23. Laughing at the Past

Lilith

Juliet asked me “So are you ready for tomorrow?” I looked at her. Tomorrow was Friday and since I didn’t have practice or anything before the game, she and I planned to go out together. It was a ritual that we did every week. Sometimes it was food, or beauty stuff. It just depended on the Friday. “Yeah, I am looking forward to it.” Noel cut in “What are we doing tomorrow? Ladies.” I rolled my eyes, but noticed Juliet was hanging on his every word. “We are going to this plaza place. With boutiques and beauty places, and there is food.” I said to Noel.

I didn’t want him to come, I had told Eric that, but he had been firm on it. We had discussed it this morning before I left for school. Last night when we had a very late dinner he wanted to talk. I thought he would talk about my coaching of the pack but that was not it. Mia was going to be healed and rejoining training soon, so he wanted to give me an explanation about her. I told him I cared nothing about it. I was not some naive person that thought he didn’t live in the world. He wanted to talk about it, but I shut that down. The less I know about his past relationships the better. I didn’t want to talk about the one boyfriend I ever had. He had dropped it, and I was thankful. But what he didn’t drop was the fact that tomorrow Noel would be intruding on my alone time with Juliet.

“Really I have to go shopping?” Noel complained. “I don’t want you there.” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. But this is the compromise I made with Eric. I could still go to school and be around my friend in the city if Noel was there. “Too bad for you Lilith.” I gave him a smug smile. “No too bad for you, because Juliet and I are going for waxes and getting pedicures.” I said. Juliet blushed. I knew it was crass to bring up waxing, but I wanted to make Noel uncomfortable. Then maybe he would stay away while Juliet and I had our time. I wanted to tell her about Eric, in private.

I had not told her anything. I wasn’t going to say we were mates or anything, probably just call him my boyfriend. That way she would understand. Juliet looked at me. “When is your neck going to heal Lilith.” Eric’s mark was pretty much healed, but I had a scar and didn’t want to explain it yet. So, I had kept it covered in a bandage. “Soon.” I said taking a bite of my food. “Are they going to let you wear that during the game? Has it scabbed over?” Juliet asked. I nodded. “Then just take off the bandage.” I hesitated but Juliet was right, it was now or never.

I did as she said, and Noel watched Juliet’s face as I did. “Holy crap Lilith what happened? Please don’t tell me it has to do with that affiliation of yours with that gangster.” I rolled my eyes. “It is fine Juliet. It doesn’t hurt.” She leaned over to get a better look. “Lilith come on you can’t tell me Rob didn’t do this.” Noel answered. “It was not Rob Juliet.” He was defensive. He knew what a matting mark meant. Juliet dropped it thankfully. Some of the cheerleaders came over to our table. Juliet and I looked at each other. This had been happening ever since Noel came to our school. The girls were so damn desperate; it was unfathomable.

Then there were the guys always asking Noel if he would try out for one of the teams, he always declined. It was getting ridiculous how my once calm lunch table was now a hot spot of people. Juliet didn’t like it either. That had not been the only change since Noel started coming to school with me. Now, it seemed that all the other cheerleaders were desperate for me to be a part of their sisterhood. I had always been cordial and polite but stuck with just Juliet and now it was like I couldn’t get away from the swarms of people. I knew it had to do with Polly and her sudden interest in being my friend. That or all the girls fawning over Noel and thinking if they were my friend they had a chance with him.

Juliet and I sat there eating as the commotion kept happening around us. I was thankful we would be out tomorrow, and it wouldn’t end up like this. Polly sat down next to me. “Hey Lilith.” He looked at Juliet. “Um who are you?” She asked. Come on Polly, Juliet has always been here. “Juliet.” She said her face was red. Polly just raised her brows and looked back at me. “So, there is this huge party after the game, I want you to come.” She again looked at Juliet. “Your friends are also invited.” I nodded. I had gone to so many parties it was the same thing over and over again.

“I don’t need to remind you that you have not been hanging out with the other cheerleaders, the comradery is so important, and as Cheer captain I am ordering you to attend.” She said with a smile on her face. She knew she couldn’t really command me, but I knew I would go. I always got an invite, albeit not from Polly, but from others. It was the only thing I did with anyone outside of school except for Juliet. “Polly, Comradery is important, that is why I always go to the post games parties.” She paused confused.

“Lilith, I have never seen you at one of the bashes?” Polly said confused. “I am always there, some of the other girls see me, but don’t worry I will be there. Outside the city at the bluffs, right? Bonfire I was told.” She smiled. “That is right, but this time come say hi.” I nodded and she stood and said to Juliet “Nice meeting you.” Once she had turned and left, I burst out laughing, Juliet was too. I could see Noel’s eyes on me. I gave him my middle finger and he laughed. “How can she not know who I am?” Juliet said between her laughs. “How did she not know I come to the parties, especially when I have been the hookup for the booze for years? Without me they wouldn’t even know where to go to get liquor.” Juliet was laughing harder now.

The crowd finally started dissipating. Noel looked at us. “A party after the game?” Juliet answered for me. “Of course, we always go. It is pretty fun; Lilith and I drink and watch people get crazy drunk. It is a big laugh. Some of them get stupid it is hilarious.” I looked to Juliet. “You remember last year when that kid tried to walk on the fire.” I said to my best friend, and she busted out laughing. “Yeah, and then he pulled out his thing and peed on his foot because it got burnt. And when someone asked what he was doing he said something about it being like a jellyfish sting.” I was laughing so hard at what Juliet said. Remembering that night. But Juliet continued. “They called him Jellyfish dick forever.” I almost fell over laughing.

Noel quibbled. “Some guy pulled out his cock at one of these parties?” He looked horrified. Juliet was laughing harder now and so was I at his mortification of what we said. When Juliet finally calmed down enough, she said “Noel, these parties are of rich entitled pricks, of course cocks sometimes fall out.” It started both of us up again laughing, like banshees. Most of the rest of lunch Juliet and I spent talking about all the shenanigans we had witnessed at the various parties over the years.

Noel was sitting there like he was on a different planet. By the time we left to go to class my sides were tight from laughing so hard. I sat down next to Noel for our class. “Lilith, Eric is never going to be okay with you going to parties like that.” he said calmly. I looked at him. “Eric is not my boss. I compromised and that is why you are here, not because Eric told me so. You will probably have to come with me, but Eric won’t say no. Plus you heard Polly it is mandatory for comradery and shit. Now be quiet the teacher is about to start.” I didn’t have to glance over to know Noel was texting Eric.

If he had a problem with it, then he could tag along. Though it was clear he was not in high school. But, if he didn’t want me to go with just Juliet, or even Juliet and Noel then he would have to come. I smiled thinking of tomorrow. It would be great. School, shopping, game, and then party. It would be a blast. But I didn’t even know if Eric was coming. I thought he was coming for the game but didn’t actually know. “Noel?” I said quietly. He looked at me. “Eric is coming to the game tomorrow, right?” Noel smiled he had been texting for a while. “Lilith he is going to be with us all evening.” I was confused. But Noel explained. “That shopping trip with your friend. Your Game and that Party you seemed to think would be so funny.” I shrugged. I liked Eric’s company. Maybe he would like Juliet and come around to her coming up to the packhouse.