The Original Four

Chapter 3

Dear Diary,

Today was so much fun. I can't wait to tell you all about it . . .

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Alex tells me over the phone the next day.

"Alright. See you then," I reply grabbing my phone and some cash. Making my way downstairs, I fix my dress and check my hair and makeup once more. You could never be too safe when it came to getting ready.

There's a knock at the door, and I immediately know who it is.

"Hi, Al- Matt, what are you doing here?"

His eyes were wide, his mouth hung open. "Sophia, is that you?" I nod my head. As I had mentioned earlier, after freshman year I was a whole new me. I looked completely different and no one from school, other than Alex and now Matt, have seen me.

"Wow. You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Matt. What are you doing here?"

He walks in, and I shut the door behind him. "I figured we could hang out today. After all, it is summer. I haven't spent that much time with you lately."

"Oh, I'd love to but I already have plans."

He raises his eyebrows. "Really. With who?"

"Hey, Sophia," Alex says walking into my house. "Ready to go?" Him and Matt make eye contact, and a horrible feeling washes over me.

They hate each other.

As all three of us go to the same school, Matt and Alex are also on the football team together. I heard they got into a fight one day but I don't know what it was about.

"Hey, Howard. Why are you here?"

Alex smirks and wraps an arm around my waist. "I'm taking Sophia out for a date. We should probably get going."

.

"That was horribly awkward," I confess to Alex as we walk to wherever he's taking me.

Matt was staying at my house for the rest of the day. It was fine because my parents love him, and he's practically family.

"Tell me about it."

I stop moving, not daring to take another step. "Why don't you guys get along?"

He waves a hand in the air. "No reason."

"I know about the fight, Alex. What happened?"

Alex shakes his head. "I can't tell you."

"Please, I'm tired of the excuses. I want to know the truth."

"Fine. Promise you won't get mad?"

I nod my head. "Promise."

He sighs. "I didn't stop being your best friend because of the popularity; I distanced myself from you because of Matt. He found out a secret of mine and was going to tell you. Matt told me he wouldn't say anything if I did one, simple thing for him-"

A tears slides down my cheek. Matt, the boy I used to have a crush on, caused Alex and I to fall apart.

"We had to stop being friends," I finished for him.

"Yeah. He liked you and wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. I wasn't allowed to talk to you at school, socialize with you at dinners, or text you at any time."

I give Alex a puzzled look. "What made you talk to me last night?"

"Courage. I had been building it up all of freshman year. I don't care if Matt tells you anymore; I'm ready now."

I'm about to ask what he means by that when he says, "We're here."

I smile when I see we're at Cream, an ice cream sandwich shop in the city.

"I love this place," I exclaim.

We walk inside, and I order chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream. Alex orders the same but with sprinkles added to it. He pays for the both of us, and I thank him.

We sit down and quietly eat out treats. "I love these," he says.

"Me too. Thanks for inviting me." Alex smiles up at me.

Finishing my cookie, I wipe my hands with a napkin and throw the trash away. When I walk back, I see that Alex is no longer there. What the heck?

"Excuse me," a lady says, walking up to me. "Your friend went that way to the right." She points to the door and hands me a red rose. "It's from him."

I open up the little card attached and see a picture of us from when we were babies. Underneath, there was a note.

You showed up three days after my birthday, and I met my best friend for the first time. Who knew we would get into so much trouble?

I walk out the door and turn right just like the lady had told me. "Sophia," someone yells. "This is for you. Continue down the street and then get onto the muni."

I didn't know the person but I thanked them anyway and accepted my second rose. This time, Alex and I were two year-olds lying in the mud. Alex had a chunk of mud in his hand and was about to throw it at me while I had my mouth wide open and my arms up in the air.

We fought all the time, but that never got in the way of our friendship. I may have been stupid but you already knew that. I know I messed up a year ago as a freshman, but give me a chance and I'll prove that I'm worth it.

I smile and walk down the street, onto the bus. I see an elderly man holding a rose, so I walk up to him. "I was told to give this to a beautiful girl," he states as he hands it to me. "Get off at the next stop and walk up the hill to your left."

"Thank you," I smile.

I open the card and almost cry at the funny memory.

In the year 2006, we were in kindergarten. Halloween came around, and we had to be matching. What's a Mickey without his Minnie?

This was definitely one of the cutest photos. Alex was dressed up in a Mickey costume while I was dressed in a Minnie one. Our faces were painted, and we were wearing bright, yellow converse.

I get off the bus and make my way up the hill to my left and finally reach the top. "Are you Sophia?" the young woman asks. I nod my head, and she hands me a rose. "This is the last one. Stay here until he comes."

I open the card, and my heart stops. The photo was from last night. Alex had lipstick on him, and I was smiling like crazy. What really touched me the most was the note.

Letting go of a beautiful girl like you was probably one of the stupidest things I have ever done. You are my best friend, and I hope you know that. You mean so much to me, and I hope you'll give me a chance. No one will ever get in the way of us again. I promise you that. Now, turn around.

I do as told and see a smiling Alex holding a rose behind me. "There's no note," he says shyly, "but I do have something to say."

This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.

"This is the fifth rose," he says showing it to me. "These are just five of the many memories we have shared. These are just five of the stories that we've got to tell. And, these are just five of the reasons why I like you . . . as more than a friend."