Red Hat

It was summertime, the start of eight grade was on the horizon. Victoria came over to check on her best friend Demi. The two girls had been best friends since the third grade. Victoria knocked on the door to see Michelle open the door. “Heyo big sis, is my bestie here?”

Michelle stood in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest. She was the more beautiful sibling between the four of them. Demi’s older sister, the one that received majority of the attention from her mom. Michelle rolled her eyes at Victoria before moving to the side. “She’s in her room. Don’t stay too long, we have places to go in an hour or so.”

Victoria ignored her, they always had to go places when it came to Michelle needing things. She was just a couple years older than demi. Victoria headed straight to the back of the house and turned right. There Demi was in her room looking out the window with a dazed look in her eyes. Victoria went to sit next to her and followed her gaze. Only thing outside was a large dog and a playset. Victoria figured she was just daydreaming. “Bestie? What in the world are you looking at? It’s not like I see any cute guys out there.”

Demi turned to look into Victoria’s big blue eyes and smiled a thin smile. “Just daydreaming. That’s all.”

“Girl if you’re not hiding away making yourself invisible, you’re daydreaming. Want to go outside for a little bit?”

“Yeah, better than being in the house.”

The girls walked through the living room to the front of the house. Michelle had her feet on the sofa, lying there as if she were the queen.  Her fingers toyed with bubblegum as she took it out of her mouth, stretching it then chomping on it. When she seen the two girls, she couldn’t help but have a catty remark. “Oh, look the two hell spawns are leaving the house to grab the attention of dumb boys.”

“Aww, I bet you wished the guys would pay attention to you but they can see a stank dog in designer clothes any day.”

“Keep it up Victoria and you won’t be allowed back in this house. I can make sure of that.”

Demi pulled Victoria away before she said something that would cause trouble. “Sorry Chelley. She’s started her period so she’s moody.”

“Then she must always be on her period then.”

Victoria was about to say something else when Demi covered her mouth dragging her outside. She didn’t need Michelle making her life an even bigger hell. After getting outside she pinched Victoria on the arm. “You know if she gets in one of her moods I’ll be grounded for a week or maybe even longer. You’re my one real, true friend. If I can’t have a piece of my sanity nearby, I’ll be declared criminally insane.”

Victoria pulled Demi into a hug then squeezed her cheeks. “I could never cause you any harm. I’d feel bad if I couldn’t see you either.”

The girls sat on the porch talking while people watching. A group of boys passed by at that moment. Seeing the girls, they started to slow down and try to talk to them. There was one guy that stood above the rest of them. He seemed to have kind eyes and stared at Demi even though she wouldn’t look in his direction. The boys kept trying to get her attention until Victoria yelled at them. “If you’re going to try and treat us like we’re a bunch of tricks you’re better off finding someone a few years older than you that would be more than wiling to give you the time of day.”

One of the boys faces looked angry and he shot off the first thing he could think of. “Shut up you slut.”

Demi didn’t like that word. She was called that enough inside her own home. She wasn’t looking at them before but she stood up, went to her fence, and decked the boy in the face. “If you can disrespect ladies, you don’t even know then I’m sure you would be even worse to the ones that you do know. Next time, you come down this street stay away from my house our I’ll make sure to sock you again.”

The boy she hit in the face covered his mouth. Demi burst his lip with one punch. He was embarrassed and upset that she did that. He started to raise his hand to hit her back. Demi wasn’t afraid of him. She stood there daring him to hit her. The taller boy had been watching her with interest. When his friend tried to race his hand to hit her, he grabbed his arm, speaking in an almost quiet voice. “You shouldn’t hit girls.”

His friend still had his mouth covered as he tried to talk, “Come on man. She hit me first. It’s self-defense.”

She was about to say something to him when his friend cut her off. “Don’t be stupid. You got mad when her friend told you off and you called them out of their name. You just hate the fact that you got your lip busted by a girl.”

His other friends pulled him away while laughing and teasing him. The taller boy looked back at her and gave her a smile. Demi looked at him then away. She scratched the side of her cheek hoping to ward of the embarrassment she had felt. Victoria pulled her back to the porch and squealed. The boy kept looking back at them until he was out of sight. He felt it in his heart, love struck him like lightening.

Demi’s parents came to get her from outside to let her know that they were about to leave. They gave cordial smiles to Victoria but ignored her for the most part. “Demi, we’re going. Either join us in the car or you can stay here alone.”

The thought of having the house to herself made her giddy inside but she knew her parents wouldn’t let Victoria stay. She looked at Victoria and hugged her. “See you later Vic.”

Victoria hugged her back and whispered in her ear. “If you need me, you know the code.”

The two girls parted ways for the evening.