When We Were Wildflowers

Chapter 17 - The Crumbling

"Listen to me, please." I reach for Poppy's shoulder and she freezes, her back to me. "I was just being nice because I was lost in the moment, but we're not friends."

"It sure looked like it back there." Poppy's voice is a wrecking ball knocking through my carefully crafted explanation.

I take two steps back and try again. "Really, we're not, but I don't know if I can be her enemy. I'm sorry, but on Friday night, Alicia was actually pretty nice. Our moms were just drinking wine and swapping sorority stories, and we were bored, so she helped me get ready for auditions."

"So you practiced with her but not with me?" 

"I didn't know ahead of time. Plus we had some time to talk. Alicia told me what happened between you guys and hearing her side of things made me realize maybe it was all a big misunderstanding."

"A big misunderstanding?" The anger in Poppy's voice puts me off balance like I am teetering on the edge of spoiling this friendship. 

Cautiously I approach Poppy. "Well, she was going through a really difficult time and you guys hadn't talked in a while, maybe you didn't know how she really felt about the guy..." I'm desperately trying to piece together the story to show Poppy her and Alicia's break up is not as black and white as it seems. "But, the point is, she misses you. She's sad to have lost her best friend of two years."

Poppy turns to face me with her arms crossed. "She said that?"

"Well, yeah. Alicia told me the story and she seemed really sad about it. She and her mom were worried about you, with all you've been through."

"So worried she told everyone on the bus about my dad?" Poppy plants her feet wide apart on the concrete and gives me a death stare.

I don't know what to say. My once logical argument is crumbling down around me and I am on the verge of tears.

"Did you know we had to move to this godforsaken town just to leave that story behind? Did I tell you how we had to sell our house and live with my Grandma when she was sick? How she died last year?" Poppy rolls her eyes and scowls. "Coming back to my mom's childhood home was a fresh start, but now everyone knows. Can't you understand how unfair that it?"

My heart sinks as tears well up in Poppy's eyes. This terrible ache fills my stomach and I have to cross my arms around my belly to keep the guilt from eating me up inside.

"I can't ever forgive her for that. I trusted her just like I trusted you." Poppy turns her back on me and begins walking toward the front of the school.

My voice catches in my throat and I choke back a sob as I follow her. "You can trust me. I promise."

Poppy stops in her tracks and cuts right to the heart of the matter. "Then tell me the truth. Why don't you want to hang out with me after school?" 

There are so many lies I can tell to protect her. I've been busy. Too much homework. I'm grounded. But she wants the truth and my integrity is on the line. Now is the time to come clean. I sigh, ready to reveal my mom's orders: no seeing Poppy outside of school.

"Don't say it. I already know." Poppy whimpers and she wipes a tear from her face. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"I don't know... I was hoping--"

"You were hoping to rope me into this ridiculous plan to join the play so we could pretend to be thespians?" Poppy laughs, but it's jagged and raw. The anger in her voice punches a hole in chest. "So we could still hang out and you could still be your mom's precious little princess?"