The Way We Say Goodbye

Chapter 8

Since things had gone so well with Osbourne, I surprised Bowie with cookies. Arvin was not happy that Bowie got cookies and he didn't. Bowie was happy to rub it in that he had cookies and no one else did.

"I still don't understand why you had to make him cookies," Osbourne whispered to me at lunch.

"Because I owed him," I whispered back.

"But why?"

"Just because."

"You know, there are other people sitting here and can hear you," Joshua whispered to us.

I looked up at him then over to Arvin and Bowie. All of them were staring at us.

"Did Bowie blackmail you for cookies?" Arvin asked.

"That's exactly what I did," Bowie interjected.

"I don't think it was blackmail," Osbourne began. "At the beach last night, you said that you owed him cookies now," he continued, directing his attention to me.

"Ooo what were you two doing at the beach?" Joshua asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Who cares about the beach?!" Arvin shouted while standing up, slamming his hands on the table. "I want cookies too."

I stared at him with wide eyes. "I never knew you were so serious about cookies."

Before the cookie discussion could commence any further, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. After going our separate ways to our lockers, we all met back in the English classroom. Bowie complained about Osbourne stealing his seat when Osbourne sat at the desk in front of mine.

"Come on, Bowie. He just wants to sit with his girlfriend," Joshua teased, smirking at Osbourne and me. I looked at Osbourne, and I was certain that my face was just as red as his.

Osbourne cleared his throat and said, "Well, technically she's not my girlfriend."

Bowie laughed loudly and yelled, "Oh damn! You just messed up," and high-fived Arvin.

Osbourne quickly looked at me and stammered, "We just haven't talked about it. I mean, I haven't officially asked you or anything."

I leaned forward, placed my hand on his shoulder, and said, "It's okay, Ozzy. You really don't need to explain. We'll figure this," I motioned between us, "out on our own time. Don't let those girlfriend-less dorks pressure you into rushing anything."

"Hey!" Joshua and Arvin exclaimed at the same time.

Bowie scoffed and said, "Why do you assume that I don't have a girlfriend?"

"Because I've heard you talk," I said flatly.

Osbourne and Arvin laughed.

Bowie rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Whatever."

"Hey, do you guys wanna go for ice cream after school?" Arvin asked.

"Sure," I agreed loudly while the rest of our group mumbled responses and grunts of agreement.

After school, as agreed, we all went to Cold Stone Creamery. While Arvin, Bowie, and Osbourne argued about which ice cream flavor was best, Joshua pulled me to the side so that we could talk alone.

"So, how are things going with Osbourne?"

I glanced over at Ozzy and smiled when he flipped off Bowie over a comment about brownies being for bitches. I looked back at Joshua and said, "I really like him. He makes everything better."

"I was worried that you'd start overthinking about things after what happened in English."

"Oddly enough, Ozzy overthinks more than I do. I think things will be okay, and it'll all work out."

"I'm glad to hear that. You seem a lot happier with him around."

I looked at my shoes and smiled before looking back up and smiling at Joshua. "I am a lot happier with him around." I paused and looked over at Osbourne, Arvin, and Bowie. "It's not just him, though. It's all three of them. I've always loved you, Marco, Violet, and Scarlet, but being friends with them is different."

He nodded and said, "I know what you mean. I think it has been good for us both, branching out to a new friend group."

I smiled and slid my arm around his waist, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I sighed contently and said, "I think you're right."

Just as we all received the ice cream we had ordered, Scarlet, Violet, and Marco walked in. I huffed and mumbled, "Great."

Bowie, who had been standing behind me, leaned over my shoulder and whispered, "She must be here for the brownies."

As hard as I tried, I couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped at that comment. I turned around and smacked him while everyone turned to look at me, including the three people who had just walked in.

"Ew," Scarlet commented when her gaze fell on me.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't worry, Brownie Lover. We're leaving," I said as I led the boys outside.

"Where we going?" Arvin asked, looking more interested in his ice cream than the answer to his question.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I just didn't want to be in there with Scarlet, and I figured none of you wanted to be either."

"Yeah, I don't feel like being called a worthless loser today," Arvin commented casually.

"Why'd you call her a 'Brownie Lover'?" Joshua asked.

"Because Bowie said that brownies are for bitches," I chuckled. The boys laughed.

We just walked around, aimlessly. We teased and shoved each other around, and we laughed. We had fun just being with each other. I would give anything to be able to live in moments like that. To live in the happy moments. I was so carefree and enjoyed life, blissfully unaware of what was coming.