New Girl: Chapter Ten

Rebecca waited at the complex pool for Lucita and Silvia. She had passed Blake on her way, but he was heading towards Evie’s house the other way. Jealously bit her hard. She looked towards the pool, studying her reflection.

Maybe if she worked out more or even started dieting, Blake would look at her differently. Leaning back on her hands, she dangled her feet in the pool, disappointed with herself. She tied back her soft brown hair and sat there, glad it was Friday.

“Hey, Becca.” Rebecca waved at her and looked up at the sky. Silvia rolled her eyes and waved her hand in her face laughing. Unamused, Rebecca shoved her hand away. Silvia gave her a scolding look.

“What’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” Becca turned over.

“Then don’t be such a bitch. I was just trying to cheer you up.”

“Well, I’m not upset.”

Silvia gave her a haughty laugh. “Oh, I beg to differ. You look down, so tell me, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Something is obviously wrong, so come on, tell me.”

“You’re not going to shut up, are you?”

Silvia shook her head. “Nope, so come on, talk.”

Rebecca sighed and relented. “Do you think I’m fat?”

“Not this again,” Silvia muttered to herself as she sighed. “Come on, Becca, you should know you’re not fat. So why do you see yourself that way?”

Becca gestured to her body. “Look at me! I’ve got no hip line, well no, not really. And come on, guys, well, they—”

“Enough, Becca,” called a voice. Both Silvia and Rebecca looked up at Lucita as she headed their way. Lucita’s insecurities were one thing, but she couldn’t handle other people’s, especially when they should have more faith in themselves.

Lucita’s mentality was do as I say, not as I do, or I will hurt you. A sly little smile crept onto her face. Pain was something she was too familiar with, and it was to deal it back out.

“Hey, Lu,” said Silvia. She didn’t like the look that Lucita had on her face. There was something dark and frightening in it.

“Hi. Becca, what’s your problem?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean? So what, just because you can’t get Blake, you’re going to be all mental about it? There are plenty of guys out there.”

“Easy for you to say. You could get any guy you wanted.”

A shadow fell over Lucita’s face as she thought of Cyrus and his stupid smile. “That’s not true, and you know it. But that doesn’t keep me down. Guys are attracted to me because I have self-confidence,” she lied. Lucita knew what she lacked. All her confidence was a façade, a cover for the bitter self-loathing she felt every day.

“Easy for you to say.”

“No, it’s not.” Lucita sighed. “Look, are you going to be like this for the rest of the day ‘cause I can only really handle my depression, not anyone else. Hard enough dealing with myself.”

Rebecca and Silvia exchanged confused glances. “No?” muttered Rebecca confused, she really had nothing more to say, and a look in those brown eyes made Rebecca pity and fear her. She couldn’t decide which she felt more.

Silvia watched Lucita roll her eyes and take off her clothes. Till she was in her black bikini with a skull on the top. She grabbed her notebook and pen, and Silvia wondered what she was writing.

“So any way that Valentine’s party is a few away. Is Cyrus coming?” asked Silvia watching Lucita. She smiled.

“Yup, in fact, he’s on his way now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he wanted to discuss some things about the party. Makes me worry a bit.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s Cyrus. Until recently, we weren’t even friends.”

“Well, the two of you seem pretty tight now.”

“Yea, now. Not before. He was an ass, and then his stupid friends made everything worse. I hated him as much as I—well, you know.”

“When, how—”

“It’s a long story,” she said hotly, glaring at Silvia. She saw Silvia flinch and look away toward her phone to check the time. “Can we not talk about it.” They both nodded, and Lucita smiled a radiant smile that made Rebecca envious. She continued to watch her until the opening of the gate distracted her. Lucita glanced up as her ears twitched. Then, when she saw Cyrus, her eyes brightened. Lucita tried to resist running to him when he waved, grinning. Then, with her arms folded, Lucita got to her feet.

“Hello, Cyrus.”

“You’re the only person I know who doesn’t call me by my nickname.”

“I’m weird, remember.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a warm hug. The wind blew, and she caught a whiff of his cologne. Cyrus hugged her back, surprisingly, very tightly, and she smiled. Someone coughed, and Lucita took a step back and blushed slightly.

“Hey,” said Cyrus waving at Silvia and Rebecca.

“Hey,” said Rebecca.

“Hey, so you’re coming to the Valentine’s Day Party with us?” asked Silvia, curious to know why.

Cyrus nodded and sat down next to Lucita. “Yeah, planning on it. I just—” He stopped and looked at the tanning Lucita. “I don’t like that guy, Blake, and he seems kind of—”

”Like a complete jerk,” finished Rebecca. Lucita and Silvia looked at Rebecca, bewildered. Silvia couldn’t help but be proud of her. Lucita just sat there, confused, not knowing what exactly to think. She sat up curiously and leaned forward, grazing her leg purposely against Cyrus as she placed it on the concrete. She saw his smile flicker, and he looked down at her. Rebecca saw Lucita smile, but her gaze did not once flicker away from Rebecca. Rebecca tried not to fidget with Lucita’s cold and penetrating gaze.

“And why are you two staring at me?”

“Well, we’re proud of you,” said Lucita sweetly.

“Ya know, girl!” exclaimed Silvia. “Blake is an asshole!”

“Really now?” Everyone’s heads shot up, looking at Blake standing on the other side of the gate. Silvia gave him a cold hard gaze. Cyrus did the same. Rebecca looked away, and Lucita stared at him, feeling bad. Then, finally, she stood up and watched him turn his back to them and walk away. Lucita went after him, barefoot and wearing nothing but her bikini.

“Blake—”

“I’m leaving.”

“No, please.” Lucita caught up to him and grabbed his wrist. Silvia couldn’t believe Lucita was actually going to talk to him alone. She looked over at Cyrus, whose fists were clenched, turning his knuckles white.

“What is she doing,” muttered Silvia. Suddenly Cyrus stopped clenching his fist and smiled.

“She’s being Lucita.” Silvia scrunched her eyes in confusion and looked back at Lucita.

“What?” said Blake rudely.

“I . . . um . . . look Silvia—”

“Silvia can go screw herself. I don’t give a shit what she says.”

“Well, then, why are you upset?”

“Look, you barely know me—”

“So? You were nice to me on my first day of school. You were a friend to me when I had none. I consider you a friend.” Lucita smiled at him. Did she? Sometimes he was kind. Then there were times he made her skin crawl.

“Right. Well, you didn’t rush to defend me.”

“No, but I did come after you. I didn’t have to do that.”

A smile came to his lips. “No, you didn’t.” He blushed and began walking away until Lucita shouted after him against her better judgment.

“Blake, why did you get so worked up?”

Blake shrugged, looking back at her. “Because girls talk a lot of shit about me, and I kind of like you, and I don’t want you getting the wrong idea about me.”

Lucita’s eyes widened, shocked. She hadn’t expected that. “Oh, well—”

Blake laughed. “Don’t worry about it. See ya around, Lu.” He gave her a warm smile and walked off. Lucita was a little confused but didn’t dwell on it as she headed back toward Cyrus and the others.

“Hmph, Lucita shouldn’t be nice to him,” muttered Silvia.

“Well, that’s Lucita. She’s generally a nice person…sometimes. Back in middle school, she could be a little violet, a little unhinged. Not that some of them didn’t deserve it. You haven’t known her that long, but she can be pretty violent.”

“Did she ever hurt you?” asked Rebecca.

“As if,” said Lucita taking her seat next to Cyrus. “I don’t think I could ever hurt him.”

“You never have before, and I doubt you ever could.”

Lucita kicked his ankle and smiled. “Don’t be so smug.”

“You know you love me.”

Silvia watched Lucita roll her eyes and smile, her cheeks reddening as she grabbed her notebook. Rebecca looked at Lucita and her semi-long nails. Maybe that was why Lucita got so upset with her, because of him. She watched Lucita contently write in her notebook. It didn’t even seem as though she was paying attention.

“Cyrus, what school do you attend again?” asked Rebecca.

“I go to Everglades High.”

“So whenever you come, your parents drive you, just like that?”

“Pretty much,” he shrugged and poked Lucita’s foot. She giggled.

“Don’t do that. You know how ticklish I am.”

“Exactly, and I think that you two should join me.” He winked at Rebecca and Silvia as Lucita dropped her notebook, hoping to make a run for it. Cyrus caught her, and Silvia and Rebecca caught up with her and began tickling her. Lucita wriggled and kicked and laughed until she finally got free. Lucita was laughing too hard to watch her feet as she stumbled back. Her foot slipped at the pool’s edge, and she fell backward. As she hit the water, she heard Cyrus call her name, catching the concern in his eyes. She couldn’t swim.