on and on
grow into more of a
phenomenon.

■

Peggy sat down at her new lunch table with a huff, slamming her tray on the hard wood. 

"You okay Pegs?" Maria asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Fine." she sneered. "It's just that my friends Alex and John tried to tell me that you guys are a bad influence on me." 

Maria chuckled, looking at Thomas and James, who sat in front of her. "Honey, we are the best friends you will ever have." 

"Yeah." Thomas nodded, taking a bite of his mac and cheese. "Look at everything we've done for you since we started hanging out!" 

Peggy thought about it. She had been to multiple parties, each one she had either woken up with a hangover or woken up in a house that wasn't her's. But that's normal for high school students, and her new friends were helping her see that. 

She had also gone on so many new adventures with them. She had returned to the top of their high school's roof, this time with James and Thomas as well. They would just talk and eat whatever food Peggy had brought, but Peggy enjoyed it very much. 

"If anything," Maria said, "They're bad friends towards you." 

Peggy looked up, her eyes wide. Yes, she was mad at them for the moment, but she would never call Alex, nor John, a bad friend. They were incredible people. 

"How?" Peggy asked, dumbfounded. 

"Well, for one, they're trying to control you." Thomas pointed out. 

Peggy thought. "I mean I guess, but I just thought that they were concerned for my well being-" 

"And they think they know you better than you know yourself." Maria said, taking a bite of her salad. 

"Well I wouldn't say that-" Peggy started, but she was interrupted by Thomas. 

"Yeah, they're trying to force you to stay with them. I say that they're jealous." 

"Jealous?" Peggy asked. 

"Yep. They've realized what a cool person you are, and now they want you all for themselves. But, we already took you in our friend group." he said, smirking. 

Peggy smiled slightly. 

"Exactly." Maria said. "You make your own decisions for your own well being, and no one knows you better than yourself!" 

Peggy looked around and caught James' eyes. They were unreadable. There was an emotion kept in there that she couldn't name - but she knew it wasn't happiness. 

He tilted his head, as if he was asking her a question. 

Peggy wouldn't have been surprised if it was the same question she was asking herself. 

Does she really know who she is? 

(437 words)