“Ugh, Marti, no. You do realize they’re my brothers, right? That’s so gross.”
Marti ran her fingers through her short pinkish blonde hair as she rolled halfway onto her back and stared dreamily up at the ceiling.
“But stilllllll, Lo! You can’t tell me you don’t know how handsome they are. I know you have this whole, no boys for me motto and all, but you’re still a female. You can appreciate good looks when you see them,” Marti told her.
Lola spun her body around on her desk chair and seared her friend in place with a harsh glare. “I do not have a no boys for me motto. That’s ridiculous,” she shot back.
“Hey, don’t kill the messenger. I’m just saying...you haven’t even had a first kiss yet, Lola.” The truth of Marti’s words filled her with shame. She wasn’t wrong, of course, but to hear it from someone else’s lips, it was an embarrassment almost too great to bear. The two had been best friends since second grade, when they’d been paired on the same spelling bee team. Both whip-smart, they’d at first been competitive, wanting to one up the other, but in the end decided that friendship was the more rewarding choice.
“It’s not like I don’t want to, Marti. I’m just...I’m not anyone’s type,” she admitted, casting her gaze to the floor. She rubbed her socked toes around her beige carpet, wishing a hole would open up and swallow her.
Marti sat up and glared at her friend. Never one to hide her emotions, it was clear she took offense to Lola’s admission. “Have you lost your mind? You’re beautiful, Lo! I wish you could see how much you have to offer.”
Lola cracked a small smile and tossed a balled up white t-shirt at her friend, who caught it out of the air easily. “It’s not like you’re one to talk in the experience department anyways. We’re both still carting around our V cards,” she reminded her.
Marti rose to her feet and did a slow twirl, the scarf at her neck spinning in her wake. She was taller than Lola at 5’7 and had a curvy figure Lola was envious of. “You have to be a special kind of man to handle all this,” she boasted. “I’m fielding my choices, that’s all. Keeping them in the shadows, if you will.”
Lola rolled her eyes before turning serious. “Marti, um...I have to ask you something.”
Resuming her place on Lola’s bed, Marti studied her manicure, running her thumb along a chipped nail and frowning. “Sure, but if you want me to act out kissing scenes from Cruel Intentions with you, I’m going to need dinner first.”
“God, you’re so lame. No, I just...well, have you ever had the feeling you’re being watched?”
“What, like in class?”
Lola gained her feet and paced the room, running a hand through her hair. “No, not in class. Like when you’re out for a walk or at the grocery store. I don’t know, do you ever feel like you’re being followed?”
“Well, I know the FBI is pissed at me for that whole Ponzi scam I was running, but I think I’ve met all their demands so they should have called off their watchdogs by now — “
“Ugh, Marti! I’m serious!” Lola burst out, frustrated at her friend's flippant attitude. Barkey, ever her companion, awoke from his afternoon nap and crossed to her side to nuzzle her hand in a show of support.
Shocked, Marti sat back and truly observed her friend. Lola’s usually shiny, long dark hair was hanging limply around her shoulders, her normally dewy skin was pale, her cheekbones slightly sunken in. She’d always been thin, but somehow it appeared she’d lost weight. Something was definitely wrong, and Marti was ashamed of herself for noticing the signs earlier.
“Okay, Lo. What’s going on?”
“It’s just...lately I’ve felt like I’m being watched. It happened the other day at the park when I was walking Barkey and then this morning when I awoke, I don’t know, I just had this creepy feeling. Like someone had possibly been in my room. Listen to me, I sound certifiable.” Defeated, Lola slumped back into her desk chair and lowered her head to nuzzle into the soft fur at Barkey’s neck.
Marti dropped to her knees in front of her and stroked Barkey’s head. “Wow, I had no idea, I’m sorry, Lo. Honestly, though, I’m sure it’s just your imagination. I’m not saying I think you’re crazy, but it’s a proven fact that our minds can play tricks on us sometimes. You’re probably just stressed about finals coming up.”
Lola sighed. “You’re right. I didn’t actually see anyone in the park; it was just this overwhelming feeling of being watched. Stalked, I guess.”
Marti laughed. “Of the two of us, I’m more likely to have a stalker than you, I’m the one into all that horror movie shit.” Silence fell between them until Marti cleared her throat. “Seriously though, if you need someone to talk to, I want you to know I’m always here. Don’t keep things so bottled up, it’s not good for you,” she said, placing a comforting hand on Lola’s knee.
“I know, I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure how it would sound admitting these fears out loud.” Not wanting to put a further damper on the mood, she gave Barkey one final cuddle and then stood. “Come on, we better head to the library if we want to get in a few good hours of studying this afternoon.”
Marti rolled her eyes. “Only you could use school work to pull us out of our stalker mini series we have brewing here. If you need me to pretend to study as a distraction, I’m your girl.” With a dramatic sigh, she picked up both of the backpacks.
