Little Miss Nosy

Chapter Thirty-Three: When to Let Go

- Edited -

"Paige?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, of course," I mumble.

"Cool." Macey sounds unconvinced. "Then repeat it back to me." Her glossy smirk catches my eye in the reflection of my mirror. I pout, staring at her fingers as they work through the strands of my hair.

"You said you can't believe how well the french braids came out. And I couldn't agree more!" I flash her an award winning smile and refocus on my phone, fully aware that's most likely not what she said.

"Thank you, but I invited you to my brother's house. He and his girlfriend are doing fireworks tonight to ring in the new year and I thought it'd be fun if you came."

"Uh huh..."

"Oh, please hurry and hit delete or print the pictures so you can frame them already. The more you stare the more sad it becomes." I turn my phone over so she can't see the pictures of Carmen and I. Every New Year's Eve has been spent between Trevor, Carmen, and I with today being the exception. So I'm missing her extra today.

"Sorry. Uh, I don't know. It seems fun but it'll be weird if I don't know anyone."

"Trevor will be there." She speaks delicately as she finishes the final braid, twirling the ends around her finger to give it an extra curl.

"You sure you wouldn't mind me third wheeling?" I wiggle my brows and chuckle as Macey rolls her eyes. Her attempt at rubbing the blush out of her cheeks doesn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, I totally would." She's as honest as she's always been. "But more people means more fun. And if it means my parents will get off my back about what I'm majoring in then I'll invite the whole damn school."

Macey stands from my desk and makes her way to my bed. Her confidence has never ceased to amaze me. She's been visiting a lot lately and was quick to make herself comfortable in my home. With no complaints from me, of course. I prefer people to take the reins in the beginning stages of a relationship. It means I have less of a chance at messing things up.

And, surprisingly, it's been nice having her around.

She kicks off her slides and lifts herself on my bed. "May I?" she asks, waving the remote in the air. I shrug and go back to skimming through old photos as Macey says, "There's a movie premiering next month. A rom-com. I'm seeing it with some of the girls and wanted to invite you if you're into that genre."

"Is Bella not available?"

The smart remark slips before I have a chance to catch it. I grimace and look apologetically at Macey. But instead of looking pissed, she looks me up and down...impressed? "I like snarky Paige. I need to see more of that fire. But Bells and I aren't really on speaking terms right now. Not after what she did to you before break. We had a mini fallout and she's been ghosting me ever since. It's okay, though."

"You don't care?"

"Of course I do! But this is high school. Some relationships last; and others don't. Especially those that are draining." The light from the television reflects sadness in her eyes. You wouldn't be able to tell from the way she speaks, so fluent and sure that what she's saying is fact. The gradual loss of a friend, even the tiring ones, hurt.

"But sometimes it's for the best."

I think of Macey's words as I stare at my phone. Maybe she's right. Because what is a friendship if you have to force it to stay alive? "Who ghosted who first?"