“He’s not coming in here,” she told herself, “Surely, he’s got better things to do than come in here and talk to me. Julie would freak. The cashier would freak. I don’t hang out with guys like him. I don’t even talk to guys like him! My gosh! Oh my gosh! He’s coming inside! How am I supposed to introduce him to Julie? It’ll prove my story is true, but she’ll never let me live it down.”
“Hey, Bookworm,” Skull grinned.
“Hi,” Clarissa said quietly, hoping that Julie was too enthralled by the denim selection the store offered to notice that she was talking to someone.
“Ooooh!” Julie said from across the store and made her way to join them, “Whose you’re friend, Clarissa? Is he the crypt keeper here to take your out of date clothes to Hades?”
“Shut up, Julie!” Clarissa said and slapped her arm.
“Ouch!” Julie said, but she was still laughing.
“I’m Skull,”
“Skull?” Julie asked, “Like the guy from your story? Oh, Clarissa, do you really want to pull one over on me that bad?”
“What?” Clarissa and Skull asked at the same time.
“It’s okay, Clarissa,” Julie sighed, “You got me! Ha-ha!”
“No,” Clarissa sighed, “It’s not a joke.”
Clarissa was regretting her decision to tell Julie about last night more than ever. She had thought that her bestie could at least keep her secret, but apparently those days were long past. Well, to be fair, Julie had never been good at keeping her big fat mouth closed about anything. She had been gossip hound of the school.
“I’ll see you later, Bookworm,” Skull said and left.
“Why are you such a bitch?” Clarissa asked Julie once Skull was out of earshot.
“Huh?” Julie asked, now looking at the sea foam skirt she had insulted.
“Give it here,” Clarissa said and snatched it away from the other girl.
“Don’t be so grabby!” Julie snapped.
“I’m not!” Clarissa shouted, “I had it first!”
“What’s your issue?” Julie asked and crinkled her nose at Clarissa.
“Your attitude!” Clarissa said and threw her hands up into the air.
“You don’t like really like that guy do you?” Julie ask
ed.
“Of course not,” Clarissa lied, but it was only a small lie, because she only sort-of liked him and she definitely wasn’t crushing on him. No way, no how!
“Oh my, my, Clarissa you do!” Julie laughed, “What is wrong with you? Could you imagine what the girls would think?”
“I’m outta here,” Clarissa said and sprinted up to the register.
“You’re too good for someone like him, Clarissa,” Julie sighed when she finally caught up with her, “You know that, right?”
Clarissa didn’t say anything as she walked away. She still hadn’t gotten her car fixed, because the shop wouldn’t be open until Monday (even then she wasn’t sure she’d have the money), so without Julie for a ride Clarissa had to call a taxi. She paced the sidewalk in front of the mall as she waited for the taxi to arrive. She wasn’t sure what had just happened, but Clarissa was certain that she and Julie had a fight. What were they fighting over? Clarissa sighed and dug her phone out of her pocket about to call the taxi service again when Skull walked up.
“Hey,” she frowned and looked down at her feet, “sorry about Julie. She never knows when she’s acting like a Class-A bitch. It’s her unique mental illness.”
Skull laughed and Clarissa looked up at him. His dark brown eyes seemed to have more depth now that he was standing in the sunlight instead of the moonlight. He had taken off his leather jacket and was now sporting a black sleeveless t-shirt. Clarissa could tell that he did more with his time than just cut in line at the grocery store and ride his bike. His body was really fit and she caught herself imagining what he might look like without his shirt on.
“Don’t worry about it,” Skull said.