x 12 x

                                    

                                          

x DEMON x
"Was that really necessary?" I asked as the three of us got off of the bus. I could feel her staring at me as the school bus pulled off, her gaze lingering on the back of my head even as the disgustingly yellow vehicle was out of sight.
"Of course it was. She needs to learn her place," Dior commented, dropping her eye drops into her eyes.
"Which is?" I snap.
Dior and Syn stop walking besides me. Syn's expression is unreadable while Dior is visibly pissed. 
"What do you mean, which is? She's nothing to us, Demon," Syn argued. "Just some Southwest bitch who thinks she can come here and run shit."
"She's falling for her," Dior mumbled.
"And what places do you two exactly have?" I scoff. 
My brain seems to finally register what Dior had mumbled. "I am not falling for her. It's just- All of that was uncalled for," I stammer.
Dior looked between me and Syn. "So it was fine when you two had Korinthian begging for her life? But it's fucked up when it's Laura. Yeah, okay. I see how things are," she shook her head, "And don't think I don't know what you two did. I have eyes everywhere."
"Then why blame me for telling Demon you were messing around with the junior. She has even more eyes at that school. She would have found out either way," Syn argued.
"Stop. Just stop," I hold a hand up.
They both glare at me, chests huffing.
"We need to talk things out and see where we can all move from here. We can't continue like this, or our friendships will crumble. Okay?" I look at each of them, "Is that alright with you guys," I ask sarcastically.
Dior pressed her lips together. "Park. Eight o'clock."
"I wanted to watch-
Me and Dior turned to glare at Syn.
"Fine. Fine. Our usual spot?" she asked.
"Yes," I say. I turn away from them and head for my house down the sidewalk. 
"You know...she's lying right? I can see it in her eyes," I heard Dior saying to Syn. 
I didn't bother turning around.
"Yeah...I know," I heard Syn say back.

I got inside of my house and went upstairs to give my mother a gentle recap of my day and a kiss on the forehead. That was our usual routine for the school year since she got home before I did. I went up to her home office, but she wasn't there. "Mama," I called out, closing the door behind myself and walking through the house.
Our house was expensive and grand. Carefully decorated and the smell of cookies wafted from the air fresheners my mother used. Still, it seemed to always lack that aspect of home that everyone else's house had. 
After realizing she wasn't there, I checked the fridge door. I sighed. She was out with my dad and his colleagues. She wouldn't be home until really late tonight. How could she forget about our first day of school tradition? I check the inside of the fridge and find leftover lasagna. At least she didn't forget about one of my favorite foods. 
I heat myself up a plate and scroll through TikTok as I eat at the table. I chill and let the hours pass by until it reaches 7:02. I pull out a different outfit for the park, just some sweats and some old Nike's. I oil my locs, then pull my black beanie over them. I text Dior and Syn that I'm on my way to the park.