Once Again

chapter 15

Bentley

My mother kept her word, she was not giving me my phone back until I talked to her. Which made me even more determined to ignore her. I spent all of Sunday in my room to spite her. Truthfully I was quite bored, but I wasn't about to leave my bedroom and give in. If I didn't want to talk, I shouldn't have too, I don't understand why everyone seemed to think I should.  I was actually relieved on Monday when I could go to school.  My laptop had died Saturday night shortly after my conversation with Emory, so I was excited to be able to interact with people again.

Monday morning I was sitting on a bench outside one of the classrooms when someone sat next to me. "So last weekend you kind of ditched me at that party, and which I get it, your friend was super wasted."

I look over at Gina Moskoff, we have geometry together. She had invited me to the party last weekend and offered to drive, then when I said I wasn't sure she said I could bring my friend too. I had practically ditched her twenty minutes into the party though, chasing after an seemenly off the rails Aria. "I'm sorry I,"

She shakes her head. "It's fine, when you didn't talk to me all week either I got the message."

I look at her confused, we weren't really friends and I had Honestly been surprised when she invited me. So i wasn't sure why she was upset that I hadn't gone out of my way to talk to her when I normally didn't anyways. "What message, I'm not really sure what your talking about?"

Her face heats up as she blushes. "Oh um sorry, I guess maybe it was all in my head." I'm still very confused. "I asked you to go to the party with me because I liked you, and then when you ran off I thought  you were ignoring me because you didn't like me."

Realization hits me, and now I'm the one embarrassed. Then another thought occured to me. "Wait, then why'd you invite Aria?"

She looks away,  playing with her fingers as she does. "I kind of got nervous, and thought if I told you to bring a friend it would make things less awkward, which I know realize is weird and definitely confusing."

I laugh, "it's okay, I'm sorry I ditched you, there was a lot going on that night."

"Yeah, I saw you leave with that one girl, and I saw the two of you talking again the other day. Does that mean I'm too late?" She looks at me partly hopeful and partly nervous.

I didn't know what to say. I still really liked her, and sometimes it felt like she might like me too. But I knew that probably wasn't the case. I shook my head, "no your not too late, there's nothing going on between Emory and me." It hurt to say.

Gina smiles, "so in that case could we try this again, this time maybe not a party and no friends?"

I bite my lip thinking about it, before smiling, it did feel nice for someone to like me for a change. So I nod, "yeah that sounds nice."

Her smile grows, "great, I can text you later about it."

I frown, "I'm actually grounded right now, can we rain check." I feel bad, it sounds like I'm making an excuse.

She doesn't seem bothered at all by it. "Yeah definitely, okay I have to go, see you in class later." She then runs off, waving bye behind her.

Later at lunch I was sitting out in the hall, waiting for Emory like usual. She didn't sit down next to me like normal. Instead she stood in front of me frowning. "Are you still mad at me?"