Small Town Southern Charm

Chapter Twelve

 The ride home was like the ride down, killer. I was so sick and tired of riding in the damn car, I would have started walking home if someone would have let me. Thomas and Josh talked to each other the whole way home while Jody slept with her head resting on my arm. I stayed quiet just looking out of the window, I couldn't seem to stop thinking about Johnny's status.

"We're home, finally." I spoke when we pulled into the driveway.

I woke up Jody before getting out of the car and grabbed my bags. I headed for the house but Josh stopped me. He pulled me away from the walkway so that Jody and Thomas could get by.

"I've been thinking." He said softly and I nodded for him to go on. "I think that maybe we should just be friends."

I couldn't hold back the smile that was coming and before I knew it I was hugging Josh. I don't know why but him breaking up with me made me very happy.

"So, best friends?" I asked while smiling.

"Best friends it is." He put his arm around my shoulder and we walked into the house.

"You guys are cheeky." Jody told us.

"We're best friends." I smiled.

"Yeah? And that's new since when?" Thomas asked.

"No, we're just best friends. No more dating."

Thomas and Jody looked at each other confused. Then I smiled at both of them like I was crazy. Jody pulled me to the other room and looked at me like 'are you okay?'

"Why are you so happy now?" She asked.

"I have my best friend back." I smiled.

"This is about Johnny." She smiled.

The truth was it really wasn't. I was just happy that I didn't have to ruin my friendship with Josh.

"It's really not. I'm just happy that I have my best friend back."

"So, you're telling me you're not going to talk to Johnny?"

"Not unless he talks to me."

"Mhmm." She grinned. "I totally think that a tattooed guy would look better with their arm around your waist."

I had such a strange best friend, she said the funniest things.

"Let's go take a nap." I told her trying to get out of that situation. "Josh, we're going to take a nap. You going to be here when we get up?"

"Na, I'm gonna head home." He smiled.

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Today was the first day of school and I wasn't ready. I didn't want to face Johnny but when I got to school I had a rude awakening. He was in most of my classes and he wouldn't even make eye contact with me. Granted Jody was in most of those classes too so I had someone to distract me from Johnny.

I wanted that day to end so bad already but when I got the text I got, I really wanted it over. My mom texted me and told me that my Grandmother had died the night before. She was in a different state so she was getting moved down here so we could bury her in our state. I was in the last class of the day, the one without Jody of course. Johnny was in the class with me but he was going to be no help to me right now.

I sat there in the back of the class tearing up, I just wanted to walk out. I knew I couldn't though because I couldn't risk getting in trouble my senior year. Since there was no lesson going on in the class, I laid my head down on the desk and just cried. I hadn't had the chance to tell my Grandmother that I loved her or that I would be seeing her.

"You okay?" Hearing his voice surprised me but I ignored him. "Tara, what's wrong?"

"Why does it matter? Why do you care?" I whispered between sobs.

"Tara, we might not have talked in months but I'm not going to just sit there and let you cry like everyone else is. Teacher, I need to take her out of here." Johnny spoke again.

"Okay but don't be gone too long."

Johnny walked me out of the classroom and stopped when he got to the middle of the hallway.

"Okay, can I know why you're crying at least?" He asked.

"My Grandmother died last night. Look, thank you for making it look like you still care but I have to go. I have to get out of here."

With that I walked away from Johnny. I walked to the office and told them why I had to leave, they understood after I called my mom and told her to explain.

When I got home, I felt so alone. I needed someone, anyone...so I called Josh. He didn't work today so I knew he'd come over to be with me until Jody came.

Friday we buried my Grandmother and I hated every single minute of it. I just wanted all of this to be a dream.

"We're going to that party tonight Jody." I told her as we made our way home from the funeral.

"But Tara.."

"No buts, I have to. I want all of this off of my mind."

"When were you going to tell me that you and Johnny were talking?" Jody asked as we sat in the living room.

"Honestly, I hadn't even thought about it."

"Well, don't just sit there. Tell me what happened."

"It was the day mom texted me about her dying and I was sitting in class crying with my head down. He came up and asked what was wrong. He walked me out of the class and I said thanks for acting like you care but I have to leave."

"Wow, way to be harsh Tara."

"Yeah I guess I was a little mean wasn't I?"

Jody wanted me to talk to Johnny and make things better. At first she just wanted me to move past it because it was putting me down all the time. Then she came to the conclusion that I was so down about it because I had really grown to like him and that he might be 'the one'. I did like him but he decided to walk away from me that day, I would have explained to him why I did what I did.

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This story isn't going to be as long as 'Who Knew?' but I hope it's as good as some people thought 'Who Knew?' was.

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