Chapter 4

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    I turn into the all too familiar cafeteria. It's full of as many teenagers as you can fit into a humid room of processed foods and sweaty bodies. 

     Riley and Chloe already made their entrance and sat at the table along with Bryce and Chris. Chris is Chloe's boyfriend. The two are that couple you know will get married one day and live a long and happy life, possibly even pop out a kid or two. 

     Riley says it's fate. I say it is a silly coincidence. I guess I'm not much of a believer in destiny. 

     "We're going to Rebecca's party tonight. You in?" Riley opens up her backpack and pulls out a brown sack. 

      "Sorry, I am in no mood for a party tonight. I'm exhausted." I yawn, falling back into the squeaky chair. 

     Riley, now pulling out a sandwich for the bag frown, along with the others at the table. 

     Rebecca, known as the party planner around here. Always throws a 'back to school' kickback to pump up everyone for the new school year. 

     "But it's Rebecca's party! Come on Ky!" Chloe whines, squeezing onto Chris' hand tighter causing him to let out a pained groan. 

     "Besides, I heard Cooper is going to be there." Chris pries Chloe's hand from his, the other three at the table shush him immediately at the mention of my greatest enemy. 

     "What?" Chris asks. 

     "She despises him." Bryce chuckles, poking my side and surprisingly gets a smile out of me as I shrink back. 

     "Really? That's a relief." Chris sighs. "He's a dick." Chris portrays and the rest of us nod in unison. 

     "Okay," Bryce turns to me, he's wearing a black shirt beneath his flannel and a pair of jeans. A look he's sported since I've known him. "So Cooper might be there but we can hide you from him. Just please come."

     I was ready to say no and be done with it but at the excitement on my friends faces I don't have it in me. 

     "Fine." I deflate. 

     "Yay!" Chloe cheers. Her blond hair bounces up and down.

     "Alright, come over to my place after school." Riley looks between Chloe and I before throwing away the excess food in her bag. "Then we can get ready and head over." 

     "Well I will see you ladies tonight then." Bryce dismisses before and with that, Chris gives Chloe an everlasting kiss before the two depart. 

Tonight it is. 

• • •

     The rest of the day fades away and once school has ended, the three of us all head over to Riley's house. 

     "Red or purple?" Riley holds out two tank tops. Both are exactly the same but in her eyes they must not be. She and Chloe for the past hour an half have been picking and choosing from the entirety of Riley's massive closet, deciding what to wear. 

    Meanwhile my friends finish getting ready, I take another look at the alarm clock on the sodden nightstand. Currently it's seven 'pm.'

     "Is there a reason as to why you're still sitting there wearing. . .that?" Riley gestures to me. 

     "I was just going to wear—" I pull myself from the bed and stand up. 

    "No!" Riley and Chloe scream and I'm nearly toppling back into the bed. 

     "Fine. Then I will find myself something." I emphasize, adjusting my shirt and walking past them, "no way am I wearing some thin tank top and booty shorts." I scoff. 

    "Hey! It's a look." Riley calls out to me from the other end of the closet that I rifle around in. None of her clothes are entirely my style but after around ten minutes I leave the closet with a fresh pair of jeans and a cropped Henley tee. 

   "Uh. . ." Chloe's mouth hangs open, shaking her head she points to my attire. "You're wearing that? It's so—" 

    "Lame." Riley sighs. Finishing her makeup. 

    Between Riley's risky outfit and Chloe's see-through cami and form fitting leather skirt, I won't stand out one bit. "Awesome." I wink. After a while longer of picking on me and my outfit the darkness is only growing darker and I plead that we leave right now. 

     Riley picks up her car keys and we all head downstairs where her mother greets us before we make it out to the car. "Oh don't you three look beautiful." She gushes from the bottom of the stairs. 

    "Thanks mom." Riley mumbles. Taking a step around the formally dressed woman. 

    "Where are you headed tonight?" I ask, grinning. 

    "Out for some drinks." Riley's mother pats my shoulder, kissing her daughter's cheek, she says. "If you're back before me just lock up the house. I won't be home too late." Shuffling towards the garage she departs and soon enough so do we. 

     Soon we're in the car and driving towards the party that by now we know by heart. Even through all the twists and turns and streets we must go down. 

     There are only two problems. 

     1:My brother.

     2:And cooper