The Triangle No One Expected

Chapter 2

I find him sitting by his locker with his knees to his chest and face in the palms of his hands. Immediately my heart drops to my stomach. First of all I hate seeing people cry it makes me cry, second, I haven't seen him cry in forever. I kneel down to sit next to him and place my hand on his knee.

"Hey, I'm so so sorry." I say fighting the urge to cry.

He lifts his head up to look at me with tears running down his face.

"This is so embarrassing." He says shaking his head.

"No it's not, you just had someone close to you pass away. Anyone would cry. Hell, I'm crying." Despite my efforts, tears starts to fall from my eyes.

"Why are you even crying?" Carter asks.

"Um because you are? Why are you?" I ask stupidly. "I mean-"

"You don't wanna know trust me." He interrupts me.

"Wait what?" I ask, severely confused.

"Forget about it, you should go back."

"No, what did you just mean?"

"I mean you don't wanna know, just go back." He says rudely.

"Um no, Carter we tell each other everything come on, tell me." I plead.

"You're right usually we do. So did you really think I'd be crying over my grandma whom I never really knew. I mean come on she was brain dead for most my life."

"Well I mean I don't know. I guess not, but it makes sense for you to be sad about it." I say trying to comprehend what he's trying to tell me.

"Of course I'm sad about it. It's really hard to see my parents having to deal with it, especially mom." He hesitates. "You know what never mind, I am really upset about it. I don't know what I'm talking about."

"Stop Carter. We don't do this, we don't lie to each other." I say growing more irritated.

"Are you sure, Iris?" He scoffs.

"Stop, you're being so weird. Just tell me. Tell me or our friendship never meant anything to you."

"I'm in love with you." He whispers under his breath, head down.

"Huh?" I ask, genuinely not hearing him.

"I'm in love with you!" His voice waivers on the brink of tears again.

Completely shocked, all I can do is stare at him. While I try to comprehend what he's just told me, Alex comes out looking for me. I look back and forth between the two of them and don't say a word.

"There you are babe. Hey are you alright dude?" He asks looking past me at Carter.

"Fine but we were kinda in the middle of something so..."

"Nah we're good, we're good right?" I ask panicking inside.

"Yeah, we're great." His face is overcome with the look of disbelief.

I know I shouldn't have done that but I have no idea what to say. So much is running through my mind so I just take the easy way out. Alex grabs my hand to help me up and we walk away.