The Teenage Guide To Popularity [COMPLETE]

Chapter 35: Me Against The World,

"So that's my only option, to choose between you two." It was pretty much the last thing Carter wanted to do. Kiran had clearly never been in a similar situation, so who was he anyway to even hint at such an ultimatum?

He pulled her close and linked his hands behind her waist. The Axe aftershave had been splashed on at a crazy level, but she breathed it in and let it lift her a little. "No. That's Leigh's only option. She can either let shit go, or let it ruin your friendship. Assuming of course this little trip of hers actually has to do with us. Now can we stop talking about it?"

"Why, do my problems bore you?"

"No. You could never bore me."

"Then why can't we talk about it?"

"Because it's all we ever talk about. Leigh this. Leigh that. I get that she's your best friend, but it's like you're letting her come in the way of this."

"What am I supposed to do, shut her out? I'm not like you. I can't go through life not caring what anyone thinks of me," she said. She then moved away from him and crossed her arms across her chest, frowning, fully aware that she probably resembled a grumpy five-year-old.

"I do care what people think. I just don't let it control me. The only person whose opinion matters to me, aside from my parents, is you."

"And I suppose you want me to feel special." She did feel special. More than she could possibly have guessed. But she wasn't going to let him have that satisfaction. Not yet.

Though as she stared at him, at the way-too-understanding, way-too-annoying expression on his face, she knew that things would probably never go back to normal. That the entire dynamic between the three of them would never be the same. She had come to this conclusion before, but had somehow bounced back to a delusional state. Though with every single day there came another hint at personal chaos. Now it seemed to be glaring at her, wearing blinding sparkles and the brightest hues, making it impossible for her to look away again.

"I want you to feel whatever you want to feel. Put me aside for a second. Put Leigh aside. What makes you happy?"

Curling up on a couch in her PJ's, eating Cheetos, marathoning Community while having some sort of Community trivia contest. The usual. The predictable. That's what always made her happy. Anyone who could sit with her and find joy in these things would elevate that happiness to an almost euphoric level. Unfortunately, the only two people in her whole world who fit into that were Kiran and Leigh, and right now it seemed like she would have to let one of them go.

"I have an idea. Let's skip the afternoon and go to the arcade," he said, half-smiling, half-sending her to her own personal moon. 

"Skipping school. You're such a wonderful influence."

"Don't you just have a study period and gym left?"

"My gym teacher's insane. She'll take off a percent from my final grade for every no-note absent I have. And it's a little creepy that you know my schedule."

"Like you don't know mine."

She thought for a moment. He had Calculus next. English last period. How surprising. Though it was probably a subconscious thing - memorizing his schedule without realizing it. "Touché."

"What a picture-perfect couple," a rather snippy voice interrupted them.

If eyes could roll away and into some cave of irritation, that's what would've happened to Carter's. She didn't want to face the intruder, but she couldn't very well hide forever. There was Tala, the model-like princess of Newton High, standing there with her perfect long legs and her perfectly perfect hair. Not a strand out of place. Even with that contemptuous glare, she was breathtaking. What could she possibly want?