Chapter 10

Just friends. Why did I say that? It's been the only thing on my mind since Saturday. Just friends. The worst part is, he agreed. He agreed to be nothing more, and as much as it made me happy to be friends with him I also wanted more. As if the thought of him wanting me and then agreeing to be just friends made want to be with him. I wanted to be with an impossible person.

*
On Monday morning I was nervous. Not just because it was my first school day being in an official friendship with Shawn, but because it was my first time seeing and talking to Tamara after our fight. And the first time seeing my friends after we ran away from the police and being judged by them for dancing with Shawn.

That morning Mom took me to school on her way to work. She was the school psychologist so it was no problem for her.

"So...are you and Shawn friends now?" she asked. Her voice had a little but clear sign of hope. As if I needed to be friends with Shawn.

I sighed and smiled a little. "Yes mom, Shawn and I are friends now." She smiled widely and patted my hand. "Very good. Now all that is left is to convince your friends that he is not as bad as he used to be." I looked out the window. I had completely forgotten about confronting my friends about being friends with one of their arch nemesis.

When we got to school my mom kissed me goodbye and went to her office. I waited in the parking lot for my friends but after ten minutes I got bored and decided to be early to my first class.

Just when I was turning around and leave I heard a voice calling me. I looked around to see who it was. It was my new friend, Shawn. I smiled.

"Ready for our first day as school friends?" he said while putting his arm around my shoulders. "You want the truth?" He nodded. "I'm not ready. I am literally freaking out right now. I feel like everyone will judge us, especially our friends." He leaned his head a little on mine. "Well, that's not their problem. It's our friendship, not theirs."

We walked together to our first class, which happened to be the same one. Art. His favorite class.

We sat next to each other and started talking and laughing as if we were lifelong friends. Mrs. Thomas looked surprised. Why? Because we were both early and together. Yes, even the teachers knew about our feud.

The bell rang and everyone entered the class. I could see people looking at us and whispering at the people beside them. I couldn't help feeling ashamed but for the sake of Shawn I tried not to show it.

When everyone calmed down Mrs Thomas spoke. "From today on we will be working on a new project. You'll have to work in partners or groups of three." Someone in the far corner of the class yelled "Threesome!" Everyone laughed. Mrs Thomas glared her eyes to whoever said that and continued. "As I was saying, you will work in groups and you will have to represent what freedom means to you. How will you do it? You will have to mix drawing and painting with collage making. Any questions?"

Everybody looked around to find someone to work with. Only one person raised their hand. Mary Whittaker, the captain of the cheer squad. "If it's what it means to us, than why make it in groups?" Mrs Thomas cleared her throat. She did that a lot. "Because the principle wanted me to teach you a more meaningful lesson in art class. When you do it, you'll realize what I mean. Oh! And this is due in two weeks. And you can start now."

I looked at Shawn. He didn't get it. "What?" he said. "Do you want to be my partner?" I said. He looked around the class. "Hmm... I'll consider it." I raised my eyebrow at him. He laughed. "Yeah I'll be your partner." I smiled.

We were discussing ideas for our collage when I saw Vincent and Josh Dolan (one of Shawn's friends) passing by my class, escorted by the principle, with bloody noses that were clearly there because of a fight. Vincent caught my eye. "What?" I mouthed. "Later" he mouthed. What happened that left my best friend with a bloody nose?

Shawn nudged me but quickly saw what I was seeing and his eyes widened. He was stunned too.

We decided to continue our work as if we hadn't seen anything. But I couldn't. I mean, would you be calm if you saw your best friend with his face full of blood walking to the principal's office? My guess is no.

*

For the rest of my classes until lunch I couldn't stop stressing over Vincent. I was worrying like crazy.

At lunch my friends filled me in. "Apparently Josh said that you're a slut for hanging out with Shawn." said Michael while pointing his chin at me. "Vincent heard and beat the crap out of him. Then Josh punched him back." Kasey then said, "Wait, but why would he say that about Emma if she doesn't hang out around Shawn?" All of my friends turned and looked at me. I had never been so afraid in my life.

Tamara gave me a look. We weren't mad at each other anymore, but she didn't want to talk about her dad with me.

They all expected me to say something. To deny even, that I had spent time with Shawn. And just as I was about to speak Shawn appeared out of nowhere and put his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, new friend!" He looked to my friends, who were now staring between us two. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" They were now looking at me, waiting for me to say something to him.

The awkward silence was then finished when Michelle decided speak for me (Thank God). "Did you hear that your asshole of a friend called Emma a slut?" The color drained from Shawn's face. He hadn't heard. He went from calm to mad in a few seconds. "He said that? Where is he?" Most of my friends rolled their eyes. They thought he was faking it. I just knew it. "He got suspended for violence. Same with Vincent. Three days." said Tamara. Shawn just mouthed "Oh". He said goodbye and left, which was good since he was probably going to be killed in a few minutes if he didn't.

"Since when are you friends with him? I thought I told you to stay away." said Michael. He was really mad but trying to keep his calm for the sake of not getting in trouble. I looked down at my food. I wasn't hungry anymore. "A few days." I whispered. He just looked at me. They were disappointed in me. I could tell from the look in their eyes. Tami spoke up for me. "What's wrong with her being friends with him?" Michael gave her a look. She rolled her eyes. "Sorry I asked..."

We ate in silence. We weren't the loud table that day. I had killed our mood. I wished Mom had already planned that plan of hers to make us friends again because we were in desperate need for it.

*

By the end of the day I wasn't talking with anyone of my friends except Tamara. She was the only one not mad about me being friends with Shawn.

We had English class together so when the last bell rang she just said "I told you so" and left me standing like the idiot I am in an empty classroom.

I planned on walking home and I was until I heard a honk from a car next to me.

I looked next to me. "So are you my hero now? That saves me every time I'm alone?" I said. He laughed. "Yeah, if you want me to." I smiled and got into his car. It wasn't a long ride so we didn't talk much.

When we got to my house I was about to get out of the car but I stopped. "Thanks for the ride Shawn. And don't worry, my friends will get used to you." He gave me a tight smile. I wondered why he was so nervous all of a sudden.

I went inside my house. It was silent. My parents weren't home until seven. I decided to text my friends in our group chat. Anyone wanna come over? They left me in seen. Great.

I decided to call Shawn so that we could work on our art project. I made some popcorn so that we could at least eat something while we were working.

He got to my house ten minutes after I called. We got to work immediately...yeah right. We watched a movie, we ordered pizza and then began to work on our project.

We were on my bed and papers full of ideas were all sprawled on the floor. We had mostly the same ideas, but none of them were worth an A from Mrs. Thomas.

After about two hours we still had nothing but a mess on my room floor. It was a little after seven and Shawn still hadn't left. My parents were going to be home any second. Yet we just sat there on my bed, waiting for time to stop.

We were side by side, closer than we'd ever been. His hand brushed mine. It was an accident I told myself. But deep down I knew it wasn't.

He was looking deep into my blue eyes. I was looking into his sweet brown eyes. He started leaning over, still looking at me. He was going in for a kiss, again. Didn't he learn the first time?

I tried to move away, but I didn't want to. I wanted to stay there and wait for his lips to crash on mine. He started to close his eyes. So did I. Our lips were barely touching when I heard the sound of a door opening. We both jumped a little. Then my room door opened and my mom was standing there.

"Why are you both red? Did I walk into something important?" Shawn and I laughed, more out of nerves than because it was funny. "No!" I said. "We, were, uh, working on an art project but Shawn was just leaving, weren't you?" I looked at Shawn hoping that he'd get that I was trying to get him to leave. He nodded. "Uh, yeah Mrs. R. I was just leaving. We were saying goodbye. So...goodbye!" He quickly grabbed his stuff and left.

My mom looked at all the papers on the floor, she then looked at my face which was still red like a tomato.

"I suppose you won't tell me?" She said. I gave her a tight smile. "Hormones." She laughed and left.

A while later, when I was doing the rest of my homework I got a text: So we went from enemies to "Just friends" to an almost kiss. Is this normal? I laughed. I liked talking to him, a lot. I think it is. I mean, we're teenagers. We get a little hormonal at times. He responded incredibly fast. Are you saying that we're both on our periods? How can guys be such idiots? No, dummy. Well, I am. I don't know about you.

I waited about fifteen for his reply and it was driving me crazy.

I tried to do my homework but I couldn't stop thinking about our almost kiss. We were so close.

I thought about the possibility of us being a couple. It used to seem as if it were a far away event the would most likely not happen.

To be honest, a few weeks ago if someone told me that, I'd answer the same thing I said to Tamara on the Friday that we went to the beach. "The day that the future soccer team captain goes out with the star player of the basketball team is so far ahead of us that I'm pretty sure it doesn't even exist". Yet I couldn't stop thinking that if it weren't for my friends, that day wouldn't be as far away.

I had a text from Shawn. Finally. But it was disappointingly short. It said: Ew. TMI. I didn't answer anything. I was too busy thinking about him to even answer his text.

And a special thanks to arandomhello for the new cover! (one in the media is also by her)
And I would like it if you checked out one of my friends wattpad account: Nannaratigan she's been supporting I'sGTFIL since the beginning so...yeah

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