Stereotypical

XX | They, Who Weren't Meant to Be

She didn't come to school the next day.

Or the day after.

The rest of the week cycled through with her absence; people were glancing at the empty seat and murmuring about the cafeteria incident. Rumors spread that she'd gone to live with her brother, or that she'd transferred schools. I caught judgmental glares left and right from students who'd never even bothered to know Carson.

They were just pissed that I'd hurt another girl.

It was Friday, and she was still gone. She answered my calls or immediately ignored them, and that was all I needed to get through the day. As long as she was doing something, I was okay. Just, I couldn't get over the look in her eyes. Just one glance and I'd known that I was right back where I'd started - she was the same, distrustful Carson I'd met before. She hated me.

The fundraiser was the upcoming Sunday, and I still had her pass under my pillow. No doubt she'd probably tell me off and burn the pass right then and there. Afterwards, she'd hurt me as promised. Physically, I mean.

Later, I found that things didn't get better with her gone, like I'd originally thought. I was high when Carson was around, and I was an absolute wreck as well. I felt obsessed with her and it repulsed me. I had a girlfriend, but caught myself planning dates for Carson. I needed to prioritize Emily.

In order to do that, I had to remove Carson from the picture. Emily was happy, and so were the others I'd been neglecting for my new friendship. It seemed like a win.

It just didn't feel like one.

"Parker, I was thinking that, with the big blue bus outta the way, we could finally hang out." Camilla suggested, slinging her arm around my shoulders and squeezing.

I leaned away, bristling. "Chill it with the nicknames. Please."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, I want to squeeze as many as I can before she returns."

I studied her. "Why do you hate her so much? What did she ever do to you?"

Camilla's face twisted in disgust. "She's a backstabber. One second, you think you're friends, and then she turns her back on you. Sh-She just...just left Reagan and I hanging in the dust. I'm glad she's gotten a taste of her own medicine to be honest." Her cheeks turned a faint shade of red and she looked away, studying the sweaty basketball players running up and down the court.

Well, we had something in common now. 

"Even if she's killed herself?" I asked, surprising both of us.

She shifted uncomfortably, her eyebrows knitting together. "I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Even Carson."

I nodded once, looking back down to the game below. She twisted her body so that she completely faced me. "I just - why you? Why did you run to you instead of me?" Her voice quivered. "I've been there forever and...and...you come along and all of a sudden she's..." Camilla shook her head. "What did I do wrong?"

I thought about it. "I think, that she did it for your own good. Like, she didn't want to drag you down into her hole." If I truly fell in love with Carson, I'd split in half. She would never love me back, now especially.

We just weren't meant for it.

Camilla stared at me. "You're kidding me. Friends are always going to be there - even when things go horribly wrong. Because you're fucking friends, Parker. You don't ditch them out of fear for their feelings or yours. You take them by the bellybutton and drag them along."