Focus on You

Chapter Seven: Part One

"Call me afterwards and let me know how everything went!!" I sent the text to Kendrick before tucking my phone in my sweatpants pocket. It was about noon now, and I was finally getting out of bed. I spent most of my night waking up and twisting and turning. It's been a long time since I've actually been able to sleep the whole night peacefully.

Once making it downstairs, I was greeted by Mina, who happened to be eating a nice bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. I silently pouted as I longed to eat cereal. This lactose intolerant thing is not of God, I swear, and we don't have the money to buy soy milk, so that makes life worse.

"When is the musical?" I questioned, scanning the fridge for lactose-free foods.

"Some time in December," she answered dryly. I don't even know why I still try to get along with this chick.

"Cool." I grabbed two toaster strudels out of the freezer and plopped them in the toaster. As I waited for my toaster strudels to be done, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

"Cole told me he got you to train for a job at Ethereal! Did you get the job?"

It was a text from Mal. I totally forgot we exchanged numbers when he took me to Red Cup.

"Yes! I got the job!" I texted back, hoping that would be then end of this conversation. I grabbed my toaster strudels out of the toaster and placed them on a napkin. I sat at the dinner table and began eating as I felt my phone vibrate again.

"Congrats. Are you busy right now?"

I really don't want to hang with you today, Mal.

"Nope. I'm free today. What's up?"

"You wanna catch a movie? Pixels just came out."

I mean... I do want to see Pixels. But I don't want to hang with you today, Mal.

"I'll pay."

Well if that's the case...

"Sure. What time?"

"Is two too early?"

"Nope. That's perfect."

"Cool. See you then."

I quickly finished my toaster strudels before heading upstairs to find something to wear. It's not hard to find an outfit for me. I'm just going to throw this jacket on over it. I had on a black tee under my batman jacket, paired with stonewashed jeans and my black converse sneakers. I threw my jacket on and went to talk to Ms. Frankie.

"Ms. Frankie. I'm heading out with a friend at the movies."

"Okay." She let out a puff of cigarette smoke. "You got money?" She asked without taking her eyes away from the tv.

I remembered the twenty bucks I didn't use yesterday, since Kendrick decided to drive me everywhere. "Yes, ma'am."

"Okay."

My phone vibrated immediately after I left the living room. Mal sent me a text saying he was outside.

"Hey, Mal," I said as I hopped in the car.

"Hey, El." He smiled.

Malik is a nice guy. He's very friendly and polite, but I don't like hanging with him. Maybe because it just feels strange that he wants to hang with me. No one really wants to hang with me. I think the same of Kendrick. I think it's strange that they actually ask me to hang out with them. When they pay for things for me, I feel so uncomfortable. No one has ever just paid for something for me without me asking them. Mal and Kendrick just do it. I don't know, maybe I'm just weird.