Kara watches the different arguements unfold, choosing to stay out for once. She didn't want to waste her breath fighting with a bunch of people she already didn't like. She left the group, holding up a peace sign with her fingers as she departed.
"Later, losers!" She called, walking down the hall toward the student parking lot. She didn't have a car, of course. This was where her younger sister Amber insisted she pick her up, not wanting to show her friends from cheer that she was related to an "emo freak," as she so generously pointed out on a daily basis. While Kara had to work to earn money for her own car, doing babysitting and washing cars, her sister only needed to ask and there it was, sitting in the driveway the morning of Amber's sweet sixteen. Amber spent the day driving it around, while Kara and her other, more tolerable, sister Maxine spent it playing checkers and trying to tune out the squealing. Standing by the curb seething at the memory, she waited for her sisters cherry red Mercedes to pull around the corner.
After it finally did, half an hour later, Kara was about to hop in the passenger side when the window rolled down. Ambers made up face, still sweaty from cheer practice, popped out, frowning at her. "Sorry, we're driving to a...cheer thing this afternoon. Super important. You're gonna have to walk home." She said, fake pity in her voice. Kara rolled her eyes. A "cheer thing" is what they said when they wanted to go out with friends on a school night. Peering into the back seat, she saw Maxine, staring out the window.
"Max, why didn't you text me?" She asked her sister. Maxine pointed wordlessly to Amber, who had Maxines phone in her hand and a grin on her face, Amber said, "Sorry, Kara. Better get walking!" She gave one last pitiful smile, then sped off. Kara cursed under her breath, then began walking home. It was a few miles, which was probably good, as she could get her anger out in the walk home instead of at home, where her parents would "ground her" for making too much noise, shaking their heads as if they were disappointed in her behavior.
Finally reaching home, she got a text. She pulled out her phone to read it. It was from Katrina, saying there was a mandatory rehearsal today at 5:00. Looking at the clock above her bed, she saw it was 4:48. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. If Amber had taken ten minutes out of her day to drive her home, she wouldn't have to be late for rehearsal! Grabbing her guitar case and hurrying out the door, she pulled out her phone and responded to the group chat, speaking out loud as she typed.
"Will be a little late, can someone give me a ride?" She typed. She knew a few band members lived in this area, so she hoped one could spare a few minutes and come get her.
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Gauge blushed when Lacey led him away from the fight, ignoring the pain in his ass from where Liona had kicked him. He then watched as Lacey asked anyone for a ride. His heart was racing, and his mind kept screaming,
Do it, you fucking idiot! But he missed his chance, as Mirabelle offered to drive her. Gauge walked over at the last second, offering to take her.
"Mira, I live closer to Lacey. I'll drive her. I don't want you to go too far out of your way." He said, trying to be as nice as possible so she would accept. Gauge allowed himself one look at his crush, but once he did, he couldn't look away. Her long red hair falling in perfect waves down her back, her tan skin with a field of freckles dotted across her cute button nose, her grey eyes that crinkled at the edges when she laughed. It was safe to say Gauge had spent a fair amount of time staring at the girl. And there, barely visible under the knitted jumper she wore, were dark purple bruises, some fresh but some turning yellow after a couple days.
Gauge first noticed the bruises about a year ago. They shared an art class last year, and when the shy girl rolled up her sleeves to paint a portrait, her arms were covered in the ugly bruises. Lacey, always a quiet girl, had looked at him then, and noticing that he saw the bruises, she held up a finger to her lips, telling him to keep silent. He did the same, showing her he wasn't going to tell, then turned away. To Lacey, the exchange probably meant next to nothing, but to Gauge, it meant everything. For the first time, he could be trusted with important information, something people usually relucted to do because of his outward appearance. And he saw a new side of the red-headed girl, now knowing her silence was not just because of shyness but of a fear to let anyone in.
It was a miracle when he formed the band and she signed up. Before, he had only seen her from afar, trying to work up the courage to talk to her even for a little bit. But now they spoke on a daily basis, and he even had her phone number. Now, all he had to do was ask her out. He sighed, then stopped staring so he wouldn't freak her out.
If only it were that easy.