{Unedited}

  I sighed inwardly.

"Well haven't you grown, dear! It feels like yesterday that I could still see you running with that Barbra doll--"

  "Patty, don't be ridiculous, they don't call them Barbara dolls, it's Barbie Dolls," Sharron turned to me, "isn't that right, dear?"

  I nodded half-heartedly, as the old ladies chortled.

  I was surrounded, inescapably surrounded. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't have been happier that they chose to help us, it was extremely kind to go out of their way like that, and I knew my father appreciated it.

  I just couldn't go another second chatting aimlessly about my ageing.

  It had been a whole morning of cheek-pinching, bingo-wing-wobbling, and over excessive chatter about my personal life, slowly but surely draining me of all of my humanity. They had come to bring over some chocolate and homemade cookies, to welcome more people in to the church.

  "So I'll just set them down over here," I began, pointing to a table across the other side of the church.

  "Don't be silly, dear, they were made so people could have one when they came in, set them down next to you." Patty ordered, with the smile of an angel. I didn't want to be rude or disappoint her, so without another word, I placed them next to me. Inwardly cringing at the never-ending labyrinth of pain and torture I had chained myself with.

  Maybe I was over exaggerating.

  I smiled at Patty and Sharron waiting on their next round of questions.

"So, Gabrielle, how's school going? Are you studying?"

I went to answer their question, but another voice interrupted me before I could even open my mouth, "Actually, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Martin, Gabrielle promised to study with me today and it seems to already be getting quite late, and with our exams next week, she should really be studying."

My head snapped over to the recognised voice, and I could've jumped with joy. It had been days since I last spoke to him, or even saw him around, he had been avoiding me at school, ignoring me in lessons. It was a relief to see him back to normal.

Even for a few sentences.

"Rob's right," I clarified, turning towards him, "I completely forgot, I was such a fool to forget our study session, I know it must have really upset you. Me forgetting. But I truly think we can get past it, and get back to how things were before." I glanced at Patty and Sharron, "Before I made the stupid mistake of forgetting."

Rob sighed, "Its okay, it hurt me a lot, but we can always try to set a time we will remember, you know, things slip past us, all the time, and we should both try harder to remember. And be there for each other, during those study sessions."

"I wish I could take it all back, and tell you how sorry I am, for forgetting, and try to treat you like the friend you deserve to be treated as. I know you've always helped me study, and it was so stupid of me to forget. I'm sorry again, Rob."

"It's okay, we have all day to study now."

"Thank you."

I nodded politely to Patty and Sharron, as I linked arms with Rob as he quickly guided us away from the two confused old ladies.

"We don't have exams next week, Rob." I announced once they were out of ear-shot, looking at him cheekily, as a rush of relief surged through me.

"We don't have a study session either but you still made time for that." He chuckled.

"I am really sorry Rob, I didn't mean to--"

"No, don't. I overreacted, I'm sorry too. I've realised that you're allowed to have friends beside me and Andrea, I guess I was just scared."

His eyes widened a fraction, as though there was a mistake within his words.

My stomach contorted as Adam's words suddenly grew louder in my mind, "Scared of what?"

  "How else could you ignore the fact your best friend is pining after you."

  "I didn't want to lose you to him."

  I carefully unwrapped my arm from his, trying to ignore the thundering chants drumming into my mind. "What do you mean?" I said, with a fake nonchalant tone to my words.

  He took his now empty arm and scratched the back of his neck, "You're my best friend, Gabby, I saw the connection you had with him, and it frightened me. I didn't want to lose our connection. But then I realised that I went ahead and lost that anyway by yelling at you."

  He chuckled awkwardly, "But I really had nothing to worry about, you're smarter than that."

I forced a small smile, and nodded wordlessly.

Because he was right.

  We walked further away from the church, and along the way decided to sit down on a bench, Rob declared it as a religious stakeout as we waited for Patty and Sharron to leave, I knew my dad would start to wonder where I had disappeared off to if I didn't come back soon.

  "Have you spoken to Andrea? She hasn't come over in a while," I said, it was true. She kept saying she was busy, or she didn't feel well, or she didn't have the time. It had been quite a few days since she came over.

  "If you haven't noticed, I haven't really been speaking to anyone."

  I sighed, my mind wondering aimlessly back to the last few days. It had been hell to say the least. Talking with Andrea was minimal, and weirdly awkward, Rob had been avoiding me, but that was nothing new, and Adam. Well he had disappeared, I hadn't seen him at school since I had saw him last and that was weeks ago, I haven't really kept track.

I would hustle from class to class, alone, eat an awkwardly short lunch with Andrea before she would too scurry off, and I would be left alone again. Not to mention my dad, who had been rushing around here and there trying to get everything in order, planning new events for the church, and more importantly trying to get enough money for a decent lawyer. Something to help us. But being honest, we needed a miracle.

  "There!" Rob snapped his gaze towards the church doors, "Patty and Sharron,"

  I squinted to look at them, leaving the gigantic doors of the church, before I leapt from the bench, ducking behind it as their faces turned toward our direction.

   I crouched down next to Rob, a rush of exhilaration coursed through my veins and I released a small giddy giggle.

  He smiled back at me, before slowly perching his fingers on the top of the bench and lifting his head up, he threw me a quick grin before standing to his full height, holding a hand out for me to grab.

  He yanked me to a standing position, lingering slightly on the grip of my hand before I removed it.

    "How else could you ignore the fact your best friend is pining after you."

  I involuntarily shuddered, "I should probably head back in," I stated.

  He nodded, avoiding my eyes as he ran his hands up and down his crossed arms. "Yeah," he paused for a moment, "I should head off too."

  I pressed my lips firmly together, but then gasped as a boisterous ringing invaded my hearing.

Startled, I felt my phone buzzing. "I should get this," I said, waving him away. He sent me a small smile, and somewhere I felt my heart clench, I knew deep down that something was different between us, it could've been our time away but I knew better to think that.

Because whenever I saw him all I could think of were Adam's painfully truthful words.

Without another thought I pulled the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"