Behind Shaded Eyes

Chapter 3: Mixed Messages

Christian

I couldn't help but wonder how Hazel was doing.

After what happened to us I just felt like a complete idiot, falling for my best friend, but I knew it was too good to be true. Things like Hazel and I, yeah, that would never happen. Her relationship with Tate made it clear enough.

And here I was feeling guilty about our fight.

It happened on January 9.

I was having a bad couple of weeks and had started to push Hazel away, but knowing her, she waited and waited. I guess she'd gotten the wrong hint when she came to my doorstep with a box full of our things.

"Haze, what is this?" I'd asked once i answered the door.

"Your stuff," she said.

I titled my head. "Seriously, Hazel."

"I'll tell you things you need to know once you tell me things I need to know."

I hesitated. "Hazel, I-"

"Christian, I think you've made it very clear that-"

"Hazel, I'm in love with you." I froze once I made that statement.

"What?"

"That came out wrong."

"Chris-"

"I was in love with you, but you were too damn blind to see it." I let out a pained laugh. "It hurt, it really fucking hurt, but I've moved on."

She stood quiet for a few seconds, then said, "That doesn't explain why you cut off everyone else the past couple of weeks."

"I need to, for my own good."

"Was it because of Maya?"

My silence made he let out a cynical laugh.

"I knew it," she announced with teary red eyes.

Hazel was angry.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused as to what my best friend was saying.

"Maya is trying to take you away from all of us, Chris. Can't you see that?"

Maya moved me out of the way and faced Hazel herself. That was my oh-no moment.

"I think it's been made clear that Chris wants nothing to do with you, so why don't you just run along with your life?" Maya's feistiness encouraged me to assert myself in this before she said anything else.

"You need to leave now, Hazel. Go and hang out with that petty boyfriend of yours." I flinched at my own words as did Hazel.

"You're unbelievable," she stated.

"I'm full of surprises."

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Picking an unloyal girlfriend over your best friends?"

"You're not my best friend, Hazel." Lies. "You never were."

This time Hazel grew livid; she didn't even have to say anything to describe how angry she was because her eyes said it all. I saw her jawline lock. She was about to say something, but she blew out some are and walked away instead.

It took all of me not to go after her and tell her I was sorry and that I didn't mean the things I said.

Maya left soon after, leaving me with my brother, Elliot.

"What happened over there?" my brother asked.

"Just a little altercation with Maya and Hazel," I had brushed that off like it was nothing.

"Sounded like something more than an altercation to me."

Elliot shrugged when I said nothing else, going back to his room, leaving me to piece everything together.

Three weeks earlier

A week before I started pushing her away, Hazel and Tate had a fight and Hazel during dinner.

I was with Maya, moreso Maya was with me at my place. She'd answered a call for me while I was cooking and I thought nothing of it.

"Can you get that for me? The food's almost ready," I told Maya as my phone vibrated on the other table.

"Yeah, sure." I said and took a hold of my phone.

"Who is it?" I turned and placed steak and garlic bread on our plates.

Maya shook her head. "No one important."

I'd just shrugged it off. "Dinner is served."

I grabbed my phone and checked it while Maya went to freshen up.

Hazel Joy- Are you busy?
Me- About to eat, why?
Hazel Joy- I need to talk to you for a little bit.
Me- U ok, Hazel Joy? I'm with Maya.
Hazel Joy- Nvm. I'll see you at school.

Maya came back before I got a chance to answer Hazel back, so placed my phone back in my pocket and started eating.

"Alright, Lovebirds.: Elliot caught our attention. "I'm heading out to the park out in Oakridge."

"Aren't you gonna stay and eat with us first?" I asked him.

"No, I'll eat when I come back. Save me some of that bread, will you?" Elliot was already halfway out the door. "

"Got it!" I yelled before he closed the door behind him.

Dinner was quick to pass to by. Maya left after we watched a movie that night, while Elliot came back home wordless.

"I left some bread for you, still fresh in the over." I announced when he walked in and shut the door.

"I'm actually not that hungry right now. Thanks though," he told me.

"You okay?"

My brother sighed. "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I saw Hazel today. She didn't look too great."

"Oh," was all I said.