Chapter 2.48- So Blind

Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;

When little fears grow great, great love grows there.

-William Shakespeare

                High school had taken Mariah by surprise. It wasn’t just that she wasn’t picked on quite as much, though that had been nice, it was how quickly it had gone. With her faithful friend Roger by her side she’d successfully navigated 3 years of the horrifying place. Of course, this, her final year, would be the year of the curve ball and the challenges she faced started almost immediately.

                Pop! was a favored refuge for the two teens since Mariah had discovered she liked their coffee and Roger had discovered he really really liked to play video games. And bowl. And people watch. But today, he was mainly Mariah watching.

                “So,” Roger finally ventured to interrupt Mariah’s concentration. “So which teacher has dumped this load on you?”

                “Adkins,” Mariah promptly answered. “And it’s not just mine. It’s a partners project to be a large part of our final grade in May. I have the privilege of being partnered with Andre Parker-”

                “Privilege my-” Roger exploded.

                “That’s enough Roger-”

                “That pretty boy? Mr.Popularity? Playboy extraordinaire? The Jock Extreme?”

                “I know who he is Roger.”

                “Why the hell did you partner up with him?”

                “It wasn’t my-”

                “Wasn’t my ass! He sucked up to you didn’t he? He thinks you’re pretty and he hasn’t slept with you, the one girl in school he hasn’t tried yet, and you’re smart and he wants a good grade, and everyone knows he gets his latest study buddy to do his work for him in exchange for… And now you’ve given in-”

                “I did not give in to anything,” Mariah hissed, interrupting Roger. “I have never given in to anything, and I never will give in to anything. Mr.Adkins chose the partners. He chose that ass and I as partners because we came into the class with the highest grades from last year. He was afraid anyone partnering with us wouldn’t get do a fair share.

                “Now then. As to how he got those good grades, whether he truly deserves them or not, I don’t know. But I’m not risking it. That’s why I’ve got all this to read. It’s not for fun. It’s to make sure that dick can’t bring my grade down. I’m not happy about it. And I don’t need you on my back about it either.”

               Roger deflated a little, though he still met her steely gaze steadily and that made her angrier still. It was like he was accusing her of being something he ought to know she wasn’t. And why was he so concerned? Hadn’t they done plenty of Andre bashing over the years? It was a favorite pastime. Why should he be so upset over the study buddy assigned to her? It wasn’t like Roger had to put up with him.

                “Come on,” Roger responded to her tirade at last. “We’ve both heard the rumors about how he really got his good grades. I’m not ‘on your back’ about it. I’m just worried about what he might try-”

                Snorting, Mariah narrowed her eyes further in annoyance.

                “Do you really think I’m the type to fall for his supposed ‘charms?’ Don’t insult me, please,” she said. “Besides, there is no way he'd be interested in me like-”

                “But he’s the captain of the football team and every girl in school-”

                “-And do you know what I say to that?”

               Sticking her tongue out, she blew a loud raspberry at Roger. She was sick of this. He was acting like a child over it all and it wasn’t worth it to her. Sometimes he seemed to forget that she very well knew how to take care of herself and it irritated the life out of her. She was no damsel in distress.

                “Oh, nice,” Roger snarled. “That’s real mature ‘Riah.”

                “More mature than you’re being right now,” she snapped back. “I’m the one who has to put up with him, not you. As it was I’d been terrified Kelci would be the jealous one and would try to make my life difficult. Maybe it’s you I should have been worried about.

              “He’s not interested in me in any way Roger. No one in school is. Okay?”

                Squaring her shoulders she went back to her book. But she’d lost her place arguing with Roger and couldn’t seem to make heads or tails of anything written on the page before her. Angrily, she turned back to the beginning of the chapter to start again.

                When she got there she still couldn’t concentrate. She hated arguing with Roger. It was always awful. Usually he was patient and kind, occasionally overbearing when he tried to be protective but not always. It was the times he felt he needed to protect her when they would argue. Just like now. And every time, she’d be the one to approach him first, the one to try and heal the breach. He was just too damn nice and she hated to see him upset.

                As expected, when she looked up he was watching her, waiting for her to say something. But she had no words for him this time. She wasn’t the one who had flown into a temper just because a teacher had done something she didn’t like. Though he was her best friend. And weren’t best friends supposed to get upset when something upsetting happened? Maybe she had been too harsh with him.

                Mariah continued to gaze at Roger, trying to figure out how to apologize for getting upset at him getting upset at her being upset. That sounded terrible. It really was her fault. She shouldn’t have snapped back. But she had so much work to do! And that was a lame excuse. Her bestie deserved better than that from her. She had barely said two words to him since he’d joined her in their booth! Oops. That was just an oversight. An oversight she never should have made! Such a selfish asshole as she was didn’t deserve his friendship.

                Sweet memories of other times when Roger would comfort her when life just sucked curved her lips into a smile. Had she really just stuck out her tongue at him? Really? PlumbBob she was immature. The thought made her giggle a little and Rogers face finally cracked also. Mariah consoled herself by framing her apology in her mind. Her smile faded a little since she wanted to make sure she did the apology justice-

                “Hey Mariah.”

                Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Roger folding in on himself as she hastily looked around to see with her own eyes just who was talking to her. It sounded like Kelci had come over to say hi. But Kelci had never spoken two words to Mariah if she could help it. Mariah was beneath the pretty cheerleaders haughty notice.

                When her eyes were able to confirm that Kelci really was talking to her, looking at her, standing at their booth her jaw dropped and she couldn’t return the unexpected greeting.

                “Hi Mariah,” Kelci repeated slowly, saying each word distinctly as if Mariah might not have understood her.

                “Uhm, hi?” Mariah had no idea what on Sim Planet she could want with her.

                “H-h-Hi Hi Kelci,” Roger stammered, his voice cracking.

                Both Kelci and Mariah turned to him. Mariah in shock, Kelci with a barely concealed grimace.

                Seeing the sneer on Kelci’s face when she turned back caused something to flare up in Mariah. The bitch had no right. He’d just said hi. But what the hell was up with his stutter and voice cracking? Hadn’t they both long ago agreed that Kelci was nothing more than a snot rag? What was up with that?

                “What do you want?” She flung at the girl standing beside her.

                “I just came to say hi and see how you’re doing,” Kelci widened her eyes as though innocent. “Looks like you’re working hard.”

                “Just to make up for the slack my study partner is going to leave me,” Mariah snarled as she heard Roger’s gasp.

                “Oh no no,” Kelci said sweetly. “See, my boyfriend, will do more than his fair share. Trust me.”

                “I’ll believe it when I see it,” sneered Mariah.

                For a moment, the two glared at each other. Years of hatred sparking between them.

                “Well, I honestly just wanted to say hi, but you don’t seem to want to talk so I’ll just go back to my date,” Kelci said.  “With my boyfriend.” She added as she turned to walk away.

                “Must be some date, if you’re over here, talking to me. And aren’t you guys here every day anyway?” Mariah shouted to Kelci’s retreating back.

                “What the hell Roger?”

                “What do you mean? Why did you attack her like that?”

                “Why did I- You’re defending her?”

                “No! She just wanted to say hi!”

                “You are so blind.”

                “I am not blind! My mom just says I’m too young for contacts! I can have them when I graduate.”

                “PlumbBob Roger, I did not mean literally!”

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               Not an original word up there and it's So full of cliches... Mariah is so much fun. I luff her so. <3

               And for those who follow my Tumblr- sorry. I know right now you’re probably super disappointed in me. And because of that- I’m donning this flak jacket and football helmet and hiding behind an overturned table for a little while. Just know that I love Roger too. Okay? I swear it.