Freshman Year

Together... Again?

The next few days went by as normal. For the most part everyone got along and had fun together. Since their break up Ellie hadn't seen Aiden. His words kept ringing in her ear about Carter. She had no idea if she actually liked him. Although on Tuesday morning when they were in math class all Brooke could talk about was Carter. She was so excited that he was back. They were even talking to each other again. Ellie just kept hearing Aiden's voice in her head every time Brooke said Carter's name. Did she really like him like that? She always had known that she loved Carter but just as a friend. After a while of Ellie zoning out Brooke could tell she wasn't listening.

"Am I boring you?" Brooke asked her. Daelyn and Mackenzie both turned around to listen.

"I don't want to talk about Carter with you." She told her in an exasperated voice.

"Why?" Brooke asks her then a horrified look appears on her face. "Did something happen between you two?"

"No, Brooke. You have nothing to worry about." Ellie said looking down at her hands. Brooke crossed her hands across her chest. "Fine, if you want to act like that then I guess I will tell you. Aiden and I broke up so hearing you talk about your fantastic relationship stings a little." As soon as it came out of her mouth she realized that that was what was really bothering her. She hadn't thought about what she was saying. She mostly had said it as a lie to convince Brooke that nothing was wrong. However she owed it to herself to know whether or not she liked Carter. She had to talk to him as soon as possible.

"Alright then-" Brooke gets cut off by Daelyn who lets out a small cough. Brooke glares at her then turns to tell her and Mackenzie about Carter.

"Hey, Ellie!" Sammy says as she sits down beside her. Ellie gives her a small grin.

The next person to walk in was Carter. He stared at Ellie for a while before going and sitting beside of Brooke who reached over and grabbed his hand. Carter stared at Ellie for a couple seconds before pulling Brooke over to him and kissing her. Ellie couldn't help but flinch and look at her math paper. He had wanted to do that to mess with Ellie's mind. She just knew it.

Ellie looked up to see them still making out. She gently tapped on Carter's shoulder. He slowly pulled away from Brooke who was smiling. She turned an upset glare at Ellie before turning back to Carter.

"I've missed you." Brooke tells him while biting her lip. He smiles and kisses her forehead before actually turning to face Ellie. Brooke, Daelyn, and Mackenzie turned to look at Ellie and hear what she had to say to Carter.

"Umm..." Ellie didn't want them to hear what she had to tell Carter. This was between the two of them. "Can we talk later... In private. I needed to tell you last night but was too tired."

"Is this about your and Aiden's breakup?" Daelyn asks with a smile on her face. Ellie just decides to shrug and nod. "Well, now Carter knows and all is well in the world." 

He stares at Ellie and raises a questioning brow. Ellie decides to fold her hands together. She vaguely could remember the times when Aiden would hold her hand. It had always felt right. Nothing could ever change her mind on that. He was a perfect first love. Now she had to decide if he was the only one for her, or if she wanted Carter. How wrong would it be if she liked Carter though. If he broke up with Brooke for her. Her own friend. Ellie tried to shake out the thought of it.

"So you two are together... again?" Ellie decides to ask them. Carter stutters for a moment before glancing over at Brooke. Brooke smiles at him and nods. She grabs Carter's hand and squeezes not having any clue as to what is going on.

"Yes." Carter finally answers with a slight wince as he does. Ellie forces a smile and turns to face their math teacher as he walks in. Suddenly her interest is completely in what algebra homework they were going to be stuck with. "It's about time to right, baby!" Carter adds as he squeezes Brooke's hand. Ellie rolls her eyes and begins working.

•

Hadley finds herself getting woken up at 10:00 at night. It doesn't seem late for most people, but for Hadley it is very important she be asleep at 9:00. Hadley checks her phone which keeps vibrating and the caller id says Elliot. Hadley stares at the phone until it stops ringing before chucking her phone across the room at Audrie's bed. At that same moment Audrie and Justin walked into the room kissing.

"Okay guys what is going on. I'm sleeping here." Hadley says trying to interrupt them. Justin pulls away only to laugh and stick his tongue out at her. "I'm so glad that you two have started talking again. Did you get the whole Nicole problem solved?" Hadley asks and leans over the side of her top bunk.

"Yeah we talked about-" Justin pulls her back to him. Hadley was slightly surprised by them. They had made out before but never in front of any one. Audrie had told Hadley before that they had, yet Hadley never believed her. "- it and decided..... that she is-" Justin kisses her one more time.

"You two are getting really- uncomfortably- good at this yanno!" Hadley tells them slowly getting more disgusted.

"out of the picture." Audrie finishes her sentence before finally pulling away from Justin breathing heavily. "I'm sorry... what were you saying, Hadley?" She scrunches her eyebrows together.

"Nothing apparently..." Hadley shakes her head. Just as she jumps off the top bunk her phone begins to ring once more. Elliot was calling again. "What do you want?"

"I miss Thea." Elliot says. Hadley rubs her eyes and sighs waiting for him to continue. "I... I think Cory is cheating on her too. I just need to prove it. Do you think you could help me?"

"No!" Hadley yells at him. "For one I was sleeping. For two, the last thing I want to do in my last month of school is meddle in another persons relationship okay, Elliot?"

"Alright." He had such a sad tone that he almost made Hadley want to rethink her decision. However she just kept telling herself her reasons even after he hung up the phone.