metanoia - 5SOS

quarante

luke

I was walking out of my last period, when I caught sight of Brynn. She was making her way with Xander, of course, to her locker. It was like that boy didn't have a mind of his own. Constantly he had to follow Brynn, or he would probably die. Almost like Xander was protecting her from somebody, but who could he possible be shielding her from? Calum? Me? I waited outside of the classroom, before approaching my locker. Didn't want them thinking I was all up in their business. Finally Xander did his little move where he tucks a piece of hair behind Brynn's ear, her thinking it was just a nice gesture, and walked away. Quickly I made my way over to my locker, so I would have time to talk to Brynn whom was about to close her locker and leave. I approached abruptly, "I need you to do me a favor, well it wouldn't just be for me, but for many." She closed her locker, and adjusted her hold on her bag. Brynn then displayed her usual narrowed eyes when she wasn't sure of something. Which was fittingly appropriate for what I was going to ask of her.

"I'm pretty sure I owe you for something or other, so okay what do you want me to do?" She lost her looks of not sureness, and turned in the look for a simple smile. Brynn was right, and she probably did owe me for something or other. After all I was one of helping others, but nothing I helped her with would go in place of the favor I had in mind. I fidgeted with the neckline of my shirt before responding, "Before you even consider what I'm going to ask of you, remember once that we were best friends and what some would recall more than that." I winked playfully lightning the mood before requesting the favor. That's when her smile disappeared and once again her eyes narrowed, "I don't know about the more than that part, but I would still like to see us as best friends."  Brynn replied, but I paused trying to flatter her instead to call bs for a quick moment, "To be best friends we would have to actually talk to each other, but we can talk about that later." I pointed out but kept a smile just to keep the convo light as possible.

"Enough stalling Luke, what do you want from me?" She snapped, and chose to ignore that last comment of mine.

"I need you to talk to Calum," As her face dropped I knew I risked losing her interest in this entire conversation so I had to redeem myself, "He won't talk to me anymore, and I just want my best friend back." I steered my words so that she would feel sorry for me, and have to do it. Even if that meant adding a fake sniffle at the end. Brynn's eyes soften and I knew I had gotten to her. There was no way that she could say no now. She searched the hallways for a second as if she was looking for someone; Xander. Then she sighed an annoyed like sigh, "I've been meaning to talk to him anyway, so I will." I had a lot of comments I wanted to make, and I also sorta wanted to pry. Yet I had just asked for a big favor, and couldn't risk her changing her mind. Brynn noticed I had opened my mouth to say something, but when I didn't she simply mumbled a bye and walked off. It bothered me that the only person Calum would even think about talking to is Brynn, like I've been around longer then she has.

"Luke," Carter called from behind me, and attempted to jump on my back. She may have done track, but high jump just wasn't her thing. I spun around to see her clutching an energy bar in one hand, and an energy drink in the other, "I have an extended cross country practice today, so I'll see you later." She smiled a bit over exactly, and it probably had to do with how loaded she was with sugar. I held her wrist to calm her down, and stop her from jumping up. Carter's eyes lighted up and instantly she was still, "I'll call you later though, I promise." She explained, and I let her go. With that she sprinted down the hallway off to practice but yelled mid sprint, 'I need to save my energy'. As often as I was with Carter, I still felt like I was constantly missing her. Since when I've become clingy, probably since I lost all my friends. I close my locker and continue to process different thoughts as I walk down the hallway and away from everything else.

"Hey, wait up!" A familiar strawberry blonde called out from my left. I didn't bother stopping, and continued to walk towards the school's exit. James being as persistent as always, and chose not to get a hint. Continued to follow behind me until she could catch up. I didn't say anything as she stood next to me with her arms crossed, and didn't plan on it until she tried calling me out. James cleared her throat before speaking up, "There was a time when we were actually friends, and you were practically in love with me." She scoffed, and that's what got me to stop for a moment. I looked at her smug face and tried to control myself, "Friends? Maybe, but I was never in love with you. Trying to sleep with you? Yes, but in love with you would be taking it a bit far." My use of tone that was saturated in sarcasm, did just the trick of wiping off that smug look on her face.