Chapter Four:

Syncing Periods

"Can I put this in your backpack?"

Asked Natasha, who handed me her thick History textbook while we rummage through our school stuff in my locker. Last period of the day ended ten minutes ago, and Natasha and I are getting ready to leave.

After lunch hour, Dani went to her next class without my help because she insisted that she needed to learn where they are on her own.

I agreed, and took her school map to show her the easiest and convenient way to get to her classes. Dani said her thanks, and gave me a smile.

I stared after her for a moment before realizing that I'm possibly making a new friend. I mean, I've never tried since I'm comfortable around Natasha and Dennis... Maybe even Thomas, and I never really asked for more. Sure, maybe Thomas is my friend too, but he's an ass, so I don't really know what to call him... a side friend? I don't know. Aquintances I suppose.

Dani is different. She gets my humour, even though they can be very mean sometimes. She doesn't get offended easily, like normal people would when they're around me, and she would reply with witty and sassy comebacks.

I can actually have a decent conversation with her.

I wanted to ask for her number or something, to talk to her I guess?

Can I have your number? I had asked.

Dani turned back around and just gave me this smirk like she knows something that I don't, and it's really pissing me off. Did I say something wrong?

Sure. She had said.

I need to take a deep breath. Calm down Mave. Gosh, you're being so insecure.

But anyways,

I now have her badly written, cellphone number, on my arm. It's purple because Dani happened to have a purple marker in her pocket. I was going to ask her why, but I didn't want to sound rude.

As if she knew what I was thinking, Dani had blurted,

I'm fabulous that way.

I smiled at her goofiness.

"Mave." Natasha called out.

"Huh?" I turned my head to look at my best friend, still preoccupied with my thoughts. "Oh, sorry. What did you say?"

"Can I please put this in your backpack?" She asked again.

I blinked, and let the information sink into my nervous system. Then, I looked at her in disbelief and glanced at my small backpack. I Lifted my head up suddenly, and looked at her again while pointing at my backpack.

"Sure." I replied sarcastically. "It's not like my bag would rip open."

"Can you carry my book then?"

"No." I said, shaking my head and carrying two textbooks in one hand, and a binder in the other. "I can't."

"But my hands are hurting." She complained. I rolled my eyes.

"That's what she said." I told her, laughing at my own dirty joke.

"That's disgusting!"

"I know." I replied and laughed harder. "I know, oh my god that's so gross. Why did I say that?!"

"Ugh." She complained again, ignoring my loud and obnoxious laughter. "Seriously, can you just carry this for me please?"

"No, why? No boyfriend around to carry it for you?" I asked.

"Mave, stop."

"No seriously," I said, staring at her. "Are you just so used to them carrying your stuff around that now you feel-"

"Don't start." She cut me off, looking angry.

"No. I'm starting this conversation, again." My laughter died down now, and we were staring at each other seriously.

"Stop it!" She exclaimed, giving me a glare.

"Then stop complaining and just carry your stupid book! It's not that heavy anyways." I told her, glaring back.

Nat just stared at me for a while.

"Okay, okay, Jeez. Didn't know you were on your period."

Excuse me?

"Nat, can you not?" I asked her. "If I have my period, you have it too because we're in sync remember?"

"So you are having your period." She stated. "Because I'm having mine right now. Unless you got knocked up or, something."

I grimaced.

"Trust me, it's like a murder scene down there." I replied, looking down at my crotch area and making circular gesture towards it. Nat snorted a laugh.

"Same." She said, and I chuckled.

"Besides, I can't get pregnant. I'm a virgin." I reminded her.

"St. Mary was a virgin. Hence, the Virgin Mary." Nat explained. "The Holy Spirit could've impregnated you."

"Oh my god, stop it!"

We just laughed because of how ridiculous it was.

I closed my locker shut, locked it, then turned the dial because I'm paranoid about other people knowing my combination. You never know.

"Can you give me a ride home?" Natasha asked suddenly.

"No." I said, just because I can.

"Mave."

"Fine" I said. "Give me gas money." I added to annoy her.

"I'm broke! My chequings account is so low because of Mcdonalds!" She begged, shaking my arm. "Mave, please!"

"Nope." I announced, popping the p.

Nat groaned.

"But Thomas was my ride home... And I would ask Dennis but both of them are still in your Grandpa's office with their parents."

"They've been there since lunch... What's taking so long?" I wondered out loud. "They're gonna get expelled." I added, and actually thinking and wondering if they are going to.

"Don't say that!" Natasha cried, hitting my shoulder. "They're good boys."

I coughed.

"Not around you, apparently." I muttered, but she heard anyways.

"Okay, what's that supposed to mean?" She asked, turning my shoulder so I'm facing her. A deep frown across her face, her eyes narrowing. I sighed and prepared myself for the hurtful words that's going to come out.

"Nat, you know I've told you this a million times. And you know what I think about Thomas, and you also know what I think about Dennis. But you can't just... have them at the same time, you know? It's wrong." I said staring at her and giving her my most serious expression. "I know you broke up with Dennis, but- You can't come back to him, or even flirt with him because-... fuck it, I'm just gonna say it. You look like a slut when you do."

Mave kept her deep frown on, her gaze steady on me, frozen.

"They're both fighting for your attention-" I said, pointing at her with my hands. "What do you expect? They're boys. They're going to chase after you because you're pretty, and you're making it worse because you are both giving them attention! You should care about the outcome of this... Do you have any idea how bad that looks? Two guys, serio-"

"You can stop now." She said softly, her eyes downcast.

"Nat..."

"Can you still give me a ride home?" She asked, almost a whisper. She wiped her eyes with her sweater-covered hands, and glanced at me, almost in shame. "I just... I just really need a ride home, and I don't have one."

I sighed and dropped my binder on the floor to hug her. I felt Nat sob and hugged me back tighter, her arm wrapping around my back as she continued to cry.

Teenage drama and problems is such a hassle. But that doesn't mean that I'll let Nat handle it by herself. Poor girl, stressing over situations that she never knew would happen. She's not prepared for it all... Neither am I.

"I'm sorry I'm a bitch, but you needed to hear that..." I whispered to her, rubbing her back comfortingly. "But I'm here. I'll give you a ride."

"Can I come over?" She asked, sniffing and wiping her eyes as she pulled away. "Your fridge is always packed with food and... ice cream sandwiches."

"You're only using me for your own benefit, aren't you?" I asked jokingly and grinning at her. Nat broke into a smile, still wiping her eyes and looking as if she's laughing and crying at the same time.

"You're going to say yes anyways because you can't control your cravings, and plus, you won't feel fat when I'm eating with you." She said. "We can pig out together."

"We're so disgusting." I said, laughing.

"That's why we're best friends." She replied.

"I still wonder why." I said, grinning at her, and together we exited the building and walked towards the Student's Parking Lot.