The Arrangement

Chapter Two

It isn't until I finally unpack my school bag that I realise the enormity of things I have left to do, I can't say that I have no time to do any of it because I could say no to hanging out with everyone in favour of completing the source of my stress. It should be that easy, right? Snap my fingers and there's the perfect and easy solution to everything.

Anyone else in this group would do the exact same thing, prioritise the very reason we are all here and you know who would understand? Literally everyone, and yet I end up feeling like I am paralysed between the two options. There's always two options and for me, one of them is worlds easier than the latter.

Stay up here and work through the three chapters of reading and practical explanations that are due on Monday until everyone begins arriving, go down there and have fun with all my friends and then come back up during the in between of celebrating Sophie and leaving for Johnson's party.

Or I say fuck that plan, and spend time with the people I love, celebrate Sophie's birthday and see all of Cam's awful costumes. Dulling the reminder and stress of school until Saturday night and Sunday where I can stay up until all hours trying to get it done, it might not be the most responsible but it's the one that'll make me happiest.

Well temporarily at least, besides, there is probably nothing in the world that could make me somewhat absence on Sophie's day. It's the first year she has let herself be mostly excited about the whole thing, even if it is dampened slightly by the fact, she isn't talking to her parents anymore. Just because it was the right decision and she has done nothing but grow since then, doesn't mean that it doesn't suck not having them to go celebrate with on your twenty-second birthday.

It's why the rational part of me that says stay in and study gets a swift kick in the groin, and I shove my textbooks back into the bag, and then promptly shuffle that bag under the metal frame of my bed. Then I peel of one of my blue sticky-notes and plaster it against my mirror, 'books under bed' and throw open my bedroom door as Cassie pulls open the bathroom door adjacent to me.

It feels like a rarity to see her without a frown pulling down her lips these days, it's hard to know how she's feeling when she walks in the door. Putting pressure on someone to open up has never been my forte and I don't believe I would enjoy it the other way around, it's strange to see her alone so often now. It could be our fault for not trying harder, but even in Freshman year, when Mark was with us constantly and their relationship was disgustingly cute, there was always the undertone of Mark not wanting to be with us, but with Cassie and that's where the sacrifices came into play.

His will never outweigh what she has done to appease him in recent years, skipping outings with us to be frowned on and the butt of jokes that come from his friends. While he sits there with a smile on his face during all of it, even with his parents making her feel guilty and pushing her to miss her own commitments.

Mark didn't even care when we stopped inviting him to things, it had been a curtesy invite for Cassie since the beginning of Junior year. One that was met with scowls, arguments and a profound lack of replies that none of us appreciated.

Blue eyes are clear of the rim of red tears that I have come to expect to see, instead her mascara remains non-smudged under her eyes and brightness warms her cheeks when she sees me. I didn't realise the sight would feel like a weight off my shoulders, but I don't hate the feeling of seeing her in a good mood.

Black hair sits curled against her shoulders, bangs pinned back away from her eyes with little red clips that have spiders on them, despite the fact that we haven't received costume assignments her smoky makeup is topped with red glitter across her lids. The dark contrast of her makeup make the clear blue of her eyes crisper, like glowing orbs beneath dark lashes.