On Thursday, our school was holding a basketball match with a neighboring school and by noon, the gym was packed with students.

The teachers were filing in along with janitors helping us carry chairs for the visitors which were mostly the students from the other school and a few parents, supporting the players.

I took a seat among the other students from our school. I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of the players pouring in.

The throng of people in front of me were blocking my view and I've been spending the past couple of minutes trying to search for that small hole between them that will allow me to see what's going on.

Adam's not coming in today, he texted me this morning telling me that his mom is not feeling well and that he's going to have to take care of her.

I offered to help him out but he turned me down and told me he's gonna be fine so I dropped it and let him be.

After that trip to the meadow and the storytelling session, we waited for the sun to rise for a bit before deciding to head back, passing McD's drive thru and buying some food.

All of them were half awake by then and didn't even bother asking us where we went or why we were out so early when their eyes landed on the paper brown bag Adam was carrying.

After eating breakfast, we went our separate ways to get ready for school. Yes, school. I need those scholarships that the universities offer because although my parents can fund them, I don't want to be a burden to them and trying to lessen the funds for my University sounds like a pretty idea.

The week went on quickly and there was going to be another party this friday to honor the school's 27th Anniversary arranged by the student council. It was supposed to be a rave party with alcoholic free drinks and teacher supervised dancing and everyone is 'obliged' to come.

I hate parties.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as the game begun, loud thuds of the ball being dribbled across the court was heard and the squeaking of brand new basketball shoes against the smooth surface of the floor filled the room.

No longer than a minute after the game started, the people sitting opposite to us rose from their seat and onto their feet, cheering, clapping and yelling out encouragements.

I guess they scored then..

No shit.

After another couple of minutes of struggling to search for a hole to see through, I slumped in my seat and gave up. "Hey, you wanna switch seats?" An unfamiliar feminine voice asked loudly over the screaming.

My head turned so hard, I felt a strain in my muscle. I looked at the girl beside me in surprise. "Really?" I asked her warily with wide eyes.

Hey, don't judge. I love watching basketball games, they're enthralling at times and also amusing.

"Yeah, I'm not interested in these stuff anyways," she shrugged and rose to her feet, ready to switch seats with me. I looked at her gratefully and shuffled to squeeze in and slid into her seat while she plopped on mine.

After getting comfortable, she stretched out a hand. "I'm Penelope." I smiled at her but inside, my conscious was feeding doubts into my poor mind.

Why on Earth would anyone want to be your friend?

Isn't it too late for them to have a change of hearts?

It's a bloody trick, you bloody fool.

I pushed the voice away and took her hand, shaking it firmly, "Cassandra." I replied before retracting my hand. She smiled at me and I saw the genuine and sincerity behind it. It made me grin inwardly.

You're gonna be proved wrong, bitchy conscience. I thought victoriously.

I sat there and turned my attention to the game that I can see almost perfectly now.

My eyes flew to the scoreboard and noticed that we were leading by two points and my fingers fidgeted on my lap and I fingered the bottom of my top as I twisted, tugged and straightened it again and repeated it numerous times as I gnawed on my bottom lip.

Every time the opponent scores, their school would burst out in a series of "ooooohh" loudly and I'll find myself shooting glares at them.

My irritation grew as their player crashed into one of ours and exaggerated the fall.

The referee was an idiot and gave our player a foul.

I wanted to scream at the referee for being such a baboon. Dafuq is wrong with your eyesight?! I swear, if I see that dude anywhere without a uniform, I'm dragging him to an optical store and buying him some thick ass lenses.

The asshole got two free shots and I was basically in the brink of cursing out the second the ball went in for the first throw.

On the second throw, I couldn't help it much longer and exaggerated a sneeze into a piercing scream, putting all my anger into it and the player, caught off guard, threw the ball and it didn't even touch the ring.

Everyone form the opponent side turned their attention to our school crowd while the rest of us just clapped lamely.

I realized what I did after that shot and flushed red. I can't believe I did that. Bloody idiot.

Beside me, Penelope was having something like heart-seizure, laughing her as off without a care in the world.

"Y-y-you didn't. Oh my God-" she guffawed with another howl of laughter. I blushed deeper as I covered my face. I think that was enough embarrassment to last me an entire century.

I shushed her as her laughter grew louder, afraid that people who didn't notice me doing it will start turning heads and start staring at me.

She was still clutching her abdomen, bent over on her seat as she tried to catch a breath only to end up laughing again.

"Oh, that was priceless. Just priceless." She forced out and I mocked a glare. "Shut up." I said lamely and she giggled.

She wiped a tear that rolled down her cheeks in the midst of laughing and wiped it on her jeans.

"Okay, okay. I'm not gonna laugh anymore." She raised her hands in a mock surrender gesture and looked at me, biting her lip, seeming like she was holding in a bubbling laugh and ending up looking constipated by it.

Now, it was my turn to laugh and her turn to flush. "What?" She asked in confusion and seemed a bit defensive about it.

I waved off her question and she shrugged.

"Anyways, are you coming to the party tomorrow?" I raised both eyebrows. "Yeah..?" It came out as a question but she beamed at me at my response. "Alright, do you want me to pick you up? We can get ready together in my house and take my car here."

I stared at her like she grew two heads. She wanted to be seen with me? I looked at her funny, "Erm, sure..? I guess, any will do." I shrugged and her grin grew wider and brighter.

Just then, the bell signaling the end of the game rang and all of us rose to applaud both parties and people started filing out of the gym, getting ready to make their way out of the building and head home.

Penelope turned to me before walking towards the exit.

"Great! Here's my number, text me your address and I'll pick you up at around 4." I nodded numbly, my brain not processing anything.

She stared at me in amusement. "Cassandra, I think we'll get along just fine."

I looked at her with a smile and it grew when I realized something.

'I just found myself a friend,' I thought as I stared at her back until she was out of sight, lost in the crowd of people.

•~•~•

Heyo guys!

I'm sorry to inform you people that I won't be able to update anymore today because of a halloween party I have to attend.

Anyways, love you guys and stay awesome. Ciao -J