I Learned To Trust | The Joanne McKinley Diaries 2

9. I Didn't Even Use My Feet

It was Monday morning and Mai and I were at the bus stop, waiting on the 421. I was practically asleep whereas Mai was scarily awake and I didn't know how. We were akawake until two am and I had to wake up at seven. I was living off five hours of sleep.

"You look dead. Maybe staying up late wasn't the best idea," Mai says.

"What I want to know is how you look awake. How are you even awake?" I question.

Mai turns and pulls out her water bottle filled with brown liquid. Of course; coffee. Then the bus arrives and we get on. Well, I trudge on and Mai walks on. I make my way upstairs to see two of the 421 bus banter crew plus Mason. His eyes are wide, a smirk on his lips but an eyebrow raised. He was good at rasing his eyebrows. I pout and he laughs slightly and pats his lap which I straight up fall into.

"I only have three questions. One, why do you look dead?" he asks. I scoff and roll my eyes. Yes, I was tired but that didn't mean I had to get a personality transplant. I was still sarcastic me.

"I went to sleep and two am. Blame Mai and her urge to force me awake to watch Fast and Furious 6." I point a finger at Mai who shrugs and continues with her coffee.

"Two," he begins. He bends down to my ear and starts to whisper. "I like your hair shorter." It sends shivers don my spine and he leans up.

"Wasn't a question but thank you," I let out.

"Three. Why did you have to win at go-karting?!" He whines.

I laugh and roll my eyes playfully. "Suck it up Mason. I don't even want to use my feet today."

"Oh and one more. I am so going to make you pay for that text you sent me yesterday. Ew just no!" He says. I laugh.

"How exactly?"

He leans down and kisses me. I kiss back and he deepens it. His hands make way down to my waist, pulling me closer (which is basically impossible because I'm on his lap...) and me tangling my fingers in his hair. I pull away once I need to breathe.

"That was for my benefit," he smiles.

***

"Make way, make way for Mr and Mrs Johnson," Mai announces as we walk (Mason walks while I crush his back) into form room.

Everyone starts cheering and laughing. Apart from Alisha but I really don't care. She was giving crap and I wasn't putting up with it. I lean down to Mason's ear. "Slap Mai upside the head for me." He nods and does so, leaving Mai to nurse her throbbing head. I fist bump Mason and he carries me to my seat.

"So what's with the piggy back?" Jayleen asks as she comes up to us.

"Mason put on this bet during go-karting and said that the loser had to carry the winner around on their back all day. Can you guess who won?" I point at myself and we laugh. Maybe Jayleen wasn't all bad.

"Hey, you want to sit with us at lunch. Or you can come find us. We're usually on the field," I call. She turns around, quite shell shocked and nods her head. I smile at her and turn back to playing noughts and crosses with Mason. It's 5-2 to me. I had a lovely winning streak. Then a shadow appears in front of me.

"Hi."

I look up and see Alisha and that punching-her-face-in-feeling arrives again. I leans back in my chair and look at Mason and he gives me a look that says 'all on you'.

"Hi," I say back.

"Can I talk to you?" She asks.

"Busy."

"Lunch?"

"Busy."

"Tomorrow."

"Busy. Actually I'm busy indefinitely."

"Well too bad because I'm going to talk to you now whether you like it or not."

I sigh and turn to Mason.

"Go on, I'm fine." He walks away to Lauren T. I turn back to Alisha.

"When will you talk to me?" She asks.

"When you cut the crap, get your feelings under control and stop being such a shit friend," I hiss.

"I thought we were closer than that," she trails.

"Me too," I say honestly. "But not close enough. Because, if we were close, you would've been able to stop this or cut it to a minimum."

I see tears intrude Alisha's eyes. "So is this it? You're going to hate me indefinitely?"

I feel tears begin to invade my eyes to. "I don't know." I turn away.

"I just want my best friend back," she says after a while.

I turn to face her, looking her in the eye. "Who says I don't. But it hurts."

"I know but I just want you to forgive me." Tears are actually falling from our eyes now.

"How do I know that it won't happen again?"

"Because I swear down that I'll find someone else. I'll do anything so you'll forgive me."

"I may be skeptical at first, but I have reasons to be. If I forgive that is," I say, voice breaking.

"Are you?"

I'm silent. Not to be rude but I'm thinking. Contemplating pros and cons. After a while, I nod very slowly. Alisha's eyes widen and she squashes me in a hug. And I hug back. She may not be my best friend again but this was a start.

***

"This has been going on all day?" Jayleen asks.

"Yep. His back will be sore tomorrow," I reply.

"I feel sorry for the guy. Mason, for once, I actually pity you," Mai says, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks Mai," he groans. "Can I put you down for ten minutes?"

"No," I answer.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please." He starts pouting and I give in. I hop off his back and he stretches.

Then he takes that as a chance to run away.

"Son of a motherfucker! Come back here!"

Mai and Jayleen start laughing and clutching their sides in pain and laughter.

And I sprint after him. He was so stupid. I'm faster than him. I see him talking to someone and take that as a chance. Then I realise the person is Alisha and she looks at me. I give her a look that says 'don't show that in behind him' and she gives a slight nod.

3...

2...

1...

And I pounce on his back, taking him by complete surprise.

"Fucking thought you could get away from me. You made the fucking bet!" I say. He's laughing and and cursing under his breath.

"You're a sneaky bitch, you know that?" He says.

I jump of his back and give him a swift kiss before hopping on his back again. And I look at Alisha when I do. And the look in her eyes isn't what it used to be.

She's moved on.