Skinny • Book 1 In The Reality Series

Calum

"Why aren't you talking to me?"

Michael shrugged.

"Are you really giving me the silent treatment?"

Rolling his eyes Michael dropped his fork on his tray, "There's a difference between me not talking to you and me not talking to you."

"Is there?"

"What does that even mean?" Sierra questioned innocently from her perch beside me where she seemed to be glued as of late.

"I wouldn't expect you to know string cheese." Michael muttered.

"I like string cheese!" Annie spoke up, nearly spilling her carton of chocolate milk, "It's yummy!"

"Michael it's been like a week." I said quietly, poking at the wilted salad the lunch lady had insisted I take unless I wanted to be sent to the councilor, "I don't even get why you're mad?"

Laughing to himself he shook his head.

"What?" I pressed.

"Nothing."

"It's obviously something."

Sighing, he pushed his tray away from himself and placing his hands on the table, laced his fingertips together.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, "That I'm hurt that my best friend, went on a cross country adventure without me."

"It wasn't like that." I replied, "It just kind of... happened."

"Oh, you, the psycho smurf, string cheese and the..."

"Don't." I warned.

"Katy." He amended grudgingly, "Were just all hanging out, being buds and then you magically ended up in Florida!"

"You sound like my Dad." I grumbled.

"Can I ask a question?" Sierra asked hesitantly.

"I don't know, can you?" Michael grumbled.

"Why do you call me String Cheese?" she questioned.

"I don't like you." Michael answered bluntly, "Don't you have enough friends, do you really have to take mine?"

"Michael!" I cried.

Looking hurt, Sierra stared down hard at the table.

"I wasn't trying to steal Calum." She whispered, "Or Katy I just...."

"You just what?" Michael snapped, "Weaseled your way into my friend group like you did the football team's pants?"

Inhaling sharply, Sierra looked at me helplessly before rising to her feet and running away from the table.

"Why would you say that?" I demanded, rounding on Michael.

Looking guilty, he shrugged.

Making a sound of disgust in the back of my throat I stood up and hurriedly followed in the direction Sierra had gone.

Pushing open the large metal door through which she had disappeared, I scanned the small courtyard which was used as an extension of the cafeteria on sunnier days and a skate park after hours before my eyes landed on Sierra's huddled figure sat on the steps which led out to the back parking lot.

Sighing, I shoved my hands in my pockets and making my way over to her, sat down beside her.

"He's an ass." I said in way of greeting, "Ignore him."

"You don't mean that." She sniffed, reaching up and trying to collect her tears with her fingertips before they could smudge the makeup under her eyes.

"He was out of line." I assured her.

"He's your best friend." She laughed humorlessly, "Best friends fight, like married couples, at least that's what always happens on TV anyway. Then they makeup. And when that happens you're going to realize he's right. You and Katy and Michael... you're quirky and interesting and I'm just... not. I'm a dumb blonde with a slut's body who's first in line for a string cheese fortune. I'm the kind of person everyone is supposed to hate."

Unsure of what to say I sighed.

"Do you know what my Mom would do to me if I got fat?" she questioned leaning back, letting her arms hold up her weight.

Glancing over at her I shook my head.

Laughing to herself she closed her eyes and leaning her head back let the sun shining through the thick clouds overhead warm her face.

"My own Mother doesn't let me leave the house without makeup." She informed me, "My Dad was disappointed that I didn't have a date to prom. If I'm not winning everything I'm a loser in their eyes.... So I look perfect, all the time. And I get perfect grades, and I hang out with perfect people at expensive stores and eat little bites of gross fancy, organic food but it makes them happy... well, not happy, but they're not angry which is what I live for because I hate it when they're angry and I don't know why because when they're happy, I'm miserable."

"I'm sorry." I offered.

"That probably doesn't even make since." She sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"It kind of did." I said kindly.

Taking a shaky breath, she sat up, "My parents want me to be perfect, so I try to be. But then, everyone at school hates me, so I try harder to make them like me and I guess that just makes me a slut doesn't it?"

"No it doesn't."

"Then why does everyone call me that?" she choked out, "All I want is for everyone to like me all the time but they never do, it's like the harder I try the more unlikeable I am and the worst part is the more likeable I try to make myself the more miserable I am."

Connecting to what she was saying I nodded slowly, encouraging her to go on.

Letting out a strangled sob she buried her face in her knees, "I'm faker then Barbie."

"Sierra." I sighed, reaching a hand out then retracting it, unsure of where to put it.

"I thought I finally had it figured out. I thought I had friends..."

"You do." I assured her, patting her back awkwardly.

"I don't." she replied, "I'm going to end up just like my Mom. A lonely depressive drunk wasting thousands of dollars on a divorce so I can win full custody of my kids, not because I want them, because they'll hate me just as much as everyone else does... But just so my husband can't have them."

"Sierra, let's focus on one decade at a time." I said gently, "We'll cross the whole divorce court thing when we get to it."

Forgetting about her makeup, she wiped her eyes, smearing black across her cheeks and hiccupped.

"I'm your friend." I assured her.

"But what about Michael?"

"He's my friend to, but that doesn't mean I'm not your friend it just means..... I don't know what it means but I am your friend."

"Thanks Calum." She sniffed, scooting closer to me and resting her head on my shoulder.

"Anytime." I replied someone awkwardly.

We sat like that for several minutes, her seeming quite content, my arm falling asleep, until my phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out I turned it on and tapped on the newly delivered message from Katy.

Katy : We're there.