You're My Sol

Chapter 6

I stood there in precalc, stunned.

"Is everything okay, Penelope?" Mr. Lenn, the precalc teacher, asked.

I nodded numbly. I hadn't felt this way in a while. I had dealt with people sneering at me, making fun of me, seeing me as stuck up--but I've never seen anyone hurt by me.

I needed to make it up to her.

As much as I hated to do it, I rushed down to the cafeteria and went up to her lunch table.

"Hey, do you guys know where Marisol went?" I asked hurridly.

They shook their heads.

"She said she was with you..." Jessica trailed off. My face went white. What happened? Why was she so upset? Where was she?

I ran from the table, not knowing where to go. Where was she? Why was she lying to her friends?

I almost laughed, it was kind of funny. I was making it a habit of running from the cafeteria.

Suddenly it hit me. I knew where I might find Marisol.

* * *

"Hello?" I creaked open the bathroom door.

There was no one in there.

The sink was still dripping, the walls still covered in graffiti.

Someone sniffled in a stall.

Oh, so someone was there. And I had a feeling I knew who it was.

I knocked softly on the stall door. Oh how the tables had turned.

"Occupied..." Marisol said, sniffling.

"Hey, Marisol, it's me," I said softly. Suddenly every time I snapped at her flashed through my mind. Oh my god, I was a terrible friend. I was jealous of her, I thought of her as perfect, and that was why I was so mean. But she wasn't perfect. She was human. And I didn't know how to help her.

"Please go away..." she said.

I wanted to be there for her.

"Go away," she said again.

I didn't know how.

"Penny--"

But I could try.

"Marisol? Please unlock the door."

It was silent.

"Please?" I said softly.

The lock clicked open. I stepped back and she drew the door open. Her hair was messy, like she'd been running her fingers through it. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks flushed. It was obvious she was upset.

"Hey," I whispered. "Come here." She stepped forward and I wrapped my arms around her. "It's okay," I said, rubbing circles into her back. "It's okay."

She stepped back and wiped her nose. Marisol looked away. "Sorry for being such a mess..."

"Hey, don't worry about it. We're all messes sometimes." I leaned against the wall and slid down so I was on the floor.

"The floor is dirty, you know," she said.

I nodded. "Yeah."

 She stared at me for a moment, then slid down next to me. I looked over at her. I wanted to comfort her, to let her know that everything was going to be all right.

I reached over and placed my hand over hers.

She smiled at the ground and laced her fingers through mine.