Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

Gossip

"Cherries!"

Autumn whipped her head up, bug-eyed. "What did you say?"

"I said, I like cherries," Nara said with a dumbfounded stare. "Don't you?" 

Autumn reached for an apple inside the redhead's tote bag and chomped on it.

The redhead stood, squared her shoulders, rounded the table, and parked herself into the chair beside the frazzled girl. She leaned against her ear, her breath tickling Autumn's cheek. "You never gave me the details about," she looked around, lowering her voice, "the date." 

Autumn swallowed.

Nara tapped her manicured fingers on the table. "C'mon. I'm waiting." 

"I-It was okay," Autumn said, trying but failing to keep her voice from sounding shrill. 

Nara scowled. "It was that bad?" 

"No!" Autumn replied, blushing at her hasty utterance.

"So, what did you do? Where did you go? What——"

Autumn held her hand up, bringing the rapid-fire questions to a screeching halt. "We got a bite to eat and went to see a movie."

Sighing, the redhead reclined in the chair, her eyes downcast.

Autumn knew from her sullen disposition that her refusal to volunteer any juicy information disappointed her best friend. Autumn couldn't bring herself to talk about the other stuff. She couldn't chance one person overhearing and the gossip spreading throughout the school.

Quiet for a moment, the redhead straightened her posture as though regrouping her thoughts. "If you ask me, that sounds pretty boring." 

 Autumn bit her lip.

Turning her attention to the scattered mess on the table, Nara gathered up her belongings and shoved them in her bag while Autumn finished eating the apple.

Standing to her feet, Autumn slung her book bag over her shoulder. 

Exiting the library, Nara said, "I'll see you after school." 

"Okay," Autumn said, adjusting the strap.

Eyeing Timothy and his clique standing by the lockers, Autumn cursed under her breath, trudging forward.

A gleam in his eye, the stylishly dressed boy smirked and nodded, alerting the group that Autumn was within earshot.

"It seems Mad Zach grew bored with Ms. Drabby Clothes and found himself a new squeeze," he said, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "I saw him and Lisa by the gym practically joined at the hip. I mean, can you blame him? Lisa is a goddess personified."

Her breath quickening, Autumn lowered her eyes to the grimy floor.  She speed-walked by the group gawking and snickering. 

"Someone's in a hurry. Going to fight for your boyfriend?" the boy yelled.

Turning the corner, she dashed down the hall and out the nearest exit.

She halted. 

Lazing around by his Ford Escape, Maddox whispered against Lisa's diamond-studded ear. Giggling, the brunette flipped her hair to one side, fingering the hem of his designer t-shirt.

Watching the alluring pair, Autumn's heart drummed in her chest, beating a mile a minute. Compared to Lisa, Autumn felt inferior. The popular girl has everything going for her, supermodel looks, trendy clothes, and a bubbly personality that drew admirers to her like bees to honey.

She stilled herself gathering her strength. If he was doing this to get a rise out of her, then two can play that game. The more she thought he had toyed with her, the angrier she became.

"Aren't you a pair," she said, waltzing up to the duo.

Maddox looked up as the girl whirled around. If she didn't know any better, Autumn thought she saw a smirk, albeit briefly on the prankster's face. 

Their eyes locked, she fisted her hand. Murmuring severed their staring contest.

"I'll let you two talk," the brunette said, sauntering off.

Autumn stepped out of the way as the girl brushed by her, her rosemary-scented perfume lingering in the air.

Autumn took a step forward. "So, this," she gestured between them, "This was all some kind of game?"

"What do you mean?" Maddox said.

"You know what I mean," she said, lowering her voice.

Maddox scoffed. "No.  Of course not! I can't believe you think so little of me."

He turned to walk away to keep from saying something he'll regret. 

Autumn called after him. "So, you're ignoring me now?" 

He whipped around, his brows knitted; forming a V in the middle of his forehead. "You ghosted me!" he said. Autumn bristled at the accusation.

"You didn't return my calls or answer my texts!"

Autumn had no defense. She hadn't returned his calls or texts. She couldn't picture speaking to him casually after what happened between them. Instead of admitting it, she went on the defense.

"So you chase after Lisa instead?"

Amusement shone in his eyes. "You're jealous." 

The words flew from her lips before she could stop herself. "Why would I be jealous? It's not like you're a prize. I should thank Lisa. She did me a favor!"

Her words pierced him through and through. He recoiled. "You have a cruel streak," he said his voice breaking. "What did I ever do to you for you to treat me like shit?"

Autumn stammered. "I-I didn't—"

"You meant it! Or else you wouldn't have said it!"

Feeling eyes boring into the back of her head, Autumn looked over her shoulder at the crowd watching them. Dante stood among them, grinning. A chill went down her spine.

Maddox slid his hand into hers, startling her. "Look, it's all just a misunderstanding," he said, pulling her closer to him in a protective gesture. "Lisa and I are friends. That's all."

He threaded their fingers. "I only have eyes for you, Autumn Fleetwood."

"I'm sorry for what I said," Autumn replied. "I didn't mean it."

He smiled, his emerald eyes alight. "It's okay," he said. A furtive glance at Dante, he started for the door past the thunderstruck faces.

Walking gingerly beside him, Autumn let go of his hand, looping her arm into his as they fell in stride together. She knew by them doing this that they were making a statement.

With their actions, they had confirmed, to the entire student body, that they are an item. There was no going back now.