Apricity [a-PRIS-i-tee]: The warmth of the sun in winter
Briar Elizabeth Maddox
Became a social outcast over the summer and now her used-to-be friends treat her no better than the dirt under their shoes. But no matter what she's been through, she'...
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It was a few days until our first official basketball practice. Myles and I were schedule changed into the same history class, so I was forced to see more of him from now on. He was a determined son of a bitch I'll give him that.
Classes went on like usual. Briar noticed me in the library the other day. She didn't say anything right away, just smiled like she was happy to see me. Then she patted the empty chair beside her, beckoning me to come over.
It wasn't the action itself of her calling me over that made me do it, it was the smile. Like she was genuinely happy to see me.
I didn't understand it either. It's not like I was nice to her or that I ever comforted her. I barely even ever entertained her ridiculous chattering. Why would she want to spend more time with me?
Maybe she's just that lonely, I thought to myself.
It wasn't my problem, but I sat with her anyway. I don't know why I did that. I liked being alone. Being alone and being lonely were not the same thing. I wasn't lonely, but I sat with her anyway.
"Do you want my sandwich? I was running pretty late this morning, so it was packed for me. It has tomatoes and I don't eat those." She scrunched her nose at the comment.
"Can't you just take them out?" I ask.
She gives me a disappointed shake of her head. "The taste will have already marinated."
I took the sandwich from her and let out a muttered thanks. I didn't pack my lunch today because I was running late too. Briar smiles and then goes back to her book. She was only ever quiet when she was reading.
So, I ate the sandwich, she snacked on some apple slices, and we sat there without saying much. I was beginning to think it was sort of peaceful in a way.
"How does your mom not know you don't eat tomatoes?" I find myself asking when the sandwich is already gone.
Briar gets suddenly shy at the question. She just shrugs her shoulders and kicks at her untied shoelaces. "So, are you excited for the season to begin?"
I watch her laces go back and forth, not really processing her change in subject. Why were shoes always untied? Then, I thought back to that day Valentina was on the floor tying them for her.
"Why are your shoelaces always untied?" I voiced my question. If she seemed uncomfortable before, she was even more so now.
"I just didn't realize they were untied," She shrugs again. Shrugging was definitely her pathetic way of brushing off questions.
I study her then and she's looking back at me. She was nervous still as I watched. Who the hell was this girl, really? Why was she so strange? Nothing about her seemed like a simple answer. Like how come she never learned to tie her shoes? She was a senior, a teenager almost turned adult and still walking around with untied laces.
I was never curious about anyone before, I didn't care enough to be. But Briar was turning out to be some life-size puzzle and I hadn't made sense of the pieces.
The time for lunch was almost up. I get up from my chair, and sling my backpack over my shoulder, but stop in front of her.
She still watches me as I bend down at her shoes. I grab her foot and drop it on my knee so that I can tie the laces for her. She doesn't say anything when I look up at her. She only frowns as I secure the knot. I drop her foot back to the floor and stand up straight again. Her gaze doesn't follow me, it's still stuck on her laces.
I don't expect her to say thank you. That moment was a small understanding between us somehow. It was my way of saying I knew, so she didn't have to tell me. At least not right now she didn't.
Because I was still deciding if it was worth asking about. I was still deciding if Briar Maddox was a life-size puzzle I felt like piecing together.
But when I said the words, "See ya, Bear," the same way I had the other day, I already knew the decision had been made. I would figure her out soon enough.
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✎ A/N: I forgot it was Monday hehe.
LIFE STORY: there's a boy who comes to the coffee shop I work at and I have a big fat crush on him. Never spoken a word to him bc he never really comes up to the counter.
We do be making that eye contact tho 😗 mhmm
BUT HES SO CUTE HE HAS THE FLOPPY DARK HAIR GOING FOR HIM. Idk if he's Hispanic or Asian tbh maybe he's Filipino.
