Friends Forever, huh?

Chapter 20 | stay

It's Friday now--two days after my phone call with Cole's mother. It's taken every inch of self control that I possess not to go rushing off to his home immediately, but my mother told me I needed to catch up on my homework first.  Evidently, the amount of unfinished homework has accelerated to the point of being problematic if I don't immediately complete it. She told me that I could see him on Friday. Finally, finally, the bell has rung and I can leave the dreaded school to look for my elusive friend.

However, nothing can be that simple and I'm stopped by Shelby on the way out.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes." I nod, refraining from rolling my eyes, "It's Friday. I'm going home."

To my surprise, she doesn't respond with some snarky comment or call me another name. She simply nods, letting me walk away. I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh Ashley?"

Shoot. That sigh of relief came too soon.

"I need to tell you something," she beckons me closer and I come reluctantly, knowing that there's nothing to be gained in pretending I didn't hear.

"What do you need to tell me?" I raise an eyebrow, imbuing my tone with sarcasm.

She shrugs, examining her perfectly painted fingernails with nonchalance, "I noticed your friend Cole wasn't here this week." My body tenses immediately, knowing that wherever this is headed it cannot be good.

"Guess he got tired of hanging out with a loser like you...just like I did." Suddenly, she cocks her head in mock confusion, "oh wait. I never wanted to hang out with you."

"That's not what you said in the bathroom that day."

"I lied," she gives me a sickly sweet smile and I grit my teeth, not willing to let her see the way her words affected me.

"Fine," I reply as I walk away. When I settle into my car, I take a deep breath as Shelby's words sink in. She was pretending after our talk in the bathroom. She never intended to be friends with me again.

My acting skills may be lacking but hers sure aren't. I thought she truly wanted to be my friend.

Gullible.

That's why I was constantly being taunted for my gullibility! Each time Shelby or the boys got in their digs about me being gullible, they were revealing my foolishness. Who else but Ashley the gullible would believe that Shelby Stace would want to be friends with her?

I groan, frustrated at myself for being played for a fool. Only I would be idiotic enough to see the best in her even after the way she treated me. Attempting friendship with her was a mistake and I swear that I'll never make it again.

I shake my head, refusing to dwell on Shelby's words for long. She doesn't get the satisfaction of that. Shelby is a girl who I thought I knew. I was wrong. I'm never making the mistake of trusting her again. We used to be friends, but that was then. Now, there's nothing left but a shadow of our old friendship. She's no longer someone I should care about. So I won't. I won't let her get to me. I won't waste any more thoughts on her.

I drive to Cole's uncle's house, suddenly nervous about seeing him. What will I say? What will he say? What if he refuses to speak to me?