She Can't Read Minds

Leslie snarled at Griffin, “You could have at least cleaned up this place before we got here.” I sat down beside Markus on the floor between to piles of varies items. Leslie sat down beside me, though nearly onto my lap. Cal gave her a look before he sat down carefully on Griffin’s messed up bed where Griffin plopped himself onto.

“You could have at least stayed home.” Griffin said back.

“I-” Leslie began to argue back when Cal raised a hand and cut her off.

“We aren’t here to argue with him, Lez, we’re here to sort out the Nellie issue.” Cal said calmly, glancing at Markus and me sitting quietly with Leslie. Griffin sat up on the bed with his bed against the headboard and his arms crossed.

“Nellie problem?” He questioned.

“Yeah,” Cal told him, turning to the guy behind me, “you need to straighten it out with Nellie that she isn’t dating Markus. She never was and never will.” Markus shifted uncomfortably beside me, grabbing my hand. Griffin caught onto this.

“Oh, I see,” he glanced at me, “instead of dating my sister,” he focused onto Markus before turning back to me, “Markus is dating her.” I squirmed under his judging gaze. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look at me. “Fuck, I should know your name, shouldn’t I?”

“Fuck, I should know your name, shouldn’t I?” Leslie mimicked, rolling her eyes. When she caught my gaze, she smiled. “You saw a movie with all of us before, ya know. I thought you would have remembered her name—oh wait, no; this is exactly what I expected.” Griffin glared at her before staring at me; trying to remember my name. Leslie sighed, “Miranda.”

“Oh yeah,” Griffin smiled and repeated my name.

“Yeah,” Markus grumbled, “Miranda. You had it right the first time.” Cal stood up and walked over to us, beginning his pacing. We watched him walk with his hands behind his back for a few moments before he looked back at Griffin. “Cal, are you-”

“I’m fine, Marky, now sh.” Cal interrupted, staring at Griffin who still remained on his bed like we came there every day. I squeezed Markus’s hand. “Will you help us?” Griffin pushed himself off the headboard to burp and pat his chest before leaning back against the wood board. Leslie glared at him, covering her nose with her hand. I buried my nose into Markus’s shoulder. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t smell like dead cat.

“Make my sister sad?” Griffin questioned. Cal pursed his lips. “I’m gonna have to pass on the offer Cal, but,” he turned to me, “Miranda, if you wanna stay-” Markus yanked me up as he got to his feet and stormed out the house. Cal and Leslie followed behind us slowly, staying in the wake of Griffin’s laughter that much longer.

“Yeah Cal,” Markus grumbled sarcastically as we drove back to Cal’s house, “Griffin’s a real nice guy once ya spend time with him.” Cal rolled his eyes, shifting his hands around on the steering wheel. Leslie sat in the back seat beside me with the other two in the front seat. Jenna and Bridget stayed at Cal’s house incase his dad came home wondering where he was. “…Miranda to stay there.”

I looked at Leslie with a confused expression when I tuned back into the conversation. She shrugged her shoulders. Cal argued, “Well sorry for never bringing a girl with me when I was around him. I didn’t think he’d do that, Marky, I really didn’t.” Markus grumbled something, sliding in his seat in a little kid who didn’t get their way. Cal laughed, glancing at his friend and back at the road ahead. “I approve.”

“What?”

“Shut up.” Cal said, straight-faced as he pulled into his driveway. I hopped down and met Leslie on the front porch where she gave me a hug. Markus and Cal stayed back by the car and discussed what Cal had just said moments ago. “You guys go up by Jenna and Bridget.” Cal shouted to us, gesturing with his hand for us to go.

“Leslie, what did Cal approve of?” I asked her when we were walking down the hall to Cal’s bedroom. She shrugged.

“You guys, I think.”