The Richardson List

Carter trekked down the path to her school, watching as it rose higher and higher off the ground with each step closer she took. Her backpack slung over her shoulder, weighing her down and making her journey to school that much more enduring, she sighed. When the front doors came into view, students passing in and out quickly, each door flying open at different times, she started to feel Cole’s missing presence.

Yesterday, when Lily had arrived to smother Cole in kisses, Carter quickly murmured a goodbye before bolting out of there. Lily didn’t take a notice to her but Cole did, insisting she stayed. Of course Carter declined his offer before getting out of there.

Once, only one time did she actually stay at a moment like that when Cole used his persuasive powers to convince her to. Awkward was not the word to describe it. Carter’s body was tense and rigid as she sat beside Lily on the couch, Cole at the other end with his arm around her. They watched television like the good wholesome teenagers they were, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t notice Lily sneaking in incredibly loud kisses beside her. That’s when the third-wheel feeling started to creep in.

After that fateful day Carter took whatever chance she saw to escape when it was them three, dismissing Cole’s pleas for her to stay before scurrying away from the scene. It was horrible, she could never wish that on anyone, it was that bad.

This morning she had gotten a text from Cole saying that he was getting a drive with Lily today, leaving Carter alone on the bus ride. On the bus she stared out the window, saying hello to people when they said it first but the seat beside her remained empty the entire time. It was times like these did she really realize Cole’s absence.

Pushing one of the many doors open she blended in with the rest of the students walking to their lockers. She didn’t stop and talk with people as the students around her did, since Audrey and Cole had lockers on the other end of the school. But it didn’t bother her; she got to her classes on time because of this and never had to rush.

While she was walking though she did notice Skye’s locker and of course in front was Skye himself. He leaned against it, looking serene and relaxed with a light smirk on his lips. As girls walked passed, laughing it up with their friends or shyly scurrying along, his eyes trailed over their bodies. Carter felt herself quicken her pace when his gaze reached her, lingering along her figure.

It wasn’t as if he were thinking about what he could do with these girls under the covers, as so many boys like him did, but his eyes felt different. She couldn’t say why, but just different, like Skye himself. This caused Carter to tighten her grip on her backpack strap and dart in and out of crowds until she reached her locker, escaping his eyes.

Throwing her books into the metal cage she sighed, scratching the back of her neck like she always did when she was relieved.

“Carter!”

She heard her name being called and jumped slightly, turning her head to see Audrey racing towards her.

Grabbing her needed books Carter slammed her locker shut and waved at Audrey, a smile touching her mouth. When the blonde had reached her, Audrey took a much needed breath, making up for all the air she lost while running down the halls. “To class?” she asked, gesturing down the hall where their next classroom lay.

Carter nodded her head, chuckling slightly at Audrey’s panting. “To class!” She smiled, pointing forward.



“Copy cat!” Cole accused Carter as he set his burgundy lunch tray on the wooden table, pointing at Carter’s sandwich.

She stared at the grilled cheese in between her fingers, defensively taking a bite before putting it down. “Hey, you were the one who asked why I always got salads,” Carter pointed out with a slight smug edge to her tone.

Cole resorted to glaring, as Carter had expected, because at the moment he couldn’t think of anything to say to that. She laughed, knowing that the argument was fully won by her side although he’d never admit it.

Carter grabbed his Nestea juice box from his tray and took a small sip, giggling slightly when Cole pouted. “Hey! First you steal my lunch idea and then you steal my lunch? I will not stand for this!” He puffed out his chest in a ploy to look more macho, only to have her dissolve into laughter afterward.

She gave him back his juice and kept laughing; Cole admitted defeat and cracked a smile too. “Sorry that I ditched you this morning. It’s just that Lily asked and-” he began only to be cut off with a wave of Carter’s hand.

“No need to apologize, I get it. You just want a little sexy time with your girlfriend.” Carter stretched out the last word in a teasing manner, smiling for emphasis.

A light blush dusted his cheeks as he chomped down on his own sandwich, waiting for the subject to pass.

In the moment of silence Carter took a chance to give a look around. Everything looked as normal until her eyes were met with Skye, a bunch of guys huddled around him.

This caused her to remember the morning when she sat beside him. When he’d sat down he hadn’t said a word to her as Carter expected him to. No, he sat in his seat with a paper and pen in hand, in fact no words the entire class had left his lips.

The entire time he sat hunched slightly in his seat, looming over the sheet on his desk. She doubted he was listening to the teacher, never looking up once in the lesson. All through the class he scribbled onto the paper, his arm sheltering it away from the rest of the world as if he were attempting to inconspicuously hide it from everyone’s wandering eyes.

Curiosity had gripped her mind as she wondered what he was so intent on writing, so determined to not have anyone else know about. A inexplicable had already settled itself around Skye, this only adding more to his mystery.

Carter blinked her eyes a couple times, noticing she had been staring at the huddle for longer the a passing glance. Turning her gaze back to Cole she saw he was curiously eyeing her, a suspicious edge to his stare.

“What are you staring at?” he asked, taking a sip from his drink.

She pointed to the small crowd that had gathered around Skye and Cole nodded. “Hmm, I wonder what all the commotion in about…” he mused, a curious spark in his eyes.

At that moment Audrey bounded up beside Cole, a delighted smile on her face.

“I’m a nine!” she squeaked proudly, a certain glow surrounding her. She slid into the seat beside Cole, something surprising because usually they would end up in some sort of bicker, and both Cole and Carter noticed this.

“You’re a nine?” Carter repeated with confusion, furrowing her brows. Cole mirrored her reaction, waiting for Audrey to elaborate.

Audrey on the other hand was clearly restraining herself from bursting, fidgeting in her seat. She took a deep breath, calming herself down, but also building up suspense as they both waited for her.

“I’m a nine. Okay, so, you know Skye Richardson?” she asked, receiving a head nod from both Carter and Cole. Carter was sure that everyone knew who he was by now. “Well, he has this list of all the girls in grade ten. And rates them, I guess, number wise. As in, each girl has a number from one to ten; it’s based on looks and personality, but mostly looks. Anyways, I was talking to Matt, you know him, friends with Skye? Anyways, he read the sheet and told me I was a nine!”

The grin on her face was broad, ecstatic really.

Cole chuckled and Carter stared at her incredulously, wondering if what Audrey had just said was true. By the way Audrey was beaming she took a guess that it was.

“That’s dumb and degrading.” Carter mumbled under her breath, watching as Cole continued to laugh, finding this somewhat hilarious.

Audrey leaned onto her elbows, palms against her cheeks with a dreamy look in her eyes. “Carter, really, this is big,” She said, this being the most serious she had been in weeks.

Cole had regained his composure and had sobered up, a smile still touching his lips. “Really? A list? Of all the girls? That is a tear jerker.” He chuckled once more, wiping an invisible tear drop from under his eye. Carter was staring at the huddle once more, assuming that that’s why they were all in their own little cluster, reading all the girl’s ratings.

Audrey sighed; irritated that no one would took this as seriously as she would, because to her it was a very serious matter, apparently. Carter could see why Cole was laughing, because if she wasn’t so curious on her own rating she would be giggling along with him.

“You guys, I’m not kidding! Remember Melanie?” Audrey asked, desperately trying to get her point and feelings across.

Carter could faintly recollect the memory of the girl. She was shy, wearing her hair in two braids often and scurrying along in the hall ways, tightly gripping her books. She had a few friends but Carter never talked with her. Not many people took notice to her, really, her timid demeanour and quiet voice usually being overlooked.

“Mhmm?” Carter mumbled, still picturing Melanie in her mind.

“Melanie got a nine. I know, how on earth would that happen? Anyways, now she’s hanging out with the popular girls!”

Audrey pointed to the group of girls hanging out by the one wall. A few sat on the ledge, others leaning against the stone while chatting with their friends. And as Audrey had said there she was, of course now without her frumpy grey sweater and her hair was now cascading down her back.

Even though she looked different Carter could tell that it was still the Melanie that would scuttle down the hall ways with her eyes fixed on the ground, and she couldn’t help but stare with her mouth agape, wondering why she was let into the tight circle of girls that were self proclaimed ‘popular’.

Cole was even surprised, having Audrey now looking smug. “See! I told you! This is big, guys.”

Carter averted her gaze and thought about how much power this thing held over all of grade ten. “So, she got popular over some petty little list?”

Audrey shook her head, noting that it was much, much more. “Carter, this isn’t just ‘a list’, this is The Richardson List.”