[color=gray][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#cfc992]▔[/color][color=#d2cc9a]▔[/color][color=#d6d0a1]▔[/color][color=#d9d4a8]▔[/color][color=#dcd7af]▔[/color][color=#dfdbb7]▔[/color][color=#e2debe]▔[/color][color=#e6e2c5]▔[/color][color=#e9e6cc]▔[/color][color=#ece9d4]▔[/color][color=#efeddb]▔[/color][color=#f2f1e2]▔[/color][color=#f5f4e9]▔[/color][color=#f9f8f1]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf8]▔[/color][color=#ffffff]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf7]▔[/color][color=#f8f7f0]▔[/color][color=#f5f3e8]▔[/color][color=#f1f0e0]▔[/color][color=#eeecd8]▔[/color][color=#ebe8d1]▔[/color][color=#e7e4c9]▔[/color][color=#e4e0c1]▔[/color][color=#e0dcb9]▔[/color][color=#ddd8b2]▔[/color][color=#dad4aa]▔[/color][color=#d6d1a2]▔[/color][color=#d3cd9a]▔[/color][color=#cfc993]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][indent][indent][color=#8BCCC5][sup]𝑺 𝑨 𝑳 𝑬 𝑴    𝑹 𝑰 𝑽 𝑬 𝑹 𝑨[/sup][/color][/indent][/indent][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#cfc992]▔[/color][color=#d2cc9a]▔[/color][color=#d6d0a1]▔[/color][color=#d9d4a8]▔[/color][color=#dcd7af]▔[/color][color=#dfdbb7]▔[/color][color=#e2debe]▔[/color][color=#e6e2c5]▔[/color][color=#e9e6cc]▔[/color][color=#ece9d4]▔[/color][color=#efeddb]▔[/color][color=#f2f1e2]▔[/color][color=#f5f4e9]▔[/color][color=#f9f8f1]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf8]▔[/color][color=#ffffff]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf7]▔[/color][color=#f8f7f0]▔[/color][color=#f5f3e8]▔[/color][color=#f1f0e0]▔[/color][color=#eeecd8]▔[/color][color=#ebe8d1]▔[/color][color=#e7e4c9]▔[/color][color=#e4e0c1]▔[/color][color=#e0dcb9]▔[/color][color=#ddd8b2]▔[/color][color=#dad4aa]▔[/color][color=#d6d1a2]▔[/color][color=#d3cd9a]▔[/color][color=#cfc993]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][indent]
Salem knew what the right decision was. It was his first outing where he would publicly acknowledge his relationship with Marisol after days of sneaking around, though he was sure it was obvious to everyone. How could people not notice the purple bruises Salem left on her neck, a bit of pride sparking in him every time he saw the colors blending with her soft skin. There were so many things that could go wrong, now with social media being a large part of everyday society, but Gwen wasn’t that active on social media. She was nearly nonexistent. Still, he knew what the right decision was.

[b][color=e6faff]“Salem, what are you up to tonight?”[/color][/b] Gwen asked, her posh voice sultry with the sound of slicked magazine pages flipping as background music. 

The right decision: to be honest. Salem should say, [i][color=8BCCC5]“I’m going to a party, Gwen, with another girl who I think I have feelings for. I’m so sorry, I wish things between us could work out”[/color][/i], but instead he said: [b][color=8BCCC5]“Nothing, I’m just staying in tonight, studying.”[/color][/b]

The air in the car felt thick with his lie and he swallowed self-consciously, suddenly paranoid that she would be able to tell by even the simplest cricket chirruping in Kavi’s front yard.

[b][color=e6faff]“Oh,”[/color][/b] Gwen’s voice was always so feathery and husky, and there was a tinge of pride in her tone as if Salem was a good dog who did his trick like he was told, [b][color=e6faff]“Salem, I’ve been thinking. What if I come down there for winter break?”[/color][/b]

Salem should say: [i][color=8BCCC5]“I’ve been thinking too, Gwen, and I don’t think that’s such a great idea.”[/color][/i] Instead he said, [b][color=8BCCC5]“That would be awesome.”[/color][/b]

The guilt was welling up in his throat and he needed to go before he buried himself neck deep in lies. He said his goodbyes and whispered a hollow ‘I love you,’ before he turned his attention to the house in front of him. It has to be worth it, he was doing the wrong thing right now, but he couldn’t break up with her over the phone and he felt too strongly for Marisol to let it be. His decision, in the end, has to be worth it or else he’ll break.

The house was loud and crowded, and Salem looked over the tops of people’s heads (which was rather easy) to look for Marisol. He knew she was with Archer and so he scoured the crowds for their faces, looking rather lost without the only two people he really knew at the school.[/indent][/color]