Ethel 'n Opal

ten

e t h e l   d i x o n

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Opal: Meet me under the bleachers?   5:47 p.m.

Yeah but where are you dummy?

I peak out a bit, scouting the bleachers that are quickly starting to fill up. I search with baited breath for a particular face. And each time someone walks by or settles into the growing crowd, my pulse act up. It's always something close enough, but never quite right; A girl with a blonde fro - but no, they don't frame her face the same. An attractive lightskin who smiles at her friends. They wave her over to the seat they saved. But there's no pretty pink braces in that smile. Some jit with a dorky ass graphic tee walks by and I almost mistake'em for her too. But none of them are her. So I check my phone again.

"If you try to scare me I'm not watching that stupid ass 'League of Dragons' shit with you after the game." I mumble this vaguely, feeling Opal's presence sneak up beside me. She laughs, which instantly makes me wanna smile. But I bite the inside of my cheeks, taking a moment to pretend like I'm scrolling through something important so I can calm these butterflies the fuck down.

"League of Legends." She corrects, coming all close and shit. "And I know you secretly love it because you cried at the end of that last episode." I smack my lips and risk a glance up. 

Opal has on her little band uniform, consisting of a combination of our school colors. Her hair is braided in a crown with two smaller braids on the sides. And she got that bare-faced, natural beauty thing going on too. Mm, she just be looking good.  

After subtly checking her out, I settle back on her face. Only to find that Opal was already on the same page as me. Her eyes roam over my uniform and I give a little nervous tug at the skirt. She chews on her lip, a tinge of bubble-gum pink and silver peaking out. Say less. I wet my lips a bit when I notice her eyes get darker. 

"So what's up?" She doesn't answer right away. Opal is lost in her staring. I'm not gone lie, I kinda like the attention too. Waiting isn't the problem though, it's the freaky thoughts that's causing the small smirk to spread on my face. Lawd have mercy, we must stay focus brothers.

"Oh- um, sorry." She lets out that breathy laugh, which causes me to look down at our hands, gently lacing her fingers with mine. My face gets hot and I know I look stupid just cheesin' all hard'n shit, but I can't help it. She's just so, Opal.

"It's just, you were telling me how nervous you were for your performance yesterday, so I wanted to check on you." I blink in surprise. The whole time I was rambling on the phone, I didn't think she was actually paying that close attention. But I should've know better 'cause this is Opal we're talking about.

"I-I'm good - thank you." I mumble, then peak at her smile from the corner of my eyes.

"No problem. You're gonna knock their socks off, I just know it. And I uh," Opal hooks her thumb to the side, backing up a bit, "I kinda have to hurry back for some last minute sound checks - Flora's probably freaking out right now. So I'm gonna..." She pauses, like her body can't decide whether or not she should really stay or go. I cross my arms, amused by how fast this girl can switch from confident to all awkward and shy-

Kiss. "Good luck." She pecks me on the cheek. Is it weird that I wanna hug'er and choke her at the same time?

I settle on mugging her instead. That childish ass kiss.