Conflicted

Chapter 8

At home
" Thanks for packing me lunch, Mom." I say as I grab my brown bagged lunch off the kitchen table next to my backpack.
"Have a good day at school." Mom smiles to me as she sips her hot coffee and kisses my forehead on the way out.
At School
"So I've been thinking-" Madi says as I cut her off mid sentence.
"No way!" I yell as I grab Sam's glasses off her face confirming what I see.
"Did I say something?" Madi and Sam laugh as I continue staring near the office with her glasses.
"No, my neighbor Dani is right over there! in our school! She must have transferred!" I say as I smile and Madi looks at me all confused.
"Danielle?" I ask as I tap her shoulder as she jerks a little, and eventually turns around (she's very jumpy when people touch her).
"Ashley!" Dani turns around and hugs me.
I notice she has been talking to the principal, considering I was in the principals office hugging my friend and screaming. Wouldn't be surprised if I got a note home.
"Your transferring?" I ask her as I smile and pick up my tea mug.
"Yes!" She says as we walk out of the office and into the halls.
"Let me show you around." I say as I walk towards the lockers pulling her arm as she laughs and nods.
Danielle is a very kind and sweet person whom Ive known since I was 5, when she moved to my neighborhood. She always went to this other catholic private school, but hated it. She has long brown hair and bright blue eyes, she's a one of a kind girl. We really haven't gotten the chance to be close after all this stuff going on in my life, but it might just be easier if she goes to my school.
"So this is your locker." I show her the locker next to mine.
"Thanks!" She says as she opens her locker, putting her notebooks in it.
As she unloads her bag into her locker, I notice Skyler walking towards me from down the hall. He sticks out like a skittle in a bowl of mnm's. Not at all.
"Hey, you haven't responded to any of my texts. You mad?" Skyler asks me as Dani closes her locker day.
" Whatever Skyler." I say as me and Dani start walking to our next class, which we are already late in. Skyler walks away, looking hurt.
How could he expect to talk to me as he basically told me we can't be friends?
"You two a thing?" Danielle asks as we approach math class.
"Nah. He's dating someone else, and he texted me telling me we can't be friends because of that." I tell Danielle as she laughs out of no where.
"Did I-"
"No. Sorry I'm random. But you two definitely look like there's some chemistry going on there. It's only my first day and I know!" Danielle cuts me off and laughs as we take a seat in math.
At home
I walk into my house, put the keys on the table, and immediately check my phone which I left in my room.
Skyler texted me :
Hey listen I need to talk to you.
Hey why are you mad?
Ashley?
Answer!
I put my phone down for a second and think of how idiotic he could be. How did he not realize he texted me yesterday telling me we can't be friends?
I answer;
Meet me at the corner park.
I decided that meeting him might give us a chance to discuss some things, like his new girlfriend and his crazy text message.
As I pick up my bag and keys and open the door knob, I see Danielle on the other side of the door.
"Hey. Thought maybe we could spend some time like the old days?" Danielle smiles as she holds out a bag of brownies covered by wax paper.
"Umm-" I begin to talk but she cuts me off.
"I made brownies." She says as she laughs and walks in my house.
"Listen, I'm really sorry Dani. I have plans already but if I know you were coming over I wouldn't have made them." I take the bag of brownies she holds out to me.
"Oh. Not a problem. Maybe another time?" She asks in a "cool" way, and doesn't get mad.
"Of course." I smile as we both walk out of my house together and I began to lock the door.
"So where you heading?" She asks me as we began to walk on the block.
"The park. Skyler and I have to discuss some things." I quickly say as we walk down and I stop as we approach her house.
"Oh, you could have your brownies back since we aren't hanging out." I hold out the bag to her.
"Keep em'. Skyler will love them. " She opens the door to her house and waves to me while laughing.
"I'll get you one day Brookes!" I yell as I walk away laughing.
When I get to the park, I see Skyler sitting on the bench by the sea saws.
" Hi. You like brownies?" I ask him as I giggle for a second, almost forgetting what he had done.
"I do, thanks." He looks down and takes the bag.
"I broke up with my girlfriend today." He tells me looking down.
" I'm sorry. Is this why we could be friends again?" I ask him as I look to the right, avoiding him.
"We stopped being friends?" He asks me as I immediately turn over to him, noticing he got hyped up.
"Well, yeah. Considering you texted me that!" I told him in a higher tone which I later realized was almost a yell.
"I'm so sorry, it must have been Daniella who sent that. The reason I broke up with her was because she was snooping on my phone. She even blocked your instagram account." He pats my back.
Skyler didn't send any of this? It could make sense. He doesn't seem like a boy who would lie like that. How could I not consider this option before I avoided him?
"Listen,I didn't know-"
Skyler cuts me short.
But this time, instead of talking. He cuts me short by putting a piece of hair behind my hair, and slowly but calmly, adds in a small kiss on the lips.

My heart pounded and a thousand butterflies filled my stomach.

My face immediately turns red.