Shooting Star

Chapter 36

Janelle's POV

We were sitting on the bench, feeling utterly and completely ashamed of ourselves.

Ms. Ellis had just screamed and bitched out at us for about an hour and blamed Bree's desertion on us.

I guess she had a reason to though.

But seriously, the three of us had thought that if we'd gotten Bree off of the dance team we wouldn't have to put up with her 'issues' or perfection status any longer.

We didn't think we'd get thrown off the dance team for an entire year because of it.

And now we were feeling really sorry for ourselves.

"The only way we're back on the team is if we apologize to Bree and she forgives us," Aly-G whispered hoarsely.

"How is she gonna forgive us after what we did to her?" Natalie wondered sadly.

"I think we should try," I said, standing up. "We won't know until we do."

"But what do we say?"

"That we're sorry," I snapped, with a 'duh' tone.

Natalie stood up. "I guess it's our best shot," she said carefully.

"Let's go," Aly-G sighed.

We rang the doorbell. The door yanked open, and Bree's flushed face appeared.

She looked stunned, then cold. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to apologize," I said quietly. "What we did was wrong and we're really sorry."

"Cut the bull," she snapped. "Why are you REALLY here? You wouldn't be apologizing unless you got something in return."

"Stop being so dumb, Bree," Adrian said. "They're only apologizing because they got kicked off the dance team."

Bree's eyes widened. "Really? Wow, that sucks for you guys. I think you need a year of no dance."

"Please," Natalie begged. "I'm really sorry I cut up your poodle skirt, I really am!" 

"Me too," Aly-G said, "and it wasn't even our idea, we just went along with it. Janelle said we had to get revenge on you for knocking me out of contention!"

Bree's eyes narrowed as she spotted me. "Janelle?" she asked, her voice dangerously calm. "Is that true?"

My heart sank. 'Yes," I whispered finally.

She sniffed. She glanced at Natalie and Aly-G. "What do I have to do to tell Ms. Ellis that you're back on?"

"Send her an e-mail," Aly-G replied.

"I'll make sure Ms. Ellis knows."

"Thanks," Natalie said gratefully. 

"What about me?" I asked quietly.

Bree swallowed. "I don't know. You gave me the silent treatment for most of first term, and then you practically ruin my chances of winning DQ this year! I don't even know how someone could be so cruel to their friend."

I flinched. "I was horrible to you, and I'm really sorry," I said sincerely. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did and I am most definitely sorry for the poodle skirt idea. It wasn't right."

"You got that right," Bree murmured. She studied me. 

For a long time.

"Are we still friends?" Natalie whispered.

Bree fixed her gaze on her. "I don't think so," she said finally. "What you did was way too harsh for me to even consider being your friends again. But I don't think we should cut all ties off with each other. Maybe text each other every now and then."

Natalie and Aly-G nodded. "That sounds good," Aly-G said.

"Am I forgiven?" I asked.

Bree hesitated. "I need time to think. Go to the studio with them tomorrow. If Ms. Ellis says that you're back on the team, you'll know my answer. If she says to leave, you'll know why I haven't forgiven you yet, and you'll also know you'll have to work twice as hard to regain my trust and receive forgiveness from me."

I nodded.

"Now, I have to go," she said. "I'm late."

She shut to door in our faces.

"That wasn't as hard as I thought," Aly-G said as we descended the stairs.

I was quiet as we walked back to our houses. Natalie and Aly-G continued to have a conversation without me.

I felt alone.

I felt miserable.

I felt like a third wheel.

Was this how Bree felt when I abandoned her? When Kylie and Alyssa boycotted her? I wondered.

"You think she's ever gonna forgive me?" I whispered, barely breathing each syllable.

The conversation beside me stopped. "What?" Natalie asked.

I repeated my sentence.

"Still can't hear you," Aly-G said, sighing.

I stopped walking. "Do you think she's ever gonna forgive me?"

Natalie bit her lip. "I don't know."

"We'll find out tomorrow, I guess," Aly-G said. 

"See you later," the two girls called to me as I turned up the road to my house.

As I walked into my house and up to my room, I couldn't help but dread tomorrow as well as hope for it to come.

I couldn't stand not knowing.

I couldn't stand being in the dark.

I wanted to be forgiven.

But did I deserve to be?