Happier than Ever

The first time Riley Carter saw Lauriette Hayes, she didn't know her name. She only knew that she couldn't stop looking at her. It was a Monday morning at Santa Monica High School, and the hallways were already overflowing with students. Lockers slammed shut. Shoes scraped against the floors. Voices blended together until the entire building sounded like one enormous conversion. Riley stood against her locker with one shoulder pressed against the metal door, her phone loosely held in one hand. She wore a black oversized hoodie, loose jeans, and white sneakers. Her short dark hair was slightly messy, but she hadn't bothered fixing it. She rarely did. "You're staring." Riley didn't look up. "I'm not." Her best friend, Jordan Brooks, leaned against the locker beside hers. "You are." Riley glanced at her. "At what?" Jordan gave her a knowing smile. "Don't do that." "Do what?" "Act like you don't know exactly what I'm talking about." Riley rolled her eyes and looked down at her phone. "I wasn't staring at anyone." "Okay." Jordan dragged the word out deliberately but Riley ignored her. She looked down the hallway again and there she was. The girl by the window, Lauriette Hayes but Riley didn't know her name yet. She was standing with another girl, laughing about something Riley couldn't hear. Lauriette wore a fitted black jacket over a white top and jeans. Her long dark hair rested over one shoulder, and every few seconds she pushed a strand away from her face. There was nothing extraordinary happening. Lauriette wasn't doing anything special, she was simply standing there but Riley couldn't look away. "'Who is that?" Jordan followed Riley's gaze. "The girl with the black jacket?" "Yeah." "That's Lauriette Hayes." Riley repeated the name quietly. "Lauriette." Jordan looked at her. "Why?" "No reason." Jordan's eyebrows rose. "You're already interested." "I'm just asking who she is." "Sure." Riley smiled slightly. "Shut up." Jordan laughed but Riley looked back and Lauriette was talking to her friend. Then a boy walked up behind them and he wrapped his arm around Lauriette's waist. Lauriette smiled and leaned toward him. Riley's smile disappeared. "Who's that?" Jordan looked again. "That's her boyfriend." Riley didn't answer. The boy kissed Lauriette on the cheek and something uncomfortable twisted inside Riley's stomach. She didn't understand why. She had known Lauriette for approximately zero minutes. She had never spoken to her, She didn't know anything about her, and yet, watching another person touch her bothered Riley more than it should have. Jordan noticed. "Riley." "What?" "Don't." Riley looked at her. "Don't what?" "Whatever you're thinking." "I'm not thinking anything." Jordan stared at her. "Good." Riley looked away but she couldn't stop thinking about Lauritte. By lunch, Riley had learned a few things. Lauriette was a senior. Her best friend's name was Chloe Anderson. Her boyfriend's name was Ethan Parker and She was popular. She was good at getting people to laugh. And, according to Jordan, she had a reputation for being the kind of person who could make you feel special one minute and completely invisible the next. Riley didn't believe it. Not yet. They were sitting outside near the courtyard when Lauriette walked past. Riley's eyes followed her automatically. Jordan sighed. "Again?" Riley looked at her. "What?" "You've been watching her all day." "No I haven't." "You looked at her during English." Riley said nothing. "And chemistry." Still nothing. "And now." Riley picked up a fry. "I just think she's pretty." Jordan stared at her. "That's all?" "That's all." "Okay." Riley ate the fry and Jordan leaned closer. "She has a boyfriend." "I know." "She's straight." Riley looked at her. "I know." "Then why are you looking at her like that?" Riley's expression hardened slightly. "I don't know." Jordan softened. "That's what worries me." Before Riley could answer, Lauriette's voice came from behind them. "Riley?" Riley froze. Then she turned around and there she was, Lauriette, and upclose, she was even prettier. "Yeah?" Lauriette smiled. "You're Riley Carter, right?" Riley nodded. "Yeah." "We have history together." "I know." Lauriette smiled. "I've seen you around." Riley tried not to smile too much. "Yeah." Lauiette pointed toward the empty seat beside Riley. "Can I sit here?" Riley immediately moved her bag. "Sure." Lauriette sat down. Jordan watched the entire thing with a suspicious expression. Lauriette didn't seem to notice. "I've been meaning to ask you something," Lauriette said. "What?" "Did you finish the history assignment?" Riley blinked. "Yeah." "Can I see it?" Riley looked at Jordan but her expression said everything. Don't. Riley ignored her. "Sure." She pulled her notebook from her bag and gave it to Lauriette "You're a lifesaver." Riley smiled. "No problem." Lauriette flipped through the pages. "You have really good notes." "Thanks." Said Riley. "Could you send me pictures of the rest later?" "Yeah" Lauriette smiled. "You're the best." Then she stood. "Thanks, Riley." She walked away as Riley watched her and Jordan waited. "Don't." Riley looked at her. "What?" Jordan pointed toward Lauriette. "That smile." Riley tried to hide it. "I'm just being nice." Jordan shook her head. "You're already doing favors for a girl who barely knows you." Riley shrugged. "It's just homework." "Today." Jordan picked up her drink. "Just be careful." Riley didn't answer. She looked toward Lauriette again who was laughing with Chloe Then Ethan came over and wrapped an arm around her. Riley's stomach tightened again and she looked away. That evening, Riley was lying on her bed when her phone buzzed. Lauriette Hayes. Riley sat up immediately. Lauriette: hey can you send me those history notes? Riley smiled. Riley: yeah She took pictures of every page and sent to her. A few seconds later: Lauriette: thank youuu you're actually so helpful(with a crying emoji) Riley stared at the screen and smiled. Then another message appeared. Lauriette: also can you help me with the questions tomorow? Riley didn't hesitate. Riley: sure Lauriette: you're the best(with a heart emoji) Riley stared at the heart. She knew it probably meant nothing. It was just a heart and people send hearts all the time. But still, she felt something warm spread through her chest. She placed her phone against her pillow then picked it up again. She opened Lauriette's profile and looked through her pictures and there she was... Lauriette on the beach, Lauriette with Chloe, Lauriette with Ethan, Lauriette smiling, Lauriette laughing, Lauriette looking directly into the camera. Riley stopped at one photograph of Lauriette and Ethan. Thay were standing together with thier arms around each other. Riley stared at it for a long time. She didn't like the picture, She didn't like the way Ethan's hand rested on Lauriette's waist, and she just did not like the way Lauriette looked at him. She didn't like how much she wanted to be the person standing beside her instead. Riley locked her phone. "Stop.", she whispered to herself. She tossed it into the other side of the bed. Then a minute later, she reached for it again. She opened Lauriette's profile. And stared. The next morning, Jordan noticed immediately. "You barely slept." Riley shrugged. "I'm fine." Jordan looked at her. "Lauriette?" Riley said nothing. Jordan sighed. "Riley, I'm serious." "What?' "Stay away from her." Riley frowned. "You don't know even know her.", Jordan said. "I know enough." "She hasn't done anything to me.", Riley said. "That's not what I'm saying." "Then what are you saying?" Jordan lowered her voice. "You're getting attached." Riley looked away. "I'm not." "You've known her for one day." "So?" "So you already checked her profile twelve times." Riley's eyes widened. "How do you know that?" "Because you showed me." Riley laughed awkwardly. Jordan didn't. "Riley." "What?" "She has a boyfriend." "I know." "She's straight." "I know." "And you're already jealous." Riley's expression changed.