"So let me get this straight, he picked you up from school, invited himself to baby sit with you. Then all four of you went to the boardwalk?" Lauren asks over FaceTime.
"Yup." I say.
"He's so strange."
I grab my brush and run it through my hair. I take a deep breath and remove my contacts. "Why do I like him so much?"
"Because he's been there. Sure, he's a jerk, but he cares for you too brooke. It might not be in the same way but he does, and he always will. You like that about him."
"You're right." I sigh. "Thank you Lauren."
"Always."
"I love you." I smile.
She grins. "I love you too." She says holding up a heart she made with her hands.
The open window is causing the cold air to slip through, lucky me, sitting right next to it. I rub my arms to cause heat from friction as I wait for my teacher to hand back my test. She walks down my isle and when she gets to me, give me a stern look.
"Not your best." She says tossing the paper onto my desk.
My eyes widen and my breathing stops as I stare at the grade on my paper, 48%, F. The paper fall out of my hands and my head rests on my hands.
"How did I let this happen?" I question myself.
The bell rings and I go into lunch.
"Hey." Alison says. "Why do you look so down?"
"I got a forty eight on my math test."
"Wow." She widens her eyes. "That low. I mean I suck at math too, but that's low."
"Yeah." I rub my temples.
"Don't stress about it, there's always tutoring."
I take out my phone and text him
TO HARRY: got a 48% on my math test :(
FROM HARRY: that's low for you isn't it?
TO HARRY: I never got lower than an 80 before...
FROM HARRY: don't stress love, just a bad day.
I smile at the message and put my phone away. He's right, it's just a bad day. I won't let this get to me.
I walk into the familiar studio and put my stuff in the closet. Abby runs up behind me and squeals.
"I'm so happy dance is starting again!" She says.
"Ready for a new year?" I laugh.
"Our last one." Her face drops.
"So let's go out with a bang." I smile. She smiles back at me and we go to the floor to stretch. Stretching is quite the stress reliever for me. I love being at the studio. All my stress goes away and the only thing I think about it's moving my body to the music. Everyone is laughing and talking then we start leaping. Abby and I leap together, split leaps, middle, switch, reverse, calypsos, we did all of them, and I love it.
"Okay girls, time to learn the dance!" Celeste says clapping her hands.
After learning the dances, it was over, and I went to collect my stuff. My phone was blinking green, signaling I have a message.
FROM HARRY: coming to get you from dance, don't go anywhere
Confused, I put my phone in my pocket and sit in the waiting room. The door opens and I feel the cold air hit me through my tights. Harry walks in and sits down next to me.
"Why are you here?"
"Well hello to you too." He laughs.
"Harry."
"Fine. There's another girl."
"Oh. Can I guess her name?"
"Uh-"
"Ashley? Alyssa? Annie? Ady? Or what about Avery? That's a nice name."
"Brooke-"
"Is it that girl in my biology class, Anya?"
"Forget it." He snaps. "I don't know why I come to you for these things, you never help!"
"I never help? Sorry for me being fed up with you being with every girl in the district! I'm surprised you haven't knocked someone up yet!" I snap back.
He stands up and his eyes darken in color, no longer a bright green.
"How dare you say that. You really think I fuck them then leave them?" He growls.
"Everyone knows you do. You lost your virginity at fourteen!"
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything? Forget it Brooke, I'm tired of your bullshit. I don't know why you get so mad when I ask you a simple favor." He says walking away.
Fuming, I screamed back. "Because you're an inconsiderate asshole who only cares for himself! Maybe if you opened your eyes you would see what's in front of you!"
He turns back around. "What's in front of me Brooke? All I see is a girl who can't escape the fact that her 'best friend' doesn't love her back. It fucking hurts right? I fucking loved you, I loved you. When I held you in my arms the second your mom died, it all hit me. The flings were to get over you, and guess what? It worked. Unfortunately for you, you still have feelings. Guess what Brooke? Life fucking sucks. You know that, I know that. This," he points to himself. "Is who I am. If you don't like it, which you obviously don't, then leave. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't even tell anyone this happened." He stands there, breathing heavily.
Tears stream down my face, but I can't make a sound. My mouth opens to speak but I have no words to say. "Harry I-"
He puts his hand up. "Save it." He looks down. When he looks back up his eyes are a bit red. "You can ask Abby for a ride."
With that, he turns on his heal, and walks out the studio doors.
