I walked home slowly. I felt the pull to go back to Kyle's house. It didn't seem quite as bad since I understood what was happening this time.
Kyle only lived six blocks away. I paused at the red light and remembered the last time I was here on the other side; watching a dark haired boy bob his head to his music. I'd thought he was so normal, so human, but boy how wrong had I been?
The light turned red and I looked before making my way across. As soon as I turned the corner I saw her flames of red curls blowing in the breeze. Her scowl was firmly in place as I made my way down my walkway.
Rebecca.
"So, you've completely just cut me out. Is that it?"
"What? No. Look, I know seeing me with Kyle last night looked bad but we aren't dating, far from it. I didn't leave you out of the loop. I promise."
"It certainly looked like there was a loop and that I was out of it."
"Nope. No loop. Nada. Kyle is just a friend. He was...helping me with something last night, that's all."
"You know it's been a week and a half since I've even talked to you. You haven't returned any of my text or voicemails, even at the diner."
"Beck, I'm sorry, all right? I've been having a hard time lately. I just didn't want to drag you down with me."
She stood up off the steps and came to stand in front of me. "Mags, you know better than that. I'm a glutton for drama and baggage. You know this," she joked but stepped forward a little and looked at me seriously. "You could have talked to me."
"I just didn't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it."
"Look. Your mom is a skeez for leaving, but your dad has no right to treat you like this just because he's angry or depressed or whatever. He needs to chill and take a Prozac. He's still your dad. He still has responsibilities."
"I know, but he apparently doesn't, or doesn't care."
"So you thought Kyle - class clown Kyle - could help you with your problems and not me?"
She looked so hurt and bothered, I felt terrible. I had ignored her and purposely avoided her and there really was no good reason for it.
"I'm sorry. Really." I grabbed her purple nail polished hand and squeezed. "You're right. I've been avoiding you. I've been avoiding everyone and everything. I completely screwed myself this year and I didn't know what to do. I just didn't want you to see me like that. I was almost as bad as my dad."
"That's impossible. Your dad's practically catatonic," she scoffed.
"That's what I said." I grinned at her. "I love you, Becky Wecky."
"Ahh, you haven't called me that since second grade." She smiled widely and it felt so good to see. I missed her. "I love you, too, Maggie Waggie."
She grabbed me in a hug and squeezed me. Then she grabbed my hand and started to tow me down to the sidewalk.
"Come on. You're spending the night at my house."
I stopped her. "I can't. I have a...date."
She screwed up her lips. "Kyle, again."
"No. Kyle's cousin, Caleb."
"Wow." She grinned deviously. "You're really making the rounds, aren't you?"
"Shut up!" I yelled playfully. "I'm not dating Kyle."
"So, Caleb is Kyle's cousin. Where did you meet him?"
YOU ARE READING
Significance (Completed)
Teen FictionFrom NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Shelly Crane comes a true love story. Maggie is a seventeen-year-old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track, but her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and he...