The Richardson List

Carter slid into the plastic chair, dropping her books onto the desk and heaving a sigh. Her inside’s turned involuntarily when her gaze trailed over to Skye who was at the front of the class, stopping to talk to one of his new friends. She could hear the conversation from where she sat, and having that Audrey had yet to make her appearance in the class she listened in cunningly, pretending to look over her text book.

“All this homework sucks, a lot,” the boy, Zack, complained while flipping through pages of unfinished work.

Skye leaned against his desk with a smirk, a low chuckle erupting from his throat. “Your mom sucks a lot,” he quipped, smiling afterwards as Zack groaned, muttering something about how lame he was.

Carter didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or not, embarrassingly enough she still thought the joke was somewhat funny and felt a tickle in her throat. She covered it up with a cough, flipping the smooth page and staring down at the black ink letters in front of her.

“So, since the entire girl population is pretty much all over you, do you have anyone you fancy?” Zack asked with a mock accent, causing her to smile while brushing her fingertips across the page

Lifting her gaze she saw Skye shrug with a small, knowing smirk on his lips. Their gazes met and Carter instantly froze, her cheeks flushing from being caught before she looked back down at her book, hoping that he hadn’t noticed her listening in.

Thankfully he remained talking in the conversation, never adding that Carter was not-so-secretly eavesdropping in on their banter.

Carter noticed Audrey step into the room, the girl’s eyes grazing over Skye before meeting her. Audrey smiled and started to make her way over to her desk; her pace slowing when she passed the boy in hopes that he’d stop and talk to her. Her wishes were unfulfilled when he never get even a slight acknowledgement.

Trying to cover up her disappointment with a smile she parked herself at her desk and dropped her books with a bang. This gathered many student’s attention, Skye’s also which had been the aim of the stunt. She smiled abashedly, putting on a guilty face.

“Whoops, sorry,” she apologized, smiling at everyone but mostly Skye in particular.

Of course Audrey would pull a stunt such as that to get someone’s attention. There were many things she didn’t like but being ignored was one of her most hated things. Especially if it was a boy ignoring her- that she wouldn’t stand for. She would do stupid little acts, drop her books or accidently bump into them, as if to give a little heads up that she was alive and could soon be the object of their affection.

What stunned Carter more so was how it worked, it worked almost every single time. Most of her past boyfriends were because she did these things and it was like they finally realized how amazing she was. Or so they saw it was like that.

Maybe it was because boys really just don’t see girls until they push themselves into their view. It seemed so, because maybe she just had to be a little assertive to get what she wanted. And that was one thing Carter wasn’t.

As Carter had predicted, Skye’s eyes lingered on Audrey for a little longer then normal before he looked away. Audrey was grinning as she turned towards Carter, leaning in a little.

“I think Skye likes me,” she gushed and Carter nodded, not feeling like contradicting her on that day.

The chance that Audrey’s wishes were true was slim, yet she obviously still was salvaging on that one strand of hope. If Skye was going to pick a girl from the school Carter doubted it would be Audrey. She was pretty, that much was true, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t girl’s who were prettier. A girl who Carter could believe that Skye would keep an eye on would be Lily- that was very believable. Even though Lily was taken Carter doubted that Skye took much care to that.

At that moment the teacher walked into the room, signalling class was about to begin. Audrey was doodling in her notebook, a horrible habit she had always had. Unlike Carter, every single paper that was ever in front of her while a pen was in her hand has been destroyed with pointless drawings with no remorse.

Catching a glimpse Carter could see that she was drawings small hearts around her page with a small smile on her face. No doubt about it a certain boy was on her mind.

Carter looked up to see Skye take his assigned seat beside her, not even noticing her presence beside him. He was too busy chuckling softly to himself and shaking his head as Zack lifted a paper to show his crude drawing of a naked girl. At the top was a name but Carter wasn’t able to decipher the letters to figure out who it was supposed to be of.

And as soon as the drawing was presented it was back down on his desk, crumpled into a small heap. Carter sat silently, wondering if Skye was going to say anything to her during the lesson. And as it turned out it he didn’t, much too busy texting sneakily under his desk.



Lunch had finally arrived, ready to soothe Carter’s grumbling stomach. On that day she had forgotten to eat anything for breakfast. Usually she at least has an apple, but with her chronic paranoia the thought of food had slipped her mind.

As soon as the piercing bell rang she bolted from her seat and raced down the halls, the cafeteria seeming much father away then normal. Hearing her name being called she came to a halt, somewhat exasperated that someone had ruined her mission to ease her starvation. Looking over her shoulder Carter saw Tiffany waving and walking down the hall, a smile plastered on her face.

Carter returned the wave, smiling politely before looking down at her stomach that once again rumbled.

“Hey, Carter,” Tiffany greeted her cheerily, a slight edge of anxiety in her voice. Today her hair was done up in a ponytail, a few curly strands falling loose and her bangs sweeping across her forehead.

“Hey.” She smiled while her eyes darted towards the cafeteria doors, they were so close to her, only on the opposite end of the hall. Carter swore she heard the food being cooked from the kitchen.

Tiffany didn’t notice the hunger in Carter’s eyes and twirled a strand of her chestnut locks around her finger.

“Yeah, I was wondering, can I sit with you at lunch today?” Her voice grew quiet as she awaited Carter’s answer, the fear of rejection welding up inside her eyes.

Carter didn’t know what to do, feeling herself freeze in the dilemma. Never this year did this girl once talk to her; unless she needed a pencil did any words addressed to Carter leave her lips. And hear she was, coyly asking if she could join her for lunch.

“Uh, sure,” Carter agreed before briskly walking towards the door, wondering if she had made the right decision.

Being quick she got her food and pointed Tiffany to where they were going to sit. Tiffany nodded her head in line, adding that she’ll only be a minute. Once she sat down at the table where Cole and Audrey were already seated she sighed.

“Guys, um, Tiffany’s going to sit with us, okay?” She looked up at them for reassurance, only to be met with blank stares from the two.

Cole slowly put down his sandwich, processing the information through his mind. “Tiffany,” he repeated, thinking about the name. “You sit beside her in one of your classes, don’t you?” he asked, looking over at Carter who nodded in mid-bite of her sandwich.

Audrey stayed uncomfortably quiet, playing with a strand of her hair. “So can she?” Carter asked once again, looking at both of them with hopeful eyes.

“It’s not like we can say no, can we?” Cole drawled sarcastically, chuckling afterwards to show that indeed she would be able to join them.

Carter sighed relieved before glancing at Audrey who was looking dazed. Her bright blue eyes were staring off onto the field where some students loitered, walking around to pass time.

This made Carter uneasy as hardly ever did Audrey have nothing to say. She always had an opinion and she would always freely give it. Yet there she sat, without a word leaving her glossy lips.

“Audrey, are you okay with it?”

Audrey snapped back into reality and looked back at her friend, smiling comfortingly. “Yeah, of course! The more the merrier, right?” She grinned and popped another Oreo Thinsation in her mouth, savouring the taste on her tongue as always.

Even though she looked like she was genuine Carter was still not convinced, nonetheless she brushed it off and hoped that it was nothing.

When Tiffany came she was looking a little apprehensive as she trotted towards the small table, her knuckles turning white because she was gripping her tray so tightly. Her smile was forced as her gaze trailed over the three but she seemed to relax a little when she saw everyone’s welcoming smiles.

“Thanks for letting me sit with you guys,” she thanked them while slipping into the seat next to Cole, a small blush rising onto her cheeks.

Cole took a sip from his pop, smiling when he through it in the garbage in basketball-esque.

“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled while throwing his arms in the air as a victory dance. She giggled and nodded her head before looking over at Audrey who still remained quiet.

Audrey munched on her treats while staring at the field as before, nothing in particular capturing her attention.

“So, Tiffany,” she said but her gaze never left the open space. Carter kept on eye on her, hoping that she wouldn’t instigate anything. “You’re in my Physics class right?” Their eyes met and Tiffany nodded with a small smile still on her lips.

Carter and Cole’s gazes met over the table, both of them making sure to keep watch of Audrey. Never had she been very fond of letting new people into their little group- that was unless it was her boyfriend. She’d been a little accepting of Lily but other then that she liked to shun many people out.

Of course she had many other friends that weren’t Cole and Carter, but those two she kept close and sacred to her. Well, more so Carter then anything.

For the rest of their lunch they all chatted comfortably, never an awkward silence because Carter wouldn’t allow one. Those times being one of her most hated things, when no one knows what to say.

When lunch ended and they had thrown out their wrappers Carter wondered to herself whether or not Tiffany and her were friends. This, all this could be a one time thing. She decided to contemplate that afterwards, having that she had way too much on her mind.