The Way We Say Goodbye

Chapter 6

It had been two months since Scarlet and I fought, and Joshua and I had sat with Osbourne, Arvin, and Bowie every day since. Violet still sat with me in class, but she always left first. She didn't talk to me in the hallways anymore, and she only hung out with me if she knew Scarlet wouldn't find out. Marco only spoke to me when I was with Joshua. Neither of them wanted to lose any friends, and they both knew I wouldn't make them choose like Scarlet would. But I was okay with it. I have new friends who accepted me no matter who I spoke to or hung out with. I have friends who didn't make me nervous that they might reject me if I said or did something they didn't approve of.

Over the past two months, Joshua and I had started spending more and more time with Osbourne, Arvin, and Bowie outside of school. There were days when the others were too busy to hang out, so Osbourne and I would have our own little adventures together. Today was one of those days. We were sitting on the beach, watching the calm ocean waves.

I couldn't help but smile when I looked at him. He had changed me so much in the short time I had known him. I felt so free with him. Welcoming me into his group of friends changed my life. I hadn't realized how constricting my group of friends had been with Scarlet dictating our every move until I was away from it.

I looked at him, and a warmth filled my chest. I never would have thought that he and I would ever speak to each other, let alone become close friends, as we had over the past couple months. I silently studied his face. He frowned at me as he caught my gaze on him.

"What?" he chuckled.

I shook my head and laughed, "It's nothing." I looked up at him. I looked into his beautiful blue eyes. "I was just thinking about how much has changed between us."

He nodded and looked out towards the ocean. "I never thought someone like you would notice someone like me." He laughed dryly, "At least not in a good way."

I tucked some hair behind my ear. "I'm not the same person as I was then. I like the version of myself with you much more."

He looked back to me. He searched my eyes with furrowed brows. For what he was searching, I didn't know, but the intensity of his gaze made my heart beat faster. I wanted to look down, away from the heat of his gaze, but I couldn't. I couldn't break away. He leaned closer to me. I felt his breath fan out across my lips. My eyes fluttered closed, and I leaned in closer to him. The side of his nose brushed against mine, and his breath mingled with mine. My heart was beating even faster now. His lips barely grazed my lips, and I felt as though I were trapped in a dream. His fingertips brushed against my cheek, and he tangled his fingers in my hair, pulling me closer. His lips pressed against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into me, kissing him back. I couldn't imagine a more perfect moment.

Unfortunately our perfect moment was ruined when his phone started ringing. He pulled away and slid his phone out of his pocket, and I read the name that was across the screen: Bowie. I shook my head as Osbourne stood up, answering the call. Of course Bowie would find a way to ruin a moment without actually being here.

While Osbourne and I grew closer over the past couple months, Bowie and I bickered more. While I did consider him a friend, he and I often butted heads. Joshua and Arvin agreed that Bowie and I were more like frenemies. Some days, it seemed like Bowie just tolerated me.

Osbourne hung up with Bowie and walked back over to where I sat beside me with a serious look on his face as he looked out over the water. I slid my hand in his and intertwined my fingers with his.

"Ozzy, is everything okay?" I asked gently.

"Bowie is pretty upset and wants to hang out."

"Well, I suppose we should go get him then." I sighed as I stood up and brushed the sand off the back of my jeans.