bring bring

I opened my eyes slowly, yawning as I sat up in bed and half-smiling from the feeling of comfort that had been lingering around me ever since my parents said that I could have some more freedom. 

But then I noticed something, and the smile dropped. The ringing noise wasn't my alarm. It wasn't morning. Instead, someone was calling me at three o'clock in the morning. 

I checked my phone, expecting to see a number from overseas or an advertisement. My eyes widened when I realized the letters spelled out the name 'Layla'. 

I frowned. Layla went to sleep at normal hours; ten o'clock to seven o'clock. What on Earth was she doing awake at this hour? I picked up and quietly answered, careful not to wake my parents or any of the helpers, "H-Hello?"

"H-Hi," Layla sounded nervous, and I could tell she was fidgeting with something. "I-I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Make it quick, people actually sleep at this hour," I didn't realize how snappish my voice was until I finished the sentence. I knew why; I held a grudge against Layla because she was my closest friend, yet Chanel was the one who defended me while she helped Ashley with her schemes.

"Oh, okay," she sounded disappointed, and I didn't know why because did she really expect we were still best friends, let alone friends? "I want to talk to you. In person."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "So why did you call me?

"I couldn't just go up in school and talk to you! Not when Ashley's watching..." she said timidly. "I called you so we could arrange a time we can meet up. Is afterschool behind the McAuley building good?"

My eyebrows furrowed again. This could be a clever plot of Ashley to lure me to somewhere where the teachers won't be around so she could do whatever she want. But, in all honesty, my brain doesn't function at this hour and I just really wanted to go back to sleep so I replied, "Yes."

Without even bothering to hang up, I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

----------------------

"Goodbye everyone!"

In a fairly good mood considering that my ex-best friend called me at three in the morning, I bid my farewell to everyone in the (l/n) household and exited the grounds. 

As strange as it sounds, I rarely ever walk around my street, and when I do I'm usually thinking about something, so even though I walk quickly because the bus would leave soon, I try to take in all of my surroundings.

The pavement is clean and sparkling, as expected since hardly anybody uses it in this street. Each house looks identical, with three stories made out of white concrete with large windows. Front yards vary slightly, but mostly the same with gorgeous flowers and exotic plants. Even roadside flowers look prim and pretty. 

Just as I was about to pass the De Sanctis' House, a voice called out for me. 

"(y/n)!"

I heard the sound of soles hitting the pavement rapidly, and soon enough, a familiar Asian was by my side.

"Hey," Chanel smiled one of her sketchy smiles, before trying to change her lips so that it looked like she wasn't dealing drugs or anything.

I laughed, and the tips of her ears flushed red. "I'm sorry for laughing. I know you're trying, and hey; it's getting better."

"Thanks," she nodded, her eyes lighting up for the briefest second. "So, your parents let you catch the bus to school now?"

"Yeah," I grinned. "Took them long enough. What about you? You don't usually like catching the bus."

Chanel shrugged. "I wanted to talk to you. Besides," she paused as we arrived at the bus stop, littered with Elites looking at us as if we were something on the back of their shoes, even more so than the afternoons, "I couldn't let you handle them alone."

But why would they hate Chanel? She's literally the most popular...oh yeah.

I had forgotten that I wasn't the only one with a declining popularity status. I had heard that Ashley had spread some rumors to the other schools that Chanel got caught for skipping class. For Elites, if you fail what they deemed 'an easy task' even though I know firsthand it's not, your practically failed at life in their view.

The two of us were saved from the glares when the bus pulled up. Everyone filed in and seat in their respective seats, Chanel and I seated together near the back. 

I turned to her curiously, "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Two days ago," she recalled. "You skipped class, didn't you? Why?"

I didn't bother lying about skipping class. She was the one who taught me that, so she would see through all my lies. "Yeah, but it's not that big of a deal. I just really needed to get away from Pythagoras and hypotenuse and all that mathematical nonsense."

Chanel narrowed her eyes, but there was no judgement or anger or dislike in them. "We weren't even doing Pythagoras yesterday. We were working on scientific notation."

"Oh," I murmured, desperately trying to think of an excuse. "Okay, fine. I went to Petunia Mall to buy Mother a perfume since it was her birthday yesterday and I forgot to get her a present."

I crossed my fingers behind my back, wishing that Chanel would believe me. Eventually, she sighed and laid back against her seat. "I know you're lying, but I understand. I used to be a snake, maybe I still am, so I didn't expect you to trust me right away."

I was relieved but at the same time a little sad because Chanel sounded so tiny when she said that. But what she said was true. I still didn't trust her. I moved onto a different topic, something that she enjoyed talking about, "So, did you see the new lipgloss coming out by Kylie Jenner?"

"Oh my gosh!" she practically shrieked. "Yes! It's so pretty, isn't it? I've already placed my order in, and I'm getting an exclusive autograph from Kylie herself!"

I actually I had no clue that Kylie Jenner really did have a lipgloss coming out, but looking at Chanel's eyes glitter in joy and ramble on, I could only nod in encouragement. 

I could only think that it was a shame that Ashley had an ugly personality. I think if she was actually nice, her and Chanel wouldn't be enemies right now but rather best friends. Because even though Chanel says that I'm her best friend, I'm a better version of Ashley, I know I'm not.

Because the two of us like different things. Chanel likes materialistic things, but I think they rather have no use. I'm into anime, she thinks that anime are for freaks. Chanel's been longing for someone to talk about lipgloss and whatnot with her, just like I am longing for someone to talk about beyblade with.

As close as we used to be in the past before we hit puberty, I know that our friendship will never be the same. 

We will always be friends, but never best friends.

--------------------

Layla ignored me the whole day. Whenever I tried to make eye-contact with her and or talk to her about why she needed to talk with me, she turned away and started chatting with another Elite whom I vaguely recognised. 

It troubled me the entire school day. Why would she, of all people, want to talk to me? Maybe she realized that Ashley is a snake in disguise. Maybe she felt like she didn't fit into the new circle of Elites. Maybe...this was just a trap for me to walk into.

But the more I think about it, the more I don't think so. I've known Layla the longest,  and the other day she saw past my lie for that reason. But it works the other way as well. I know when she is lying and when she isn't. This time, she isn't.

The bell the signaled the end of the school day rung, and majority of students immediately leapt up, prepared to pack up for the day and head home or to Petunia Mall.

I, however, had to stay at school. I went straight to the area behind the McAuley Building, a bench sandwiched in between trees and shrubbery.

Layla wasn't there yet. It didn't surprise me; she was most likely helping Ashley with her make-up in the bathroom. I've noticed that Layla has started to wear more make-up lately. Hannah's group taunted her for having wonky eye-liner, but at least she has eye-liner to wear.

Besides the phone call this morning, I haven't had a proper conversation in a while, even when Chanel was still the most popular girl in the school. We drifted this year. Or maybe we've been drifting for a while now, but this was the year that truly set us apart. 

Now, I wonder if she's got somebody else to call 'best friend'. I don't think so. I haven't been watching her movements, but it's quite obvious that she's gotten uncomfortable with the new inner circle. I wonder if Ashley even sees her more than a pawn to hurt me.

"H-Hey."

I was so busy thinking about the past I didn't notice that Layla had arrived. I looked at her. This was the first time she wasn't timidly peeking out from somebody. Her blonde hair floated in the wind, her brown eyes both determined yet nervous. I didn't blame her. I changed a lot from the best friend I used to be.

"Hey," I replied before gesturing to the seat next to me. "Come sit. I don't bite."

She obliged and smoothed out her uniform when she sat. "I'm sorry if this is sudden."

"I don't mind. How are...things with Ashley?"

"Don't say her name as if she's some kind of disgrace to humanity," Layla suddenly defended Ashley. I raised my eyebrows.

"What if she is?"

Layla rolled her eyes, but ignored that question. "Things are going fine. Excellent, really. I've never felt more happy in my entire life."

Lie.

I waited three seconds.

Then she bursted into tears.

"It's so miserable!" Layla cried. "I don't fit in at all! No matter how hard I try, I'm not up to date with make-up items, I don't want to splurge my money on clothes, I don't even like those boob tubes that we always talk about!"

I blinked. I was not expecting that.

Layla continued her rant, tears spilling, "Everyone is always skipping school, and the teachers always question me about it. Not to mention, none of the new inner circle Elites are virgins! I mean, there's nothing wrong with losing your v card at sixteen, it's just uncomfortable when they talk about what position they like best or even if they like BDSM.

"Everyone are much bigger gossips than even the old inner circle. I swear, they're always gossiping about Hannah's group, or how Mikayla never deserved to be an Elite, or how Chanel never deserved to be Queen Bee, but most of all, you! They criticize everything you do, from as little as the fact that you hardly wear any make-up. Well, maybe it's because you don't need make-up unlike those ugly ass, plastic snakes. 

"You know, I actually really like reading. It's like being transported to another world. An escape from reality. But I'm too scared to bring it up because I know that they'll make fun of me and call me a nerd. I wish I could be strong like you."

Layla finished her rant, breathing heavily and wiping away the tears from her botchy face. I slowly processed that whole chunk of words. Except for the whole sex area, it certainly sounded uncomfortable. 

"Hang on a second," I said slowly. "Did you just defend me? Did you defend me against the inner circle?"

"Silently," Layla's fire that fueled her rant diminished. "You know, (y/n), I actually still consider you a friend. Even if you clearly don't. Actually...that's what I wanted to talk with you about today. I...would like your forgiveness."

I nearly opened my mouth and said that she doesn't deserve it because, if she really hates the inner circle so much, why hasn't she spoken up and actually defended me? Why hasn't she left the Elites? Why hasn't she embraced openly what she likes?

Then I realized I had no right to ask the last question because I am a closet anime freak. 

I watched in surprise as she bit her lip and continued, "I know I've done so much to hurt you. We were best friends, but then I betrayed you and went with Ashley because I wanted popularity. It was obvious we were both losing it, and, well, I used to want you to be kicked out of the inner circle instead of me.

"And at Ashley's party, at the social, at the mall...so many times when you got mentally hurt I did nothing but side with Ashley in a hunger for popularity. So, I don't expect you to forgive me and become best friends again. I just wanted to let you know that I'm really, really, sorry."

She stared at me with her big brown eyes, pleading for forgiveness. This could be a trap. A plot to get closer to me so she, and hence Ashley, would know my secrets. But she wasn't lying. She really did want forgiveness.

This sounded like a scenario straight out of the subject Health, where friendship and love seemed to be taught more rather than eating healthy and that stuff.

Their teacher, Mrs. Lacoon always said that there was no right answer to a scenario like this, in which a friend which hurt you before asked for forgiveness. Of course, their teacher would imply that forgiveness was the best way, but answers varied.

For Ashley, it would be a complete no to that friend and instead wreck revenge on the person that hurt you, the pain increased tenfold.

For Chanel (old Chanel anyways), it would be to forgive them but not really, just a lure to become close to them again and spill their secrets to the rest of the world.

For Layla, it would be what the people around her thought was the best option.

But I am (y/n) (l/n), and none of their answers are mine. I am not ruled by anger, a love for destruction or solely on the opinions of other people.

Two people have called me strong. Layla and Shu. At first, I had no idea why. I hide what I like. The most daring thing I've done is skip school. I wasn't strong, not at all.

Now, however, I've begun to realize why they said that. I'm not strong because I come back with witty insults and firm punches. I'm strong because I have the strength to move past things that I don't care about. 

It doesn't mean I don't stand up for myself. It means that I'm not hung over that fact that somebody insulted me because I am strong enough to move forward without even being bother by that.

My answer, is what Mrs. Lacoon implies. I have always been a textbook student, but this time, even if it is the same textbook answer, I didn't get it from their. I worked it out myself.

Finally, I answered, "I'm forgiving you. This doesn't mean that we're friends, but we shouldn't hold grudges or negative feelings against each other anymore. Again, we're not best friends."

I smiled. "But I hope one day, we will be."

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my school holidays are over, meaning online school is starting, so updates will probably slow down

word count: 2621