1.

Past. Still Wednesday, 16: 40

Ally

If things get complicated, just accept it. Triumphs come and go. C'est la vie, kid.

I'm just kidding, I don't even know what the fuck that means.

"Ally, don't worry." The blonde girl beside me shrugged, using a honeyed tone as she continued. "It was just a debate... though a contest. At least next time we'll know better than to send ourselves on a suicide mission."

I squinted my eyes. "Can you not give me that crap, Maddie?"

"What crap?" she asked, confused yet maintaining her bright and sunny aura as we walked.

I addressed my point by doing a head-to-toe gesture with an open palm to her being, "That fake cheerfulness! I damn well know that you're bugged too. I get that you're L.O. that's why I gave you my arguments, yet you still used mine. And you know what I had to do? I had to make one in the middle of your speech!

"And if that isn't nuts, I don't know what is." I huffed to further emphasize my disapproval of her actions.

Her face soured at that. "Sorry for that. But beating people like The Meinrad is near impossible. And c'mon," Maddie gave me a sly smile, "we'll just mess with his hair gel again."

Meinrad Hau is the current king of Ademar High's Debate Club. He's been running it since his junior year and now that he's a senior, he wishes to beat silly imbeciles like me and Maddie, before he goes to college. His hair's oddly been having the minty scent of a tooth gel recently too and I just wonder why.

And apparently, my best friend thinks that I have a crush on him.

I mean, it's not my fault that he looks cute when he smiles, right?

Snorting, I shook my head. "He must know that it's us now. It happens every time we lose."

"Are you saying 'no' because of that or because you're afraid to sour your relationship?"

I took a tiny piece of my burger and threw it at Maddie.

Okay, just to be clear Meinrad Hau and I are totally not in a relationship. It just so happens that he turned out to be my 'secret' chocolate and flowers sender on Valentine's Day, asking me if I wanted to be his girlfriend. But seriously, he's just cool.

And I said no.

By then, a sleek, black Porsche pulled over beside the sidewalk we were on. A familiar-looking, middle-aged Latino wearing a chauffeur's signature cap, suit, and white gloves was beaming a smile as a tinted window was lowered. "Ready to go, Miss Colt?"

He was about to get out - most likely to open the door for her- when she held out and hand and said, "I got it, Uncle Polo, thanks. And it's just Maddie, by the way."

She faced me again, putting on a falsely annoyed smirk. "Dad's probably looking for my amazingness." I rolled my eyes at that. "D'you want a ride?"

"No thanks," I was quick to decline, and instantly regretted it. But oh well, I said what I said and now I have to stick with it. "Mom wants me to pick up a few things at G.G." That stood for 'GROWceriesGRIND!', a store near Mayson Field with an ugly name and a service crew with even uglier personalities.

"You sure? We're heading the same way."

Change your mind, Ally, while the offer still lasts! "Yeah. I'm- I'm, like, so fired up to walk right now." I raised both of my arms out to, say, stretch.

Maddie eyed me strangely, "Okay then."

We said goodbyes shortly after. The car scooted away, only to slow down and reveal Maddie's head poking out of a window. "You better not be fawning at the cute guys and not tell me!" she yelled.

I stopped in my tracks, horrified. Coincidentally, a bunch of freshmen decreased the music's volume on their mini speaker to let me hear their self-praising chuckles. The dirty looks they gave me, indeed, made me feel dirty. One even ran his tongue all over his lips.

Huh, as if. "What? They all look like sleep-deprived grasshoppers!" I returned.

Maddie's hysterical laughter echoed away.

I gave the students behind me a thumbs up, wiping away their hopes at hitting on me, giving my ego satisfaction. That seemed to help in lifting my mood.

I smiled and looked up at the trees as I wondered what the day still had in store.