Deteriorating Hearts

16 || Unwarranted Mistake

// for Celeste, who is a lovely fan //

So, this isn't the best chapter but it's essential if I want to bring the story to an end and make sure it's not filled with any plot holes. I'm just happy that you're all seeing what Juniper is really like under all those smiles. Maybe I love writing her because she's both the protagonist and the antagonist of her story.

There's reference to the quote I used in the summary/blurb of this story and I hope you spot it ;)

Also, I posted a short story (with 3 chapters) on my side account enchanto and it's called Faded. If you'd like to check it out then you can find it on my side account or in the external link! It's also complete.

[ 3 more chapters left! ]

E N J O Y !
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Unwarranted Mistake

Apologising was one of the toughest things Juniper Stauff had ever ever done. It certainly didn't help when the people she wanted to apologise to avoided her like she was the plague.

Every time Amanda Obereen spotted Juniper approaching her, she would turn around and walk away. It stung Juniper a little that Amanda was ignoring her and giving her the cold shoulder. Over the week that her most beloved friends decided to ignore her and treat her like she was not there, like she wore some sort of invisibility cloak over her, she had plenty of time to think of her relationships with them.

She only started to despise Amanda when Dimitri started dating her and maybe it was jealousy that caused her to hate Amanda. Now, almost friendless, Juniper realised she missed Amanda's company. She was blinded by what she assumed to be love that she couldn't see what Amanda and her friendship was worth.

Juniper was going to stop being blinded by things that had the capability to wreck her life. She was going to right her wrongs and prove to Charlie, and mostly herself, that she was not a fraud.

Finally, after a week with putting up with all of this, Juniper cornered Amanda in the girls' locker room of the gymnasium. The smell of sweat mixed with deodorant filled her nostrils and she tried to puke from the horrendous smell of the place. She was here to apologise. Better get it over with before the horrid odour got to her head and she started to hallucinate.

"June," Amanda said, her eyes guarded and her expression stony.

"Hey Mandy," Juniper smiled in attempt to lighten the mood. Seeing as Amanda's scowl only deepened with her rigid attitude, it was clear as day that Juniper's smile wasn't working as it usually did in their conversations. Juniper sighed, the smile that graced her lips thinned. "Listen, I'm sorry-"

"What's done is done. It's in the past." Giving Juniper one last blank look, she turned on her heel and and pushed past Juniper so she could make her exit.

But Juniper was determined to earn Amanda's forgiveness. She yearned to feel the love and care that their friendship provided. She gripped Amanda's wrist and brought her to a halt. Turning around, Amanda threw her hands into the air in exasperation. "What do you want from me, June?"

The girls that were in the process of changing turned their head towards Juniper and Amanda when they heard Amanda's exclamation. Amanda lowered her hands to her sides when she noticed the sudden attention on her and her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. "Um," Juniper said as she diverted her attention from the curious stares the girls were giving Amanda. "Can we please go somewhere else."

Amanda gave her a three second stare before she rolled her eyes in a rude manner. "Fine," she replied somewhat reluctantly. "Lead the way." Juniper tried not to flinch at the tone that was being used on her. Amanda had never treated Juniper this way.