We and Us

Chapter 23

"Rey, if you're late you're gonna miss the first period!" mom tugged on my blanket.
I blinked. Its 6.30 am.

"Thanks mom!" I run to the bathroom and take a shower, the uniforms are ready in the closet.
It's been a week and I'm going to school back. Benji's gonna be there too. I pick up my school bag and get in her car.

"Nervous?" she asked.

"Nope, I missed going to school."
She laughed. It's 10 minute drive to school, the excuse that mom said I should give was going to Miami.

"Call me once you're done. I'll pick you up. Bye honey!" she shout from her car. I nodded and walk right into my class.

To my surprise, nobody seems to notice me coming back, or they see me but didn't even want to greet me. I whispered to myself, 'it's okay, it's for the better.' while rubbing my chest.

"Rey, you're okay? Are you having a heart attack? " Benji come.

"What're you doing here? Your class is not here." I asked. He squat next to my desk.

"So what? I came cause I miss you. So you're not having a panic attack?" he lift his eyebrow.

"No I'm fine, luckily nobody seems to ask about my 'hiatus'."
I lift my fingers up and down.

"I should go now. Your teacher is here. See you at lunch!" he said before running out the class. I guess it's nice to see him wearing the uniform after weeks of sweater.

The day pass by like wind. I was just about to call mom to pick me up when a familiar car stop in front of the gate. Benji is walking next to me.

"Hey isn't that..?" I asked Benji halfway and see Alex come out.

"Alex!" I run out the gate into his arm.

"Rey! Don't run you're gonna fall. Come, I'll drive you home." he looks at me for a long time before holding my hand to the passenger seat. Benji ride his motorbike.

"How was school? How are you?"
He asked, holding my chin close to his face. Our nose collided but our lips didn't touch, then he pulled back. He's teasing me. I pout.

"Come on, I missed you.." I said. He chuckle softly before leaning in again. This time, I caught his face and had him locked. We exchanged stares in between kisses. But we got disturbed by a honking from the car behind.

"Oops." he said and starts driving. Along the way, we held hands and sometimes give a smile. Till we arrived my home. He locked the door.

"So I was thinking, this weekend, would you like to go somewhere with me?" he asked.

"Sure, where?" I lean my head to the dashboard and looking at him.

"Surprise, be ready at 6pm. Now go in, your mom is looking." he waves to mom that's smiling just outside the door.

"I'll see you this Saturday." I grab his collar and kiss him on his lip for a second and run inside. Through the curtains, I peek at mom and Alex that starts talking for just a minute then he drive away. They both had a big smile.

"Mom what did you talk with about him?" I asked. She shake her head and said "Just asking how Joe is doing. I'm gonna go shopping, perhaps new outfits. You wanna join?"

I nodded my head and run to my room. I take a shower, and wear a hoodie with cap to cover my face when going out with mom. It'll be stuffy if people recognises her. There, we walk arms in arms and go on a long shopping spree. Mom insist I wear my new clothes she suggested this weekend. I also agree because the dress is cute. I wash and dry it before folding it into the closet. We had dinner outside, I'm starting to feel like nothing really happened before, everything is being the way it use to be.

A few days later.

"Rey? Someone told me to pass this to you." the girl in front of my desk in class turns and give me a letter right before lunch time. I thank her and she left.
To be passing notes in this year, what an old school way. But it's my favourite way. Slowly I unfold it and the letter says:
'Usual place, 10 minutes after lunch bell ring.'
That's it. I don't even need to know who gave the letter. I pack my things away and take out the juice box and fruits that have been cut beforehand.

"Rey, what letter was that?" Benji come and occupy the seat in front of me. He looks concerned, that makes one people.

"Nothing, have you eat?" I fold it into my pocket.

"Yeah, but are you okay?" he looks down to my lunch box, "I think we need to ea-" I intercept him by keeping the box under the table and stand up.

"Great, but I'm sorry I have to go to the toilet. I'll see you after school?" I shake his hand and walk out fast. Leaving him confused. The roof was where our usual place was. Sophie, Rani and Miley were my close friend that helped me since I roll into this school. I climb up the stairs and swung the door open. I could see them sitting on a bench together and they stand up once they saw me.

"I'm here. What's up?" I lean on the wall to catch my breath and asked them. They gave a look among them three before Rani holds my hand and start crying.

"Rey, we're very sorry.. We believed what Charlie had said then made you miserable.." Miley rub her back. Sophie start sobbing silently.

"I don't understand. What do you mean and why are you all crying?" I put my palm and their shoulders and they cry even harder.

"Charlie said you guys were a thing, and that you guys had a big fight that you want to break up. We thought he's telling the truth because he always close to you whenever we hangs. Even when we're outside school." Rani wipes her tear with the tissue I offered.

Miley continues "We had tried to get you guys to meet, but you seemed too uncomfortable that Sophie thought he's lying. I had gave him your locations then we made you mad."

"I was sure that he wasn't your ex. That you wasn't lying to us when you said you never had a boyfriend. When we told you that we were disgusted by your lies, we didn't know then that you're not the one lying to us.. Charlie convinced us with so many photos of you together."
Sophie finally open her mouth.

"Before you went to Miami, the three of us had planned a date for you guys at the mall, and you left without listening to us which at the time, still think you guys were together." Rani said again.

"We didn't even know that he got suspended from school and was crazy. But now, we know you hadn't really gone to Miami... And it's all our fault that that happened to you." Sophie said silently.

"You don't have to forgive us, but please know that we're very sorry and we are okay if you want to sue us or get back at us. We're really sorry.." Miley end the story and the three of them were wiping their tears. I couldn't feel the ground beneath my feet all of the sudden and fall to the ground.

"Rey! Oh my god what do we do!" Sophie cries seeing me in my nearly unconscious state. Then somebody lifted me up before I totally black out.