, you should know that by now, as you were so kind to point that out not too long ago..."
A guilty look crossed his face and I smirked. "Again," I started. "It's nothing. I just—well—it's nothing."
"It has to be something if you needed advice!" Chris said. He seemed really disturbed with this whole conversation. I had to admit, it was awkward. Chris and I never talked about my romantic life—it was always his girl troubles. It was odd and honestly it didn't feel right.
"Well basically it's just that I like this guy and he doesn't like me in the same way," I said simply. I wasn't going to tell Chris that I liked him, that was just stupid. But I figured I could hint at it—what could is say, I was bored.
"Who is it?" Chris immediately pressed curiosity evident on his face.
"You know Chris," I said, taking a long sip of my drink. "Curiosity killed the cat." Chris rolled his eyes.
"Come on, who is it? Do I know him?"
"Better than you think you do..."
Chris narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Is it one of the guys? Don't let it be Vern—please."
I laughed. "It's not one of the guys. Not those three anyway." Chris didn't catch on and I was happy. This was getting fun. I knew I wasn't going to tell Chris, I couldn't, he wouldn't feel the same way. But it was nice to talk about guys openly for once...though very strange with the object of my affection.
"I have no idea..."
I shrugged. "Forget it—it's stupid anyway."
Chris looked at me. "Why is it stupid?"
I looked down for a moment then back up. "Well, it's pointless. No guys think of me in 'that way'. You of all people should know that."
Chris arched an eyebrow. "Oh, and why is that?"
I should have kept my mouth shut—I immediately regretted this topic of conversation. I searched for something else to talk about, something easier and light but my train of thought never got too far. A girl with long, black hair and shocking blue eyes came walking up to us. She grinned at Chris and Chris smiled back, though by the look in his eyes it looked like he wished she would go away.
"Chris! What are you doing here?" the girl asked, smiling happily. Her face was pale, contrasting lovely with her hair which had a bluish tint to the natural black. She was absolutely stunning to say the least.
"I'm eating."
The girl didn't seem to sense the curtness of his voice, and she looked quickly at me.
"Oh! And who's this?" She smiled a very sugar-coated smile and I tried my best to grin politely, though it was very hard.
"This is Lark O'Reilly," Chris said, smiling at me and looked back to the girl.
The girl waited for Chris to introduce her, but when he showed no intention of that whatsoever, her lips formed a tight line.
"Well...how nice to meet you. Er—Chris, I just wanted to say hello. And that...well...maybe later you could call me?" The girl sounded pathetically hopeful and I tried hard not to laugh. I thought it funny how girls begged Chris to call them and acted like it was this huge deal, when I talked to the guy on the phone a few times a day.
Chris shrugged and smirked. "Sure. See you around Samantha."
"Sarah," the girl said through gritted teeth. I was amazed at how she could keep a smile for so long. She turned on her heel and walked quickly away, back to the crowd of the night.
Chris turned back to me as if nothing had happened. "I wonder where our food is?"
"Who was that?" I asked, not caring where our food was.
"Who? Oh—Samantha?" Chris asked distractedly, looking around for the waitress. "Just some girl I fucked at this party last year..." he stopped mid- sentence when he saw the look on my face. It wasn't a look of disgust; I was looking at him with sadness. The look on his face slowly changed and he turned red and looked down.
"S-sorry," he mumbled. I continued to look at him sadly.
"Chris, you know, you don't have to get with all these girls all the time," I said slowly. "You're worth so much more than that. You deserve to be loved for who you are..."
Chris looked very uncomfortable and a bit startled. He looked up to me with the most heartbroken eyes I had ever seen.
"Why do you say that?"
I looked at him and tried my best to keep my cool, even though inside I was falling deeper and deeper.
"Because it's true. There's someone out there who loves you for you, and you don't see it."
Chris looked at me and I quickly looked away. I hoped he hadn't understand the true meaning of those words, and I was glad when our food finally arrived. It had been one strange night.
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Thanks guys for all the feedback! I appreciate it greatly! I know I've been updating a lot lately—this is the third chapter in one day. It's just that sometimes I get this ideas and I just go with it. I do have a life, I don't sit here all day, though there's nothing wrong with that. It's just some days I have nothing to do. It's been crazy hectic with play practice this week and homework and life and the dance and all that good stuff. So I'm glad I get all these chapters uploaded. Shout-outs in the next chapter! Keep reviewing! :) Love & Strawberries, The Good Girl