DEAD INSIDE

(10)

Fat Harry's was packed when we got there but we managed to get a boot for four.

"I've decided it was high time I stopped waiting for Niall to notice me..." Deedee announced after the waitress left us to get our orders.

"Do you have somebody else in mind?" Mel asked her.

"Nah. I just think I've given him enough opportunities already..." The only reason why she was still crushing on him was that he kept sending her mixed signals. He always acknowledged her in the halls and had even got her a Valentine rose the year before but he never came to talk to her.

At first we'd thought that he was just shy but after witnessing him go through girls quicker than we changed socks, we soon realized that it was far from being the case.

Deedee was clearly the least outspoken of our group. Her skin was fair and it turned crimson whenever she was put on the spot. So for her to put herself out there at the Harvest had been huge. I still couldn't believe she'd done it.

"I'm with you, Deedee..." I was the one to break the uncomfortable silence that had followed her decision. "You deserve someone who sees you and cherishes who you are and with the way he's been acting over the years, Niall's clearly not that..."

"She's right..." Mel looked somber and I knew she must have been thinking about Alex.

Marla chose not to say anything for some reason. Maybe it was because she was embarrassed to have been picked by her own crush when her two best friends hadn't, I didn't know but she did look pretty uncomfortable so I decided to change the topic.

"Did you get any news from Alex?" Mel's face fell and my suspicions were confirmed.

"The Dude really is an ass..." I interjected and she shrugged. "He is, Mel!" I insisted, my broken voice squeaking strangely. "He's supposed to be your best friend and look at the way he's been treating you!?"

"What Ali means is that Alex should have at least texted you to apologize..." Deedee intervened.

"There might be another explanation..." Marla muttered and the three of us turned to face her as one.

She was wearing her glossy curls down that day and she looked gorgeous in her white knitted dress, black tights and boots.

"I think the pledges were supposed to be hazed all weekend long..." She explained. "Which means they are not allowed to communicate with anyone until tomorrow..."

I frowned.

"But I still think you're right though..." She added. "About moving on, I mean..."

There was something she wasn't telling us but the unease she was displaying right then told me that it was probably better left unsaid.

I'd dig more info later, I decided.

The waitress came back with our food and I took a huge bite of the cheeseburger I'd ordered.

"What if he doesn't call me?" Mel asked in a small voice a couple of minutes later.

"He will..." I stated. "I saw the way he looked at you... He's the reason why Damian invited you in the first place..." I reminded her.

"Hmm... I guess you're right..." She muttered.

"Still don't want to tell us who did this to you?" Deedee asked, pointing at the scarf around my neck with a fry hanging from her fingers.

"There's nothing to say..." I mumbled uncomfortably.

"Can I say what I think happened?" She went on and I knew it was a rhetorical question so I didn't say a word. "I'm pretty sure they went mad when Gregory's video hit the web, and when on top of that they couldn't find you, they lost it. So when they saw you all dressed up getting out of Mel's car at six the morning, one of them snapped."