Searching for Love, Found Wealth

My eyes were glued to the flower behind him. The gushing girls hadn’t looked over to him when he passed them to come to me. I guess Reuben didn’t meet their “hot” criteria. He was more cute.

“Flowers? So dramatic” Chloe sighed. She seemed drunk. Her eyes were falling and were losing focus. I looked at her juice again. Was that alcohol?

Reuben sat besides Chloe and waved to me. I gave a flat smile.

“Alcohol kills, Miss Chloe” he shifted Chloe’s bottle away.

She dragged it back and placed her hands on her lips, “Shush, this is supposed to be orange juice. Don’t say anything or I’ll kiss your lips shut”.

Okay, so she was really drunk.

Reuben looked amused yet took away the bottle. She stood up angrily but dilapidated and sat back. She began fake crying and Reuben just laughed.

She soon became quiet. I think they’re all used to her drinking. That wasn’t a good habit for a sixteen year old.

“Um… Kiera. About not giving you a graph. It wasn’t complete that’s why. I went back to the principal and he said he forgot. I thought of giving you something else in return” he sounded sorry. It fitted Chloe’s explanation.

I wanted to retort, “Why didn’t you explain?” but then Chloe grabbed the flower he was holding and gave me.

“Give her the flower. Tell the girl you like her already” Chloe laughed stupidly. Her head turning and swirling.

People were now looking at our table now. Reuben shook his head and snatched back the flower. I was so humiliated.

I had seen on the flower’s neck a name that surely didn’t start from K to mean Kiera. It started from J instead.

“A girl gave this to Jacob when we came here. It wasn’t for you” Reuben tried explaining. It just added salt to injury.

I nodded continuously that I understood but he still tried explaining. Sheena finally arrived with a sad face.

I dragged her outside, along with that drunk Chloe and zoomed to the field.

I made sure I dropped Chloe hard on the ground when we got there. She whined in pain but eventually began laughing.

“Why didn’t you’d stop her from getting herself all drunk?” Sheena began shouting. I knew she was already mad at something but so I was.

“How’d I know? I don’t know all her bad habits but I’m very sure she’s more stupid when she’s drunk” I spat out.

Sheena kicked Chloe so she’ll get up but she rather groaned in pain but kept on rubbing herself on the dirt.

What alcohol could do was terrible.

I rolled my eyes and sat on the swing to calm my nerves.

“Reuben is coming here” Sheena said irritably from behind me. “I’ll go get a hangover for our little idiot” she added.

That was harsh. I’d never seen Sheena so upset. I was yet to ask her what was upsetting her.

I turned to see her leaving but then clashed eyes with Jasper. Wasn’t it Reuben Sheena said was coming?

“Hey, Kiera. Don’t be mad at Reuben” Jasper started as he sat on the other swing besides me. I noticed he looked back and made signals for Reuben to come ahead but he didn’t.

“Reuben didn’t mean to ignore you. I was making signals to him back then and he subconsciously forgot you. He planned not to give you a graph but he should have explained” Jasper added.

This was the first real conversation we were having. And it had to be about Reuben. And had to be an apology convo.

“Why shouldn’t he give me?” I dared not look into his face. It seemed he wanted me to as he came closer.

A normal convo should have people looking at themselves. But not if the other person’s heart was beating as fast as mine.

Like would you blame me. Jasper was breathtaking, but I was sure I didn’t have a crush on him. Just a half crush.

“Well, graphs are not that amazing. He planned to tell the principal. Then you could have gotten something cooler as replacement” Jasper shrugged.

He went backwards. I whispered a thank you. My heart could be at ease.

He heard it though, “Oh, for the explanation? It’s okay. Reuben is just a bit… shy to say it himself. He would have if not of…” Jasper was now looking at Chloe with contempt.

I nearly laughed. He always had a sweet gentle look so he could be irritated as well.

Reminded me of when he had a scary look and would have beaten up Cara during my first week of school.

Speaking of, I hadn’t seen Cara that day.

“It’s okay. I wasn’t affected. I didn’t care much” I lied.

He chuckled, “You did. If you want a flower he could still get you one”.

Was he taunting me?

I glared at him but it was a total mistake. I began staring but my glare was hard enough to be a glare.

“I could pick flowers on my way home. Do you watch Korean movies or what?” I picked up my mom’s line.

He smirked and stood from the swing, “I do though”. Was he flirting with me on behalf of Reuben?

My lips curved for a smile but then he left. I stared at him more from behind. Chloe began moaning and I turned to her.

“Finished making out with the ground. You have his kiss marks all over you” I scolded. She stood up but then fell back.

“I got rejected from my dance classes” she exhaled.

I leaned to her, “Really?”. She nodded.

That was why she was so frustrated.

“I don’t have a dream anymore. What I like doing, I can’t even do it well” she cried. It was my first time seeing Chloe this weak.

I prayed for Sheena to come. She was always missing important parts.

“Don’t worry. Everything would be okay” I said but I didn’t know if it would.

She sniffed louder and began slapping her hands on the ground, generating dust. Like a child whose candies were taken from.

“I lost a dream, girl. Nothing is okay” she looked at me with puppy eyes.