Shattered Appearances ✓

n i n e t e e n: Lucy Is Dead To Me

It might not be healthy to bury emotions, but it's certainly easier. Showing a fake smile once in awhile would save me less trouble than telling someone everything. They wouldn't understand; people never did. So that's why I uttered a small smile as I put my milkshake in the air to clank it with Lucy and Bryson. After we were done, I sipped my strawberry milkshake in content

Class was cut short because someone pulled the fire alarm, and in a panic, everyone fled from the school and onto the campus. In the end, it was fake but we had to evacuate anyway. School ended early so Lucy decided that we should go to the Smoothie Shack instead of going home.

Looking around, I saw Thomas on the other side of the store, sitting with Dylan and his other friends. He caught my gaze and he gave me a small wave. I waved back before turning back to my friends. Lucy was staring at this interaction this entire time with squinted eyes. When I looked back at her, she said in certainty, "You like him."

"Not this again." I said groaning. She said this whenever I had a guy friend and it started to get annoying.

"What's going on?" Bryson added in confusion.

"Our little Zoe has a crush on a boy."

"I literally just waved at him. I didn't know that was code for I want to dry hump on the bathroom floor." I deadpanned. Lucy cringed a bit at my crude language and Bryson went back to his phone, not interested in our conversation.

Lucy didn't seem to hear me because she turned around and let out a whistle. Half the establishment turned around towards her but she had her eyes set on Thomas. I mentally prepared for the embarrassment that she was going to cause us. He raised an eyebrow in question, and when Lucy extended her hand for him to come, he rolled his eyes, but got up from the chair anyway. We both knew Lucy and that she wouldn't stop without getting what she wanted.

He stood next to me and he looked significantly taller since I was sitting down. In reality, I was only three inches shorter than he was.

"What do you want, Lucy?"

She was unfazed by Thomas' curt voice and replied cheerfully, "You're good at math, right?"

"Depends, do I have to tutor you?"

I struggled not to laugh at his response and even Bryson stopped texting someone to look at us.

"I'm usually good at calculus but I don't really understand this unit. I usually tutor Zoey but I thought it would be a good idea if you could help both of us. Can you do that? "

Thomas studied Lucy's face, trying to find out what she was up to. Although math wasn't my favorite subject, I was passing and didn't need tutoring. After finding nothing suspicious, Thomas looked at me for approval. I shrugged in indifference and he finally agreed.

"Okay, Lucy, I really doubt you need help with calculus, but if you want it, meet me at my house at five."

She smiled and replied, "Thanks!"

Thomas nodded and went back to his table without saying goodbye to any of us. I glared at her once he was out of earshot.

"Why the fuck would you do that? You're awesome at calculas and I don't need tutoring in math.

She shrugged and continued to drink her mango smoothie, "I don't know. I just felt like it."

Bryson decided that now would be a good time to change the topic to avoid further discussion. Poor Bryce, having to put up with our crap. But, isn't that what bestfriends are for?

*~*

When I entered my house, it felt strange. Everything was clean, not a spot of dust to be found anywhere. My dad wasn't the most organized person in the world and Monica was too busy with managing her salon to clean the house. It was unusual for the house to be this clean.