
Teen Topics to the Tune of Characters: Heartbreak
Traci Kenworth
Can you imagine waited bated breath as your crush focused on his best friend, your current best female friend as well? The torture suffocated her. Oh, why couldn’t he look at her that way? She knew every angle to his face. Every deep lash that shaded those green eyes. The idea of him knowing something, anything intimate about her brought a grimace. All he saw was what every other person saw: chubbiness that rendered her all but invisible.
“Alan is going to be so all-over-himself at this one,” Scott said.
She hung on every word, rewarded with a blink when she lost her balance when he glanced her way. Darn. Why did she always spaz around him?
The female friend, Lenore drew his attention back to her with a snap of her gum. “That’s his problem. He gets too overwhelmed by a girl.”
“Not his problem. He just puts his bar to high.”
Lenore huffed. “Not with Arlene.”
“Well.” Scott shrugged.
It’s now or never.
“A hard one to figure,” she added.
Scott swung to her. He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She colored. “Just, anyone could see that one had a problem.”
“You may be right.”
“Of course, she’s right,” Lenore said.
She exchanged a grin with Lenore.
“Are you two saying you knew something was up with her? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Like any of you would’ve listened,” Lenore retorted.
She gazed at Scott. “You mean, you didn’t notice?”
He shrugged. “Well.”
“Admit it.” Lenore nodded.
“Okay. She wasn’t the best apple in the bunch.”
“More like the meanest beehive ever set loose.”
She burst into laughter. Scott followed. They shared a grin. Her heart nearly paused. The only thing that saved her was Lenore’s gesture.
“Here, he comes.”
Alan always looked like his wheat-colored hair was caught in the wind. He surveyed each of them, a hint of suspicion in his gaze. “What’s up?”
Scott curled a hand over his mouth. “Betty Rocklin.”
He took a step back. “You heard?”
“That she put you through the meatgrinder in gym?”
“Damn. I never catch a break.”
