Roses aren't always Red

Friends?

It's been three days since the 'hide and seek' game we won. Everything has settled back down to normal. Even Megan seems to be staying out of the way. I pull out my iPod and put my earbuds in. I click the song Immortals by Fall Out Boy and tap my fingers to the beat thinking about what to do.

Casey had been working on a project and I haven't seen much of her all day. I lay back thinking about my girlfriend, causing a smile to automatically form on my face. Just as I was about to get up, there was a knock at the door. I get up and get it, surprised at who was there.

"Ari? C-casey's not here, right? Can I come in?" Isabelle says, not looking me in the eyes.

"Uh, yeah. Of course," I said, standing aside to let her in. I watched as she sat down on my bed before I closed the door.

"I just haven't been able to talk to you much. I wanted to after you won, but Casey obviously didn't want me there. I miss the old times where we could just talk with no worries at all. I miss my best friend," she said softly as I sat down beside her. I look at her surprised.

"Oh," I said probably sounding stupid.

"I'm sorry. Honestly I didn't think I'd ever see you again. For a while I was crying myself to sleep a lot just thinking about you. After a while I let myself fall in love and... Well... Then you showed up and got into Casey. I hated myself for letting you go," she blurted out, after a long moment of awkward silence.

"I thought about you a lot when you left. I distracted myself with Jane. I didn't want to, but it was better than sitting around moping by myself. I don't blame you for falling for Alex. She's pretty and smart. She's better than Megan or some other person who would only be in it for themselves" I reply, surprising myself at how honest that was. Until then I didn't even realize that's how I felt. But as I said it, I knew every word of it was sincere.

"I'm glad you understand. I thought you hated me. I think Casey does"

"She just thinks you're competition. You were my first love and I think she realizes that. She doesn't want you to take me away from her. Don't worry about Casey. I'll talk to her. She doesn't and shouldn't have to hate you. For any reason. It's not reasonable, at all" I say. Isabelle looks at me and gives me a small smile. I move so I can give her a hug and she hugs me back.

"I missed this. I'm glad you're going to talk to her. I didn't mean for her to start hating me" Isabelle says after we stopped hugging.

"Don't worry about it. I am just happy to have my friend back," I say, purposefully not saying best friend because I'm not sure about if we are still that close. But I am definitely willing to try for it again.

"Hey Ari, -- what the hell are you doing in here Isabelle?" Casey says loudly. I hadn't realized she had walked into the room until then.

"Uh-" Isabelle starts to talk.

"It's fine Casey. We were just talking. She was apologizing for being the way she has been. She's fine," I interrupt Isabelle, looking Casey in the eyes. She looks at me surprised and then shrugs.

"If you say so, I still don't like her" she replies as though Isabelle wasn't even standing there. I apologetically look at Isabelle and she just gives me a small smile.

"I'll see you around," she says as she leaves the room. As the door clicks closed I turn around and give Casey an annoyed glare.

"You really need to lighten up with her. She really is a good friend and if you would stop and realize it I think you two could be friends also" I say, laying down on my bed.

"Yeah, well, you can be friends with her. I don't care if she likes me or not. Rose is gonna come up here. We're finishing up the last of the project," Casey says changing the subject.

"Yeah, that's fine. Can I help at all?" I ask curiously. I don't actually know what their project is about.

"Nah, I think we're good. You can watch us finish up though if you want," she says smiling. She kisses me gently and I smile back. Rose comes in a few minutes later.

"Hey Ari. Sorry to intrude on your day off," Rose says with a backpack and a couple textbooks.

"No worries. I had a lot of time to relax. I was starting to get a little bored"  I say honestly. I zone out while they do their projects and I fell asleep at some point about an hour into their work.

"Why do you always have to fight my fights Casey? I don't need you to be getting yourself hurt for me damn it!" Rose's voice rings out waking me up. I am shocked to see Casey laying on her bed with a bloody nose and bruises forming.

"I'm sorry for helping you then. Damn. You would have done it for me Rose. Don't you give me that look. It's not even that bad" my girlfriend replies stubbornly.

"What the hell happened?" I ask, confused, not realizing how long I had been asleep.

"While you were sleeping Casey went down to the mess hall to get some coffee and she got stopped by Megan. She started saying some nasty stuff about me so Casey tried to attack her and it backfired," Rose says still patching up Casey.

"How was I supposed to know she had a group of other girls just waiting for me to strike out?" Casey says annoyed, " she had no right to be saying that stuff about you, so I did something about it to try and get her to shut up".

"You don't have to do stuff like that Casey. I am perfectly capable of dealing with Megan and her followers. I don't let the things they say actually get to me. You're too hot headed," Rose says frustratedly putting down a damp washcloth and shaking her head. I had moved while they were arguing back and forth to be sitting on the side of Caseys bed.

"She's right Casey. You are really hot headed, but at the same time Rose, you would have done the same thing if Megan was saying stuff about one of us. This is a stupid argument. Just be happy that you all actually care about each other and that you are good friends" I say looking at the both of them. They shut up and looked at each other. There was an odd moment of silence and then they started laughing out of no where.

"What?" I ask, completely confused by what just happened.

"Nothing. Just the way you said that made me realize how stupid we were being. Of course we are close friends and we all look out for one another" Casey says grinning at Rose. Rose nodded in agreement and I sigh with relief that they actually listened to me.

[AN] Sorry to everyone who has been waiting for updates. I finally got one out. I'm hoping to be able to update more often now. Also, sorry for all the notifications you guys probably got since I had to re-publish all the parts I've already added after accidentally deleting the whole book. -_-