The Best Friend Equation

Chapter 26 - The Text

Trigger warning: Mentions of child abuse.

"Wait a second!" I exclaimed. "You're telling me that all this fiasco was your doing? I thought you liked Luke." Luke, Cam, Mason and I were gathered at my locker as we waited for the bell to ring for the last class of the day.

Yesterday, Luke and I had discussed on how to disclose the fact that he and I were a thing now. Luke believed we did not need to disclose anything officially. We could just behave like a couple and screw what other people thought. It wasn't like I wanted to arrange a press conference or anything. I just thought our friends deserved an explanation.

Turned out, I did not have to worry. As soon as we walked into the school hand in hand, Cam screamed bloody murder, except she had her crazy happy eyes on.

It seemed like the whole school had an opinion on us. Some made it known verbally by congratulating me as if I had won a prize. Others — especially those close to Angelina — just gave me the stink eye. I tried not to let it bother me. It wasn't like they admired me before I was dating Luke.

Cam grinned, her eyes glinting. "Nah. I was trying to make you see Luke in a romantic light. Looks like I shouldn't have bothered." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And please, what fiasco? You mean mastermind-ry. If I hadn't intervened, Luke would still be dating that Angelina chick, your head would be stuck in a book and Mason would not even have been our friend." She turned to Mason who was also blinking at Cam like he had never seen her before. Most people had that experience. "Also, I'm sorry that I used you, Mason. I could tell you genuinely liked Aria."

Mason shot me a smug look. "Actually, I figured out a long time ago that these two liked each other. When Aria didn't believe me that Luke felt the same way, I thought it was my duty to convince her to pretend to be a couple to make Luke insanely jealous." He laid a hand on his chest and bowed a little.

"What?!" Luke scowled at Mason. "You do realize that I could have messed you up?"

Mason grinned with bared teeth. "The fact that you didn't, says a lot about you."

"You—"

"Children, children," chided Cam. "You guys have no reason to argue anymore. Luke, you got the girl. Mason, you got your revenge by causing Luke's blood pressure to shoot up time and again. I think we can safely say this story had a happy ending."

My phone pinged and I was still laughing as I drew it out of my pocket. As soon as my eyes fell on the screen, I felt like someone had kicked me.

No! This could not be happening!

I staggered against the lockers as my phone slipped from lifeless fingers. My ears were ringing but I heard the shouts of my friends over the cacophony. I couldn't breathe.

Painful memories flitted like a deck of cards before my eyes. A soft pink dress. Creeping hands. A whimper. A dark chuckle. My lungs felt tight and my throat closed up. I was suffocating.

"Aria!"

Luke! I wanted to reply but I couldn't concentrate enough to do it. Strong arms were around me, as my head lolled. My eyes screwed shut to stop the world from spinning. What was happening?

"What the hell is going on?" I had ever heard Luke sound so terrified as he swore. "Aria!"

"I think she's having a panic attack!" Cam's voice broke through. "Aria! Aria, put your head between your knees."

Forcing myself to heed her voice and with Luke's help, I got on the ground and ducked my head between my legs, trying to regulate my breathing.

"Breathe, Aria," Cam instructed as she crouched next to me. "Slow and steady." She breathed aloud with me and I tried my best to copy her. But the words of the message that my mother had sent me swam before my eyes: