Just Friends

*18*

"Alice?" The voice makes her roll her eyes, she knows exactly who it is. "Can I talk to you?"

She twirls on her heels, a bucket full of dirty dishes in her arms. "I'm a little busy, Jamie."

"I really need to talk to you." He repeats, following her to the counter like a lost puppy.

"Then speak." She urges, unbothered as she wipes a spill from the countertop.

"Can't we do this somewhere more private?"

She scoffs. "You come in here during lunch hour, you see how busy it is, how busy I am... no we can't go somewhere private. You can either talk to me now or come back at the end of my shift."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, just don't be taking up a stool if you're not going to order anything, we've got actual paying customers who are waiting."

"No, that's what I want to talk to you about." He tells her. "I'm sorry."

She doesn't look up from her task, just quirks an eyebrow as she listens to him. "Sorry for what?"

"For your car... and the rumour." her blood runs cold and she snaps her eyes up to look at him. "It was immature and stupid and I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"It was you?"

He nods. "And some of the cheerleaders."

She shakes her head in disbelief. "I should have known."

He stares down at his hands, ashamed to meet her eyes. "Well uh... I'm sorry. And we're gonna pay for the paint job, just send me the bill when you get it, I'll take care of it." He gets up from his seat and makes his way to the door. He's just about out of the diner when Alice's tiny voice speaks again, so soft and insecure he's not even sure it was actually her.

"Why did you do it?" She asks him, the hurt thick in her voice.

"I was mad at you."

"So you trashed my car? You told everyone I was a slut? All because you were mad at me?"

"I know, it was wrong-"

"You're damn right it was wrong!" She tosses the towel in her hand down on the counter, creating a loud smack. "I'm not saying I'm an angel, I'm not, I tried to make you jealous, show you what you were missing out on, and maybe that was wrong. But what you did... that's just-"

"I know, and I feel so bad about it. I just wanted you to hurt the way you hurt me when you ended things."

"I already was hurting, that's why I dumped you! I felt like nothing to you, like I was only good enough for your time when you were horny."

"That's not how it was-"

"You made time for everyone except for me. You wanted me because you heard I was good in the sack, and when you get bored you froze me out."

Jamie looks around at the patrons of the diner, all eyes on them. "Can we do this somewhere else?"

"Why? Are you embarrassed? Because you should be."

"I'm sorry! Gosh, how many times do I have to say it?"

"I don't know, how many people did you tell I was easy? That I was a slut? That I'm willing to do anything in bed for a little validation?" He blinks. "Exactly. Just go."

"I'll make it right Alice, I promise."

"Yeah? How?"

"I'll tell everyone it's not true. That I made it up because I was embarrassed that I got dumped and I wanted to hurt you back. I'll clear it all up and it'll be like it never happened."

She crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes glossing over with stubborn tears. "Fine. You do that, and then don't ever speak to me again. As far as I'm concerned you're dead to me."

"Fine." He turns back around to walk out of the diner. "I'm sorry, Alice. I really am."

She rolls her eyes, letting a tear roll down her cheek as soon as he's left the diner, one that she's quick to wipe away. She takes a deep breath and picks up the coffee pot. "Who wants a refill?"

***

"So he said he'll tell everyone the rumour isn't true and that he'll pay for the paint job on my car."

"What an asshole." Hermione huffs.

"I don't know what I expected, I dumped him because he was an asshole, I should've known he was the one behind the rumour." She drops her head into her hands.

"Do you need anything?" Fred asks.

"No, I just want to forget about all of this, I want to eat a crap load of junk food and have movie night with my friends."

He smiles. "That can be arranged, and you can get first pick."

"You okay there Jones?" Alice asks, noticing how quiet FP is.

"I want to kill him."

"Its over now, everyone will forget about it in a couple of weeks."

"Still, what a piece of shit. I could never do that to somebody, no matter how badly they hurt me."

Alice smiles a little. "Well if it makes you feel better I've got a little revenge plan of my own."

FP raises an eyebrow in intrigue. "You do?"

"I swiped a few cartons of eggs from work that are past their expiry date," she begins. "And I heard around that Jamie's parents just bought him a new car."

FP smiles. "I like the way you think Smith."

And so when the clock struck past midnight, the foursome snuck their way down Cedar Street and engaged in some sweet, sweet revenge.