Treat You Better

Chapter Eight: It's Only Starbucks

Chapter Eight: It's Only Starbucks.

"HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SHOW MYSELF LIKE THIS?!" Hale yelled over the phone and I had to hold it away from my ear.

"So you're just going to miss the whole day?" I asked, calmly.

Annie nodded frantically with a maniacal grin.

"My God, you're so slow." Hale hissed. "Just make sure you bring your notes to me after school."

"As you wish, Hale" I said, "bye."

Before I could hang up though, he spoke quickly. "Hey." he said, his tone back to soft and loving.

"Yes?"

"I love you. You know that, right?"

Something terrible stirred in my belly. How could someone's mind be split in two separate directions?
"I love you too" I said, automatically.

Annie made a face in front of me and looked at Susan who was browsing through her phone silently.

I hung up before he could say any more.

"Not to be judgemental," Angelo said, closing his locker and slinging his bag over his shoulder in a way that made me think he was going to be very judgemental. "But those are the emptiest words I've ever heard you say."

"I like you again." Annie nodded in agreement, pointing at him.

"He's not coming?" Hunter asked.

"Of course he isn't!" Susan nudged her brother. "Those guys used special permanent markers. Good for him."

"I hope he has the worst of hangovers." Annie smiled cheerfully, braces glinting in the morning sunlight.

None of my friends were trying to hide how pleased they were that Hale won't be coming today.
While he was passed out on the floor at Jason's party, some kids had ganged up on him and given him face tattoos with permanent markers.

I actually thought that wasn't enough for what he did to me last night but I had to act like the compassionate girlfriend. I didn't tell my friends to stop laughing though.

"Poor Hale, guess he won't be needing this" I said, sipping on the usual cup of coffee I brought every morning.

"Trade you half of it for a sandwich?" Angelo asked.

"You mean we could share?" I asked him, smirking.

He shook his head, "Trade"

"Whatever you want to call it" I said, taking the sandwich he offered me with a smile.
His head suddenly whipped towards Susan who was holding her phone up in front of her.

"Are you recording me?" He asked and she lowered her phone.

"What? That's outrageous, pfft" Susan scoffed. But Angelo was quick to swipe her phone away.

"Susan, seriously?" Annie asked her, "you're still on about this fan page?"

"Fan page?" Angelo asked, glaring at her "you were going to post these online without asking me?"

"Um..." I murmured, trying to figure out what to say. I crossed my fingers, hoping Angelo won't blow up.

"I would have asked, eventually" Susan squeaked, shrinking back from him. "I was just... I thought that maybe if..."

Hunter was obviously grappling for what to say in defense of his sister. But before he could say anything, Angelo took his camera off his neck and handed it to Susan.

"Uhh...what?"She murmured as she took it.

"The shots are trash, use that instead. Drop it and I'll drop you off a cliff, got it?" Angelo said, tossing her phone too.