Paper Thin

Chapter 4

Not Edited

Piercing eyes stared at me almost like they could see into my soul but one thing I was sure of was that they'd never see my breaking heart. It was the next day at school and, to be honest, with every second it felt like I was slowly dying. It was lunch now and it seeemed the whole school knew about our fight because all day people had been treating me like a china doll, careful not to make me upset. The pity only made me feel worse, like a constant reminder that nothing was the same anymore and I didn't think it ever could be again. Classes were worse, I hadn't completed any of my assignments and teachers had been giving me disappointed faces, the ones they make when their star pupil breaks a rule. Inside, I was just fuming at how much these teachers didn't about what was going on, how ignorant they were of my current turmoil.

Sighing, I picked up my tray and got some salad before going over to my usual table when it hit me. What was I going to do when I saw Zoe? Should I beg for her forgiveness or stand my ground? I was kind of leaning toward the whole groveling for forgiveness when I realized that Zoe wasn't at the table, only, Arianna and Sam's familiar faces looking up at me gently.

"Hey, guys," I quickly sat down, trying to seem okay.

It didn't work.

"Are you okay, Tif?" Arianna asked, concern all over her face, as she slid her arm around me.

"Yeah, we heard about the argument," piped in Sam.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I lied, giving them a weak smile.

"So what happened?" asked Sam. "Why are you guys mad at each other?"

So, I told her everything, about Will, about the secret I knew she must be keeping from me and about her crazy declaration that we were no longer friends.

"Wow," said Arianna when I was done.

"I know," I said. "And I just can't help but think that this stupid secret is what caused all of this, the reason why she hates Will so much. I mean what could be so horrible that she couldn't even tell me."

But Arianna and Sam didn't reply instead their eyes were transfixed on something else. I turned to see what it was and what I saw was enough to make me forever regret my breakup with Zoe.

There she was, wearing that green mini-dress I had bought her for Christmas, dangling her toned legs under the table as she ate her lunch with Jennifer. Jennifer Gold. She looked as immaculate as ever as she and her groupies ate lunch with Zooey, my now ex-best friend. Zooey looked so happy and carefree like she had just been liberated and hadn't a thing on her mind, nothing to bother her. While I was here, my heart breaking into a gazillion pieces, my ex-best friend was having fun, seemingly unaffected by our recent fight.

It wasn't fair.

But life wasn't fair and that's a lesson I was beginning to learn. I looked back at Zoe who was fraternizing with Jennifer and looking so glad in a way I never thought I might be again.

"Are you okay?" Arianna asked for the second time today.

I shook my head.

"No, not really," I admitted. "But I will be. I just need some time to digest all of this."

Sam and Arianna nodded slowly in silent understanding.

"It's going to be okay," reassured Sam. "If she won't talk to you then we'll try and see what's really going on with her."

"Okay," I said softly, my voice barely a whisper.

Arianna gave me a sudden hug which I realized I really did need. As I took in her apple scented hair, I realized something, something so crucial that it just might fix everything. I had been right.

It was the secret.

This secret of why Zoe hated Will; of what happened between them would be the key to this mess. It would explain why Zoe froze up every time she saw him like she was reliving an eternal nightmare, her eyes haunted. It would explain why she got so defensive when I asked her about Will and why they broke up. It would explain why our friendship was no longer existence. But as well as explaining it would also reveal memories so horrible that even my best friend was worried about me finding out. A memory that had existing between just two people. But now one of them wouldn't even look at me and in that I have found my answer; I knew what I needed to do. If I want to find out what's been eating at Zooey then I need to go to the root of this problem, to the very person who began this whole nightmare and changed my perception of everything I thought I knew about the girl that two days ago had been my best friend.

I needed to find out from Will.

Hello, guys! Well this was an intense chapter. Tif is now a girl on a mission, trying to find out what's really going. So I guess this is where all the real drama starts so yes, maybe there will be some Will action in the next chapter. Again, if y'all have any theories post them in the comments below. Also, I was wondering if you guys would like a chapter from another character's POV maybe Zooey? Anyway love you guys and feel free to PM me with any questions. Your votes and comments mean a lot to me so don't forget to do that.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox

Autumnrockchic