Us

Getting back together

Paige

Lying is one of the worst feelings in the world. So lying to everyone, everyday did not help me at all. Everything I tried to help with my stress won't cheer me up. All I wanted was my friends back.

But I can't have them anymore. This fight really shook all of us up. Sometimes I wonder if I'm on the right side.

It also disrupts my sleep. A precious and important must for my survival. Well that and food, and unicorns, and rainbows.

So staring at myself in the mirror noticing the huge bags under my eyes obviously pissed me off.

Groaning, I throw on a random tee shirt and some ripped jeans before grabbing my flip flops and my lunch before I'm off.

"Hey sunflower! " A voices calls.

Rolling my eyes at the stupid nickname I spin around and come face to face with Karishma.

She looks tired and dead but her smile remains although forced. I've desperately tried to make her feel better, but nothing is working.

The rest of the walk is filled with conversation until I see Lauren. She looks confused and angry, but confident. This fight changed her, everything about her. Now she stands with confidence. She isn't afraid to make you feel like shit.

Spinning around, I try to find karishma, but she's gone. I texted her and called but she doesn't pick up. I text Alina instead before I give up and move forward.

"... We are done. " Drifts of Chris's voice make me freeze in my tracks and stop to listen. They're done!?!? They were doing so well.

Risking a glance, I see Chris walking away from a broken Lauren. She dashes out if the school and not long after, I see Natalie dash out behind her.

My eyes widened in surprise. Why would Chris break up with her. Forgetting all about homeroom and head in the direction Chris headed. I want answers now.

I spot him with his friends laughing. Furious I grab him by the ear and drag him away, ignoring his yells of pain before coming to a stop in front of him.

"Explain." My voice is cold and void of any emotion. I stare at him waiting for him to talk but he says nothing.

By now I'm fuming. "I said explain! " I yell.

"EXPLAIN WHAT. ME AND LAUREN? YA WE ARE OVER AND LAST TIME I CHECKED IT WAS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS."

"Actually. It is my business. Because a friend of mine, just ran out crying because of you, do you not care!?! Are you stupid!?! "

At the mention of Lauren's tears his face softens his eyes going vulnerable and I can see the pain they hold. It hurt him too. He did care. He still does.

"Look. Rachel told me some stuff. And I didn't want to be in a relationship built off lies. I really for care for her, but if she doesn't care for me then I can't put effort into our relationship. "

"And last time I checked, you guys were fighting. " he says with a smirk

Glaring at him, I walked away processing the new information. So Rachel did this.

Changing direction I speed off trying to find my next victim.

In around thirty minutes, I spot Rachel coming out of a classroom. Grabbing her arm I pull her right to the girls bathroom.

Upon seeing me, her face goes blank but fear lines her eyes.

"Why?"

Putting on a confused face, she responds. "Why what? "

"Why did you do that to Lauren? I thought you were on her side! You were her friend Rachel. You should've at least had her back. "

Guilt swarms her face. Suddenly I feel a bit sad for her. She's only confused. But what she did was wrong. She ruined something that was special.

"Paige. I didn't want to be mean. Really. But she's been so mean lately. I know that it was a bit extreme but she doesn't listen to me. I need her to stop. She made Alina cry, she took things too far between the squad. It's her fault."

Sighing I can't help but somewhat agree. Lauren has been taking it too far. But this wasn't the way to tell her.

"OK, but you need to tell Chris the truth. They were meant to be together."

"OK."

Waving, I had to my next class, art. Finally, I can't worry about everyone else's problems. I need to learn not to get involved because this is startign to mess up my marks. I can't have that.

After the final bell rings, I head home, Rachel's words ringing in my head. Something feels off. It doesn't feel right.

My phone lights up and I see a text from Karishma for a girls night. Not bothering to reply I head over and in no time, a movie is up and started.

"Paige, what's up with Alina?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure you don't know... You don't seem sure."

"I'm sure."

"OK."

A wave of guilt hits me once again. Sometimes I wonder if a lot of stress is good for my child mind. I swear if I like my imagination I will cry.

Damn I hate lying.

My mind drifts to my conversion with Chris. Why did I stand up for her? I hate her.

Suddenly I realize I forgot to tell Karishma. But do I want to? Knowing her she will think up some wild revenge on Lauren through Chris.

I'm going to tell her because I can convince her that Lauren needs help.

Even though I hate her she's hurting and she needs some people to help her. She can't go through this with only one friend.

"Karishma, today I overheard an argument over Chris and Lauren."

She looked at me shocked, like I was slapping her in the face by mentioning that name. "So what?" She asked.

"They broke up." I said blankly.

"And what does that have to do with us?" She said looking away from me, she was obviously getting frustrated so I was going to get to the point.

"Guess who pushed him to break up with her?" I waited and Karishma shrugged. "Rachel! So I went and talked to her after and she said that Lauren took everything too far between us and that's why she did it. She ruined a relationship, the one good thing Lauren had left. Don't you think she took it too far?" I was close to tears, this fight had gone too far and it wasn't Lauren's fault now. It was Rachel's..

Karishma looked at me, she looked away and looked back. "What do you want to do about it? It's not like we can go and get Natalie and show up at Lauren's door and take her out? She hates us, remember?"

My eyes lit up. "Karishma that idea is perfect! Natalie will come since it's Lauren, and we can get Natalie to get Lauren to come out with us and we can spend the entire day together! All of us, you, Natalie, Alina, me and Lauren. Having Rachel there is a bad idea, I don't want any dead bodies!" I started laughing, she did as well.

"You really think Lauren is mad enough to kill Rachel?" She was laughing so hard I thought she was going to fall off the couch.

"No, I'm mad enough!" She, by that point was on the floor. I don't know why she found it so funny, but it's OK. She's laughing and happy, that's all that matters.

Now all we have to do is get Natalie. Then we're set!