Once upon a time, I had been friends with three girls: Cora Clerk, Ashley Mais, and Natasha Thompson. We met back in elementary school. I met Ashley and Natasha on my first day at school. Cora enrolled in our school the year after. Ever since then, we were inseparable.
But nothing good lasts forever. High school started, Natasha devoted herself in her journey to Harvard, me having a rough time catching up with everything and everyone, losing my tracks.
I started being different, acting more outgoing than I ever was. I would be lying if I say I didn't have it coming. First Cora started distancing, followed by Ashley who took her side. Natasha was hopeless but in the end, she took the majority's side.
One day, I had this bad fight with them. It was a few days after someone spread a rumor about me, a rumor I don't wanna recall again. It was a cold winter day. I failed in the chemistry test and wasn't in the mood. All of them were in that too and so, after the class they came to 'console' me. Things went pretty shady. And all I remember was running out of the hallway to the empty bleachers. That's where Miles found me hours later.
That was the last time I exchanged any kind of verbal words with my old friends. Not even mere eye contacts. Sure I saw Cora showing off her butts in the football matches (where I was forced to go for Derek), and Ashley trying to be like her. And Natasha, well, I cannot remember her seeing anywhere else other than in the hall and cafeteria only a few times.
It stayed like that till now. After I got rid of Ashton and sent him away (after promising the world), I thought I'll finally find some peace.
Kat is taking a ride from her friend and I have to wait for Derek until his practice is finished because I forgot to fill the petrol in my car yesterday.
The practice should be finished in an hour(hopefully). They have a match with our neighboring school at the end of this month. With Ashton off the team, Derek is the captain now. And he can't ditch a practice anymore. Not that he ever did.
My peace lasts till I hear the clicking of her high heels. So much for ex-converse fans. I pretend not to hear her coming and keep sorting things in my locker (or at least try to).
Her footsteps stop and I see more than one shadow from the corner of my eye. She clears her throat. I remain to continue my work.
Nope, that won't work honey.
"Are you autistic?" She asks impatiently.
(a/n: not written to hurt anyone; this part was added only to show how cheap some people can be and the use of such vulgar words is discouraged by the author)
About time. I remain quiet. I mean I'm autistic after all, aren't I?
After waiting a few minutes (or one) she finally loses her temper and forcibly jerks me around to face her. Not having it coming, I shut my eyes close from the sudden impact and squeeze the glue stick in my hand with equal force. It spills out making ffffff noise.
When I open my eyes again, I find a very gluey Cora standing in front of me. She has her eyes closed. There's glue all over her. On her perfect hair, perfect face, perfect nails, and even on her dress.
I try my best not to laugh. She looks so comical that I hardly manage to keep my face straight.
"You bitch!" She screams. "Look what you've done to my-"
"Designers shoe, dress, nails, face, and hair?" I finish for her. I'm not afraid of standing up for myself anymore.
"I was going to say bracelet." A big laugh out loud.
"Sure." I watch as her minions try to scrub the substance off her body. Not that easy girls.
She angrily shoves them away. "What's wrong with you?"
I raise a brow. "I was going to say the same. Lost something on the way here?"
Her face boils with anger. I can imagine hot smoke coming out of her ears. "First you spread rumors about my boyfriend, then you go stealing him? And now this?"
God! told you she lost it.
"I'm not sure if that's just me or everyone around heard I'm stealing your boyfriend. Like who is your boyfriend?"
"You know who," she grits.
"You know Derek is my boyfriend for two years and before that he had only one girlfriend and that wasn't you," I say innocently, knowing where this conversation is heading.
"Stay away from Ashton."
Seriously that jerk again? Of course, she had to bring him up at the very end of the week, as if the whole week wasn't enough already.
"Oh really? I couldn't tell," I bat my eyelashes. "Last time I checked he dated neither you nor dating me now."
She tries to shove me to the locker. Too bad she's such a Cruella De Vil (I'm not going to insult barbie; she was my once upon a time's idol), her weight must be nothing next to me. And pompom-ing all around the field isn't giving her any muscle too. She was already an inch taller than me, then with those killer heels, she's towering over me. But still, that doesn't make her scary.
"Go clean up and play a little bit more with pompoms." I close my locker and head for the bleachers, where I have to spend next (less than, all thanks to Cruella de Vil) one hour of my life.
It doesn't take me long to find a place to do my homework because the bleachers were empty. I sit down in the middle and start with my biology homework. Let's be done with the worst first.
As I start coping up with the noises and finally getting along with my work, a shadow hovers over me.
"Great show out there," Ashton says.
What is he still doing here? "I thought you went home."
"I thought too," he shrugs and sits beside me. "I mean about going home. But then I remember I have to pick up my sister from her ballet class at five. So why bother to waste petrol, right?"
"You have a sister?" For some odd reason, I thought he was an only child, maybe from his childlike behavior.
"Don't be so surprised. I'll let you know I'm a very good big brother."
I snort and make an uh-huh sound. Then something catches my eyes. Cheerleaders are coming out from their dressing room.
Why do they need to be dressed up for practicing too?
Maybe just to show their butts.
"Looks like you did a good job," Ashton says.
"Huh?" He points at the incoming cheerleaders. "Your glues did a great job."
I look at them carefully and figure out what he is implying too. All the cheerleaders are present for the practice. All except for Cora.
"Have I mentioned those glues are sticky and hard to get off?" I say, not taking my eyes off them.
"Oops," he laughs. We watch them practice. With Cora gone, now Ashley is in charge of them.
Just like Derek is now the captain of the football team.
How easily life can turn around one-eighty.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I say to Ashton. "I don't know who did this to you, but it wasn't so cool of them."
He shrugs. "The team will be lost cause without me anyway. It's only a matter of time the coach calls me again." He says arrogantly.
I roll my eyes mentally, as if. This is giving Derek a chance to prove that he's nothing less than Ashton Jerkface. Like it's giving Ashley too, even if it's only for a day.
"But I'm not sorry for your girlfriend," I say.
A smile plays in the corner of his lips. "I heard you guys were best friends. Before shits happened."
"She told you, didn't she?" I ask.
Ashton leans back. "Yes, that and a lot more about old you." He confirms.
I bet she's selling her stories to every possible person she can. How desperate I was and what a good friend she was trying to be with me.
"But don't worry, I don't believe in things based on rumors."
I blush, knowing what exactly he is implying.
I do believe in Ashton from the rumors. I judged him. Till now.
I even set a rule on staying away from him. But from this past week, with him continuously nagging me, I'm getting an almost different impression. Like a completely new person whom I never knew before. I wonder if anything I ever knew about him is true.
"So how did it end between you two?" He asks.
Ah! There we go again. Bringing it up. Why we aren't friends anymore.
I sigh. "I don't want to talk about it. Please don't ask me again," I say honestly.
Ashton looks taken back. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to invade your personal life," he says. "Anyway, I should get going. I'm distracting you from your homework anyway." He points at the copy on my lap.
I was just about to say it's fine, my phone pings. I take it out of my pocket and find a text from Derek. From the corner of my eye, I see Ashton already getting out.
Sorry babe, practice will be till seven, can you manage a ride home?
I look around the field. The players are taking a drink break. Couldn't he just come here and say it himself?
Again, knowing the new responsibilities on his shoulder, he must not have been thinking straight.
Don't worry I'll manage, love ya.
I hit the send button and gather my things. I run out of the field hoping he's still around yet.
To my luck, I find him in front of his locker. He doesn't see me as he collects his books from his locker with his back towards me.
"Hey, Ashton!" I call.
He turns around and I run to him. This must be asking a lot, but I'm desperate. Desperate to go home.
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