【 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 ━━ 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 】

𝗼𝗻𝗲 : hell-ways
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IT'S MONDAY AFTERNOON AS my best friend Cassie and I were walking trough the halls of our school. Lunch just started as we decided to first get the books from our lockers before sitting down to eat.

We were only a couple feet away from my locker. When Cassie stoped dead in her tracks and continues to turn around to walk the way we came from. For a moment I eyed her confusion before alverting my gaze to the direction we were going in.

To see the one and only Ben Parish leaning on my locker while being occupied by something on his phone. Ben and I have been friends for a very long time. I consider him to be one of my best friends.

Fortunately I have been blessed with the ability to resist the Ben Parish charm. Meaning that I have the ability to talk to him easily without getting flustered, or feeling like fainting at the sight of him.

Maybe it is because of the fact that he has trown up on me, on multiple occasions. Maybe it's because I just see him as a friend and nothing more, who knows?

Either way Cassie wasn't as lucky as me. We have known him eacually as long but where I saw a friend. She was lovestruck the moment she laid her eyes on him.

That first time, being the first day of elementary school. To go more in to detail about Cassie and I, our friendship. It's quite simple.

We have been best friends since birth, litteraly. Our mothers have been best friends before being best friends was even a thing.

We were also born on the same day, same hospital, only a room apart. Even put in the same crib at the babywing as our parents told us that we would cry if we were separated.

After that our parents also decided to life next door to eachother. That action setted our friendship in stone. The fact that we lived next door to eachother only implivid our already strong bond.

With that being said we aren't realted by blood but Cassie is my sister in every other way. I would do anything for her, and without a shadow of a doubt I know she would do the same for me.

Sammy and my little brother Isaac had the same pleasure of being best friends. And you know what happends when two families being all best friends means?

Joined family vacations.

My dad and Cassie's dad, uncle Oliver. Have been good friends since highschool, as they met our moms in college.

It's quite a remarkable love story actually but that's a story for another time.

As we back track to the present and what is happening. We are in our schools hallway. With the object of Cassie's admiration a couple feet away.

Shifting my gaze my best friend who was looking at me with wide eyes, "Before you say anything I didn't ask him to come to my locker." I said raising my hands up in surrender.

Taking a deep breath hee shoulders slum. Placing my hands on her shoulder I turn her around, "Now, just talk to him, he is right there. I will just go to the washroom and see you in a bit?" I ask her.

In the hopes of her taking the aportunity to talk to him. Her lack of reply and tensing off the shoulders makes me sigh.

"He isn't going to bite you, you know that right?" I joke to make her loosen up a bit.

With success as she soft chuckles softly. Squeezing her shoulders I give her a soft yet reassuring push, "Now go get him, tiger." I tell her.

For Katerina talking to Ben was easy. They had been the best of friends for years but for me. Not so much.

With a pounding heart I made my way over to Ben who is still occupied by something on his phone.

Coughing softly I drew his attention from his phone to me. As he gives me the Ben Parish smile that makes me weak to my knees.

Not trusting my voice I just wave but it wasn't even a cute on. It was more like a 'trying-to-find-someone-in-a-busy-crowd-wave'.

Causing him to let out a soft chuckle, "So do you know where Kat is?" he asks while rubbing the ack of his neck.

His body languages causes only one question to ring to my ears; Is he nervous?

Shaking my head I try to get rid of the thought, "Uh- yeah, she went to the washroom freshing up before lunch." I say trucking my thumb over my shoulder.

Making him nod as he glanzes that way before shifting his gaze back to me, "Oh, okay. Well if you see her can you tell her I'm looking for her?" he asks in his normal confident manner.

"Ye- Yeah, sure." I nod. When he was about to leave, I stop him by putting my hand on his arm.

Causing him stop to stop. First looking confused at my hand. Then me before I could stop myself I blurt it out, "Why are you so nervous?" I question like word vomit.

When I do he looks taken back by my question. It's easy to tell by the way his eyes grew wide, and his cheeks start to heat up. Opening his mouth to say something but closes it again.

After a few moments of repeating that cycle he clears his throught, "It's that obvious, huh?" he asks theoretically.

Causing me to nod as a sign for him to continue. Where he looks hesitated at first but then sighs.

Loke he is dredding the words which I'm as well, "I wanted to ask Kat out. For the 'end of the world' party tomorrow, but this time as more then a friend.." he trails off.

Then he waits a second probably to collect his thoughts, "I guess having a metal space ship floating above us just made me realize that we aren't promised tomorrow." he tells me, "I just don't want to regret not asking her, you know?" he breaths out.

What causes me to look at him blankly with the only thought in my mind being; 'don't cry. don't cry. don't cry' as a mantra.

After a few moments of silence he asked me the question that from anyone else wouldn't hurt. But from him it feels like another jab to the heart, "Do you think I have a chance?" he questiones me.

His voice is laced with honest and anxiety, "I know we are best friends and all but from the moment I met her in elementary school.." he starts, "I knew she was special. When we grew up it grow to a full blow crush." he continues.

Letting out a big breath of air. While he leans hus back against the lockers as he looks up.

Glancing over at me he quickly looks away when he meets my eyes, "The longer we're friends. The harder it becames." he confesses.

"It's just seeing her date someone else, or hearing her gush about someone else and how he makes her feel. It hurts you know?" he says as he now fully turns his head to me.

And even though I knew it was a rethorical question I coudn't help but answer, "Yeah," I breath out.

"I know how it feels. It feels horrible, like the moment when you see them hurt because somebody didn't care. When you're right there and they don't even notice." I continue to say take a shakey breath, "I think the thing that hurts the most is; seeing them look at someone else, the way you look at them" I end sadly.

Making Ben look at me with sympathy. And before I knew it tears where escaping my eyes, I didn't even realize it until he softly held my face in between his palms.

Gently wiping it away with the back of his thumb. Unknown to the both of them it also so happend to the same moment Kat came back from the restroom.

To see her two best friends bond.

"I- I have to go." I blurred out. Turning on the ball of my feet, making my way back the direction I came from.

Bumping into Kat quite roughly as I do. Walking out the doors before she could even think of saying anything I was already out the door.

After getting roughly bumped in the shoulder by my Cassie, who had obviously been crying.

Even though she just seconds ago had a intimate moment with her crush. Left me confused.

In a quick moment I dicided that I would skip school, and just ran after Cassie. Make my way through the heavy crowded hallways, my brows furrow at how quickly she got trough them.

To find her seated on the entrance steps of our school. Making my way down I sit next to her. Waiting for her to speak up.

When I see that she isn't I sigh, "Do you want to tell me what just happend?" I asked her softly.

Causing her to look up to me with puffy eyes, and tears stained cheeks, "He- He doesn't want me, I should have known." she sobs, "It doesn't matter anymore." she sniffs shaking her head.

Furrowing my eyebrows I look confused, "Why doesn't it matter? I see the way he looks at you. He looks at you like you put the stars in the sky." I gush.

After a moment I speak up again, "I wish that one day find someone like that." I say smiling softly. She doesn't look at me as I say it, "You don't have to look very far." she scuffs.

Only making the disappeared frown, make it's way back on to my face as she does, "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked her in honest confused.

When she looks at me. It seems like she is searching for something in my eyes, "You really don't see it, do you?" she asks.

As I assume she didn't find where she was looking for. Making me shake my head.

Only making her look sad. After a few moments she turns her head away from me and starts speaking, "Kat, he is in love with you." Cassie tells me.

Knowing she wasn't finished yet I stay silent, "He has alway been in love with you. Ever since we were little kids and you talk about how you see him look at me like I put the stars in the sky." she says laughing humorlessly.

Before letting out a deep breath, "Well, he looks at you like your the sun." she tells me.

Sniffing she fiddles with ber fingers, "You see it in the little things. Like him remembering when you had your first cheer meet, and every year after that he would bring you a cupcake with punpons on it with the year of the anniversary." she reminds me.

"Or when you talk about a guy, he always looks at his hands before meeting your eyes." she continues, "Or everytime you around his smile somehow gets brighter, and his eyes start to sparkle." she continues to gushs.

Looking at her with sad eyes I pick my brain for any of the situations she is painting.

Only to come up with none, "Cassie, I don't know what he told you. But I do know that Ben is not in love with me." I tell her as I place my hand on her back.

Softly rubbing it, "If he was he would have spoken up about it by now." I tell her, "Besides he has had his fair share of girlfriends in the past." I continue.

"Why would you have a girlfriend if you are supposedly in love with someone else?" I question.

Closing my eyes for a second before re opening them again. Shaking my head in disagreement, "That doesn't make any sense, Cas." I tell her, aleverting my gaze back to her.

"Besides you are not only my best friend. You are my sister, and I'm not about to put Ben Parish between us." I say as I stand up.

Sticking my hand out for her to grab. Smiling softly I reposition my bag on my shoulder, "We just made new plans for today." I tell her.

"First of all, we are going to ditch this God for saken place and head over to Evans diner and get some milkshakes because you deserve it." I say.

Causing a small smile to grae, her first sad face, "After that we are going to clear out our shedueal. So, no soccer- and no cheer practice for today." I announce.

"We are going to have an icecream-and-movie night because that is the cure to a broken heart. You in?" I ask her.

In a swift movement Cassie grabs my hand with a grateful smile. Pulling me in to a tight hug, "You know I love you. Right, Kat?" she whispers in my hair.

Squeezing her I smile in to her shoulder, "Of course, I do. I love you too, Cas." I say pulling away.

Taking her hand back in mine I drag her away from the school entrance. Which wasn't difficult, "On our way to Evans. We go!" I exclaim as I stretch my arm out.

Making my blond friend chuckle as we start to run to our favorite diner.