Friendzoned

by Power, P. S.

  "I can see if there are any openings. I have a part time job there, and, you know, I can't promise anything, but I can ask my grandma. It might not help, but there are a few that go unused most of the time. People just don't have that many kids in the right age range. So, Drama, that would be in the arts section... yeah. We can call and see about it when we get back." There was a shrug, one that could mean anything, so Becky decided not to get her hopes up too high. It was a long shot. The kind of thing that no one really got a chance at. Not outside of fiction.

  "That would be really cool. Even if she says no." It would. Darla didn't have any real reason to even be nice to her, but she always was. They all were. The whole group of cheerleaders and their good looking friends. It was hard to trust, but there was a track record now. One that went back months. If it was a trick, they had better acting skills than she did by far. It was hard to make things like that stick, after that much time.

  She was given a sandwich that was basically a small salad hidden between two pieces of bread, cut in half diagonally. It wasn't what everyone else had, except Hally, who winked at her about it. Like they were the same. Or at least in the same boat, diet wise. It wasn't really true, because Hally needed to work on about five cheerleader pounds, which were a different beast altogether than her art girl ones. The idea, and shared misery, were good however and she winked back, as if it were a secret.

  The boys all had huge things, but the other girls just had regular sandwiches. There were some chips too, but she skipped out on them. She didn't need greasy fingers. It wasn't like they could wash their hands out in the woods after all.

  Mitch grinned after a bit and leaned in to her.

  "There you go! That's incredible. A full ride scholarship would be perfect. Not as good as already having one, but I think it's worth going for. If Darla Gibson is going to ask her grandmother about it personally, that won't hurt at all." He didn't try to high five her in front of everyone, but that was the general feeling of the moment.

  It was nice, having him seem positive about her. It would be nicer if he managed to keep it up for a while, but instead he just ate and then patted her on the back, after they listened to everyone talk about nothing very interesting for a few minutes. Darla was pushing them to hurry, trying not to be obvious about it. She really didn't want to be stuck out after dark however. It was kind of obvious.

  Quince stared at her for a bit, fighting a smirk.

  "Is it the demons in these woods that you're worried about? I can see that. A ripe young thing like yourself would be a tasty dessert for that kind of thing. Hmmm... Yummy cheerleader." He tried to make it sound sinister, but it didn't work for him, coming out like he was talking around the idea of oral sex instead. Which was gross.

  Except for the part where she didn't really mind the idea, herself. Not as long as she got to shower first. That thought surprised her, coming out of nowhere. Mitch was right there, but making eyes at Keeley again, who was being a decent friend and pretending to not notice. In fact, if anything, she was paying most of her attention to Cory. The boy kept grinning at all of them, as if he got the secrets of everything they did, but he didn't say much. Eve stayed close to him though, watching where he looked. She smiled too, for some reason.

  The head cheerleader grumped a little at Quince, but didn't seem upset.

  "Demons? Hardly my big fear right now. Broken ankles are. If I have to carry you out of here on my back it's going to be a pain." Then, as if in charge or something, she clapped. "All right, don't make me beg! Let's get back on the trail."

  The rest of the round trip, another five miles, was done fast, and she was pretty sure her feet were bleeding well before the end of it. No one but Quince and Darla were talking much, and Gary just interjected the occasional witty comment. Or at least he tried.

  "We should be there in time." She called that out herself, panting a bit. It was getting dark already, meaning that they hadn't made very good time, but she really did think that they were coming around the last bend. She wasn't right, but no one made fun of her.

  Luckily the dirt path was pretty well defined, so they didn't have to try and stop for the night when it got too dark to see.

  Darla just snickered.

  "Well... Here we go then. Notice how I'm not saying that thing that would be rude and annoying, but that everyone expects me to?"

  Eve cleared her throat, sounding for all the world like a ninety year old librarian.

  "You mean, that you told us so?"

  "Why yes, I believe I do! I wish I'd brought a flashlight. That was a bit of an oversight. I mean, I have a snakebite kit, even if it's too cold for reptiles, but not even a glow stick. Stupid. I guess that means that we should do this kind of thing more often, so that I don't mess up like that. I personally blame Keeley. She never wants to do anything, but talk about her feelings."

  That got a chuckle, since it wasn't really true. If anything the other girl was closed mouthed about herself. Becky felt nearly like the chatty one that way. Well, her and Hally.

  Who broke out a small flashlight, and moved to the front.

  "It was in Keeley's kitchen drawer."

  Cory actually clapped and pulled Eve up to be by their clever new leader, holding her hand. It was probably just so they wouldn't be separated in the dark. She was a bit nervous, but tried to do the same with Mitch. He just took it and nodded.

  "Good idea. Thanks Hally. That was brilliant, thinking ahead like that."

  Then they all walked, their combined noise thunderous in the dark. It was a lot of crackling underfoot, and a bit of strained breathing. A thrill of fear ran down her spine, and Becky looked around, not seeing anything outside of the small round of light at Hally's feet.

  The woods could have had anything in them. Wolves, or bears, rabid squirrels. Anything. It didn't, she was sure, based on wishful thinking, but that didn't really make her feel any better. To top it off, Quince started talking about ghosts. That and demons.

  "Back in ancient Sumer, before most of human history, all of the gods were a part of nature. An, the god of the Earth, Enki, the god of fresh water, and Inanna, the goddess of war. So, you get the idea, it was pretty primitive stuff. It didn't explain the things in the dark though, so demons were invented. Or maybe discovered. Ghosts were known too. Way back then. Things that don't exist don't last that long in human memory, so that means something. There are things like that all around us, all the time. Demons, they don't have to be giants with horns and pitchforks. They could be anything. Or anyone. I could be one, and you might never know it. Or any of us could. I don't know if Gary was kidding about what he saw, but I've seen things that no one would believe, in places very much like this. On the edge of the world, in places where nature gives way to what man had built." He went silent, as something crashed off in the distance, making a thump, like something striking a tree. It got Becky to squeak and grab Mitch's hand more tightly. She had leather gloves on, and he didn't have anything, but he didn't let go, or complain.

  Then Quince laughed.

  "Sorry, I threw a rock. It's not an actual attack. I shouldn't scare you all." He didn't sound sorry. It was more... Smug than that.

  The others all laughed, but it was a nervous sounding thing. Well, Mitch didn't, but Becky could tell he'd been startled, and was hiding it. Quietly, instead of behind false humor. Some people did that, didn't they? It made him seem kind of brave really. He hadn't screamed like a little baby, which had been her go to move, as if that would have helped anything at all if it had been a wild animal or a killer with an ax. Of course, it wasn't either of those things, and they all kept walking as Darla scoffed a bit.

  She sounded sarcastic and a bit mean for once as she went after the guy. Good looking football player or not.

  "Really, what the heck was that? First you make up stuff about summer and then try to scare us all half to death? Lame, Quince. Totally and completely dumb."

  The boy just walked for a long time, but finally spoke, saying
only one word.

  "Sumer."

  That one got a laugh too. Mainly from Mitch, but Cory had to stifle his own mirth, it seemed. At least she thought that was what was going on up front, by the light. Luckily it didn't become a big thing, since they got back to the parking lot about then, the whole thing different in the dark.

  As they all jogged over to the cream colored van, Mitch pulled on her arm, keeping her from dashing off with the rest, not that they were moving fast.

  "Um, I didn't know you were in so tight with Keeley... Do you think you could find out what she thinks of me?" It was said with an innocent air to it, but the words hurt a bit. It was like he just didn't even see her as a woman at all. They'd known each other for years, but she got nothing. Keeley showed up less than six months before, and suddenly it was all about her. She didn't growl at him, but wanted to. Why couldn't he see her? Was she really that bad?

  "I... We're not in the third grade, so no. If you want her that bad, talk to her." It sounded nastier than she'd intended it to, sharp and prickly, which really should have been a sign to him, but he just shook his head. At least that's what she thought he was doing. It wasn't like she could see him or anything, as dark as it was. It wasn't late, but other than the light from Hally's flashlight, there was nothing but the stars overhead and the glow from the city, which was about ten miles away.

  "Whatever. I guess you're right. I just don't want to be the one taking the risks. I will. Don't worry about it. I've got this one. Thanks." It didn't sound like he really meant it. In fact it seemed a bit like he was pissed with her.

  In that way the whole day was no doubt a ringing success, hadn't it? Well, at least Keeley would be able to get a date with him. Maybe it was time for her to get out of the way, and not interfere? If he couldn't be happy with her, Mitch might as well at least be happy. Wasn't it wrong for her to want to get in the way of that?

  That both felt right, and like she was being a moron. It was as if she was missing something. Some part of the scene that had to be added for it to make sense. It might just be that she needed to make herself more attractive, that or get rid of the competition, but it wasn't Keeley's fault that she was perfect.

  She wasn't though, was she?

  No, she had that secret, about her anorexia that Becky could exploit. If she were evil enough. The question then, really, had to be a simple one.

  Was she?

  Becky didn't think so, but she was running out of options. She didn't want to betray her friend, but she didn't want to lose her only chance at the guy she liked forever either. School was almost over, and she'd run out of time. In a few months they'd part ways forever.

  What else could she do?

  Chapter four

  The trip back was playful enough, with Gary and Quince clowning around for them in the near dark of Darla's Volkswagen van. It was funny enough, but Becky was preoccupied, worried about having made Mitch mad, and a bit upset at Keeley. It wasn't fair. Not to any of them.

  It meant she sat there, just listening to the others, until they got to the school parking lot, and managed to dump the boys out. Mitch seemed like he wanted to talk to Keels, but he didn't, finally just turning away. Cory smiled and waved at her though, which was nice of him. He was always sweet that way, bothering to pay attention to everyone, and trying to be inclusive. They hadn't talked a lot on the hike really, but then the guy never did. He just brushed his decently short hair with his right hand, the brown lock that he was after falling instantly back to his forehead, and got into Mitch's car. Then they drove away, safely and quietly.

  As opposed to Quince, who peeled out, with Gary and Gavin in with him, making the air fill with the stink of burned rubber and leaving a black streak on the pavement, covering one of the white lines.

  Darla sighed.

  "Such a tool." Then they all loaded back up, heading to Keeley's for another evening of fun. "If he keeps doing things like that, they'll close this place off, and it makes a good starting point for day trips. He just doesn't think ahead that far most of the time."

  That got a lot of nods from the other girls. Becky didn't know about that personally, since hanging around with a popular guy wasn't exactly something that she had a lot of experience with in her life. She did notice though that none of these girls had gone out of their way to flirt with him or try and get his attention, had they? He'd flirted and played, and everyone seemed fine with it, but they didn't try to get him alone or anything like that.

  It probably meant something. Maybe even something slightly sinister.

  Keeley snorted and gestured to the van again. She climbed in the front, like she owned the place permanently, but no one complained, so Becky wasn't going to. After all, one day these pretty and popular girls would wake up and realize that her only role here was as their ugly friend and she wouldn't be included much at all. Being the squeaky wheel really wasn't going to slow that down, was it?

  As she settled, the van not moving, Keeley spoke, her voice soft, but not sounding like she was trying to be funny at all. Just thoughtful.

  "Yeah, poor Quince. He tries really hard, but he's just not that bright really. I did like that bit about ancient Sumer. He was probably up for hours last night memorizing it. Not that I'm knocking the effort. It was pretty good. Well, he'll get by, probably by doing well enough in sports to get a coaching position somewhere. He does pretty well in that area." She turned around as they got underway and looked into the back, her face carrying a bit of a grin. "So, what did everyone think? Was that a disaster or what? Other than the exercise. That worked at least. I'm going to be sore tomorrow."

  Darla made a derisive sound, but didn't turn to look herself. Her voice was friendly and pretty happy, over all.

  "It wasn't a total bust. It was good to see Gavin, and Cory seems like a really nice guy."

  That got a laugh from next to Becky, where Eve sat.

  "That's true. He's also very much in lust with a certain girl, who shall not be mentioned..."

  Becky looked at her and let her head tilt to the side. She could see him being interested in Eve. After all, she was really good looking and had been friendly to him the whole time, making a point of touching him and smiling a lot. Plus, she'd been pretty open about liking sex, and it wasn't as if Cory wasn't a guy, so there was that.

  The girl wrinkled her nose cutely and then shook her short black hair out of her eyes.

  "It was all about Becky the whole time. Trust me, the boy has it bad. Otherwise he wouldn't have known the rest of you were even there. Not with me nearby. But no, he spent ten miles and a meal staring at our fair maiden over here. It was a bit rude to me, of course, but I'll live."

  "What? We're just friends. We hang out sometimes, but it isn't-" She was going to go on, when Hally put a soft hand on her shoulder from behind, stopping her.

  "You mean it isn't exactly like what you and Mitch have going on? Except that Cory is actually better looking than Mitch and has a better personality. Not that Mitch was bad, or anything, he seemed all right, but it was so clear that you were trying to get his attention that he should have been nicer about it than he was. Just like you need to be better with Cory."

  There was a murmur of agreement from the others then, with Eve doing the follow up on it.

  "At least sleep with him. I mean, not to be crass, but you won't be marrying any of them, so you might as well get to have a little fun. In twenty years, when you look back, they can either be those guys you knew, or the ones you actually knew. People sometimes regret what they did in life, but they very rarely regret who they did."

  Becky didn't say anything, still trying to work out if she were being teased or not. After all, Cory... He was just her friend, right? More to the point, he was Mitch's buddy, who happened to be around a lot. She liked him, sure, but she hadn't really thought of him that way.

  Maybe that was a mistake? Was there something there that she was missing? Worse, was Eve just right, and she was wasting so much time on Mitch that
she couldn't see anything else that was going on around her? She already knew, and fully admitted, that she wasn't going to have some big, lifelong relationship with the boy. In six months they'd both be going their separate ways. No matter what else happened. He'd be off to a really good school, and she wouldn't.

  So what was she really doing here?

  She knew the answer, of course. It was obvious and had been for years. She loved him. He was a good person, and her emotions didn't want to let him get away without even trying. It hurt, even to think of him leaving like that. Even knowing it was going to happen, regardless of what she did. That was always the battle though, wasn't it? Knowing what had to happen was most often at war with what you wanted in life. At least it felt like it.

  Eve yawned, and waved her left hand, hitting Becky gently in the arm with it several times.

  "Not that I don't see what you like in Mitch now. I mean, he's still a giant geek with no fashion sense, but he also treats you like crap. It gives him a whole bad boy vibe. At least with you. Really he should have been doing that with Keeley, or me, if he actually wants to have sex. I always fall for that garbage, don't I?"

  That got a considering sound from Darla, the back of her head showing only a cascade of soft, light colored curls in the light that came through the side window. It alternated as they drove, a bit of light, then deep shadows.

  "Really? You do. Keels doesn't, so that wouldn't have worked on her at least. I kind of have to agree Becks. I mean, think about it... He had a perfectly good you there, looking ready to eat, next to a wasted and haggard looking Keeley, and he was still not getting the idea. Is it really worth the effort? I... Well, it isn't my plan. Keeley, what do you think?"

  That was an odd person to go to for that kind of thought, since Mitch was clearly interested in her, beyond anyone else, but the girl rose to the challenge a lot better than Becky would have, she thought.

  "We need to show him that I'm off the table, and that Becky is a really good catch. We already have a plan for that, but I'll make sure it's set up. In the mean time, Becky needs to keep busy. Asking her to just give up now, while there are other things to try, isn't right. Besides, not to seem rude, but Mitch isn't exactly my type. For one thing he was sort of rude to my friend. That's enough for me to not like him that much, right there." She sounded confident about the subject too. As if she really meant every single word of what she was saying.