Fragments - Flash Anthology

Nine

"Hey, wanna hang out after club?"

A new friend just whispered to me while the German Club president continued with her daily lesson. I don't want to interrupt the president, but I also want to keep my new friend.

"Sure, I guess," I whisper back.

"Let's get Brian and Tina to come, too! I'm thinkin' the ice cream store down the street."

I nod back and smile awkwardly.

The president turned the projector off and flipped the lights back on, but she still had a little more to say.

Should I go with them and secure my new friends? I only have twelve dollars to spend for the whole week, but I really don't want to say "no." Maybe I can go but not get anything! But then someone might try and buy me something. They'll probably hate me for that; no one likes a mooch.

I need to use my bus money.

But I can't not go to clubs. And what if my new friend wants to hang out? I guess I'll just walk home for the rest of the week. It's been a while but I think it took about two and a half hours last time. That's not so bad. I'll just have to stock up on CD's. I wonder if I can borrow some more from Dad?

"Auf Wiedersehen!" The president waved to everyone, signaling the club was over.

"Auf Wiedersehen," we all say back.

"Come on, let's go! I'll drive."

"Hold on," I say. I check my backpack for everything. Maybe I should drop off some of my textbooks so it's not so heavy?

"That's a lot of stuff you got in there! Wait, what's that purple round thing?"

I laugh under my breath. "It's a skip-resistant portable CD player! It's probably the coolest thing ever."

"Oh, one of those things." My new friend pulled out their backpack and started searching the numerous pockets it had until they found an MP3 player. "My parents got me this to replace the tiny one I used to have. It's way better 'cause it can hold like a thousand songs instead of just a few hundred. Well, I think mine stopped at, like, 924 or something. But anyway, it's -way- cooler than those things, I'm sure." My friend thought for a moment. "When's your birthday?"

"Um, March 19th."

"Hey, that's a week before mine! You're a sophomore too, right? You're just barely older than I am!"

"I guess you're technically right, but we're basically the same age," I say.

"Well, anyway, you should ask for one of these for your birthday! Then we can be twins! There's three sizes so try and tell them to get the big one; I think it's four jigabites?"

"Ok, I'll ask them. Thanks."

"No problem! Let's go find Brian and Tina!"

I zip up my backpack and follow my new friend. I hope they won't be disappointed when March comes around. How much are those? Let's see, twelve times four times three...