chapter three – charlie's crush and old friends

"Do you Kevin, take Thea to be your lawfully wedded wife?" 7-year-old Devin asked.

"I do" Kevin gave me a toothy grin. I could see the spot where his baby tooth used to be, but he lost it last week while we were at the park.

"Do you Thea- "

"Marc!!" I screeched as I got hit with a water balloon.

I haven't given the Preston's much thought in three years. I wasn't football crazed like the rest of our town and I definitely wasn't friends with them. So, they never seemed to pop up in my head.

I don't get why they are now though. So, what if Marc was being an annoying ass? Why did that mean I had to converse with the other two? Why were they trying to talk to me? Did they want to rekindle our friendship?

Did I want to rekindle our friendship?

"Why are you making that face?" Laurel asked from the other side of the clothes rack.

"Why are the Preston brothers trying to be friends with me?" I asked, knowing damn well she didn't have the answer.

"Because you're a hot piece of ass" Laurel said with a serious face.

"I hate you"

I wouldn't put it past them though. I could totally see them being nice to me just to get me into bed but unlike most girls in our school, I'm not stupid.

"But you're not wrong" I smirked as I twirled around to give her a view of me.

"What are you going to do?" She asked while searching through a rack of joggers.

"Excuse me?" They may want me but that does not mean they're going to get me.

"Which ones are you going to go for?" Laurel snorted as she clarified her question. "You know about the unspoken rule. You're not allowed to have all three"

"It's not unspoken if you speak about it, Laur" I rolled my eyes. "And none. I don't want to get involved with any of them"

"None of them?" Laur raised her eyebrows. "Not even Kevin?"

"Kevin?!" I cracked up.

I have never thought about Kevin in that way. He's too... much? Like I don't think I could deal with him and everything that being one of his girls comes with. The drama, the rules, the 'Kevin-ness.'

Don't get me wrong, he's a cool guy... I think? But just not for me.

"You're telling me you don't think he's hot?" She stared at me with wide eyes.

"He's attractive but not my type" I laughed at her.

"You think Kevin Preston is attractive?" Charlie appeared behind us with Millie.

"You don't?" Millie drawled out and Charlie frowned dramatically.

"I'm straight"

"Okay? I'm straight? I think Millie and Thea are beautiful specimens" Laurel crossed her arms and Millie nodded in agreement.

"I'm not straight but I agree" I nod along.

"Ok but it's different for guys" Charlie rolled his eyes. "And anyway, I thought you and Marc were having a thing"

"A thing? Haha no. He takes joy in making me miserable and I take joy in telling him to screw off" I roll my eyes and Charlie shakes his head.

"Sure, Thea" Charlie spoke as if he didn't believe me.

I don't understand why though. I hate Marc Preston. He's an inconsiderate, annoying, wannabe criminal. He's always been like that and I would never in a million years think otherwise. Nothing could end the anger I have for that boy.

After purchasing our items, Laurel, Charlie, Millie and I left the store we were in and entered the mall. Charlie and Millie walked in front of us discussing something about Charlie's last hockey game while Laurel and I walked hand-in-hand behind them.

"Barry Monete asked me out" Laurel mentioned making my face curl in disgust.

"Isn't he in college now?" I gagged. "He's still after high school girls"

"It's because he can't get girls his own age" Laurel snorted.

"What did you say?' Charlie glanced back at us, his jealousy obvious. God, he has it bad for my best friend.

"What do you think, Charlie?" Laurel snorted. "I don't even know how he got my snapchat"

"This one time when Tee and I were, like, 10, Barry was being a perv and decided to sneak into the girl's bathroom at the park" Laurel brought up this story and I instantly started laughing. "And basically, was harassing me and Tee so we went and told Kevin, Devin and Marc"

"I've never seen Barry cry that hard" I laughed. "Marc and Kevin literally threatened to beat him up while Devin kept watch. Nobody thought about how Barry was gigantic compared to two fifth graders"

"I wish they could do that now" Charlie mumbled under his breath.

"You're so not subtle" I whispered as I walked past him.

"Shut up, stupid" Charlie threw one of his jolly ranchers at me.

"What'd she say?" Laurel asked curiously and Charlie's face turned the same shade as his hair.

"Tell her" I mouthed to him and he glared at me.

"She just made some joke about- about my face" He stuttered.

"Why would you make fun of his face?" Laurel frowned at me. "He's adorable"

Charlie's eyes went wide when Laurel pinched his cheek.

"I'm not a kindergartener, Laur"

The rest of the day I couldn't help but think about what being friends with the Prestons would entail. It was simpler back then but now. Now I would have to deal with the popularity, the drama. I mean I'm already dealing with drama with Marc's crazy ass.

But who's to say they even want to be friends with me again, anyway? I mean we have changed so much. I don't look or act like their typical friends.

I mean Kevin didn't even know that my Mom died and everyone in Eastview knew about that.

That shouldn't upset me but it kind of did? I mean they were a huge part of my life for almost 14 years and now they don't even know basic facts about me.

They didn't even recognize me, but Marc did.

And for some reason, that hurt...