We Set the Fire Around Your Lies

Maria brushed back her long brown hair as she surveyed the school, her school, or at least that's how she and her friends liked to think of it. She walked past the cluster of students that crowded the locker areas, her head held high as she looked for her friends, the small heel on her flats clicked with each step. When she found them, a smile spread on her face, the smile that could win anyone over.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a handful of invitations, "My sweet sixteen, I hope you guys can make it; I'm sure you can cancel any plans if you have them."

Her boyfriend eyed the paper, "I've got a football game."

She bit her glossed lip, "But babe, it's my sweet sixteen!"

"And it's our high school's championship game, I'll come if I can make it."

Unsatisfied, she turned on her heel and stormed off, the rest of the invites still in her hands. A few hopeful peers watched her walk by, rejected, like always, she wouldn't talk to anyone not in the in-crowd. Maria was used to getting what she wanted, the Simmons family held the highest rein in the town; they owned the largest restaurant in it's boundaries.

She found a seat by the fountain, the chilly fall air didn't seem to bother her, she was too heated it even notice the clouds formed with each breath. A few students scurried away from her, not wanting to fall under her wrath. Only one remained, his dark hair covered his face, but his light blue eyes were locked on her.

"What?" she snapped when she felt his gaze.

He shrugged, "Nothing."

She tapped her manicured nails on her invitations as she thought of a comeback, but none came to mind. Maria looked at him, knowing just from his posture that he was an outcast, so she decided to test the waters.

"Do you hate this school?"

He looked at her, "Well yeah, who doesn't hate high school?"

"I mean these people."

"They're the same at every high school in every town," he returned, "I don't see how this is any different just because we live her."

She nodded, seeing his point, "Are you busy next weekend?"

He narrowed his eyes, "I've been through enough pranks this week, thank you very much Maria. It isn't funny to mess with mere mortals feelings," he said hopping off the edge of the fountain and collecting his books, "have a good day."

She shoved her invites into her purse and held one crisp envelope out to him, it's pink hue shined against the red and yellows all over campus, "I was being serious."

He took it into his hands, "Do you even know my name?"

"Phoenix, isn't it?"

A smile spread on his face as he nodded, he walked away, still not sure if she was pulling his strings, "I'll get back to you."

--x

Noah grabbed the pink invite in the backpack sitting on the bench across from him, he skimmed it and noticed his girlfriend's name. He arched his brows, not familiar with the person who was staring at him for taking it.

"Can I help you?"

"That's mine," he replied holding his hand out for it.

"Why would my girlfriend invite a loser like you?"

Un-offended he shrugged, still waiting for it back. He rolled his eyes when he didn't give it back and went back to changing from his gym clothes into his school clothes; he could just ask Maria for another copy, hoping she would understand.

"Hey," Noah's friend said, "your the guy who was with her by the fountain."

Phoenix nodded, wondering what the guy was getting at.

"Is she cheating on me?" her boyfriend asked, looking at the smaller boy, "Huh? Is that why you got invited?"

He shook his head.

Noah advanced on him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, "I asked if she was cheating on me, a shake of your head isn't an answer."

--x

Maria walked into school the next day, doing the same thing she always did, taking in the faces around her. She started her journey down the hall towards her boyfriend's locked when a hand grabbed her arm. She froze, ready to yell for the person to let go of her, but when she saw that it was Phoenix, she stopped.

"What happened?" she asked as her eyes fell on the bruises.

"Noah beat me up."

"Why?"

He let go of her, "I can't go to your sweet sixteen, I'm sorry."

"Phoenix, don't let him get to you, he's worthless." She set her brown eyes on his blue ones, "You're coming, and we're going to prove to this school that jocks can't bully other students around. I know I'm not so nice to people sometimes, but I don't get physical."