"Friends"

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter 18

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After School

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The bell rang for the end of last period and Lotte was freaking out about what I told her with what happen with Asher sixth period.

"Ugh!" She squealed as we walked to our lockers. "Do you know what all this means??" She asked me desperately.

"No," I rolled my eyes playfully looking at the ground as people passed us by.

"Asher totally adores you! Which means you guys are totally going to start dating soon, which totally means y'all will go to the Halloween party together the week after next, which totally means homecoming DATE," Lotte explained leaning on the lockers in a dreamy matter. I laughed unlocking my combination.

"Haha! Whatever Lotte. You sound more excited than me," I placed my notebooks in there.

"Cause he kissed you!" She squealed.

"No no, we did not kiss. He pecked my cheek. There's a difference," I corrected her.

"So what!! His luscious lips touched YOUR face. That's the beginning of something!!" I busted out laughing with my head back as she laughed at me. "I'm serious!" She slapped my arm. We were heading toward the parking lot but I forgot my cheer bag.

"Ah, shoot. I gotta go to the locker room and get my bag. But I'll text you tonight girl," I turned around going toward the cheer locker rooms.

"Kaayyy. I'll be home," she waved. "Love ya."

"Same!"

I began walking to the cheer locker room which was actually by the parking lot and I was on my phone scrolling on Twitter, when I opened the door to Celeste and her friends already there giggling. Knowing so, I went through the second door that everyone forgets about that is usually locked. They didn't even hear me come in as they must've been talking about something extremely juicy, so being the girl I am, I decided to hang back and eavesdrop just because I know it's something she'd do me....

"Omg Celeste, are you serious?" I heard Jasmine's voice behind the rest of the others giggles.

"Hell yeah," she responded dumbly. I had to see what was up, so I slowly peaked my head from around the corner, but not enough for them to notice me...

Celeste had one foot on the benches, applying on some pink lip gloss that was actually kind of cute, and she poked out her lips and bumped up her hair like she was about to go out on a date or something. "And get this," she stopped her friends. "No one caught us, so I'm going out with him tonight," she shrugged looking at her compact mirror. I was concerned she was talking about Jake for a moment knowing I had to meet him at the mall later.

'Would he lie to me?' I mouthed to myself with crinkled eyebrows. 'I thought he wanted to help me? Is he joking?'

"Where are y'all going?" Niki asked. Celeste closed her mirror and replied with an evil like smirk of mean bitch.

"His place. He said he wanted to 'Netflix and chill'," she used quotation marks. I gasped and held my breath with my back on the wall, still beyond the corner.

"Omg really??" Jasmine squealed. "So you agreed?" 'Jake lied to me??' I kept thinking. I looked at them again.

"Ha! Duh, like I was about to turn down senior Andrew Broader. Like, what the fuck?" She answered quickly in an accent. They all laughed. I widen my eyes and returned myself to behind the wall as my mind literally just blew up.

'Omg!!?' I thought hysterically. 'Is Celeste REALLY cheating on Jake!!?' I bit my bottom lip, acting as if it was ME she was cheating on.

I pecked my head around the corner once again and they were still laughing as Celeste grabbed her cheer duffle bag and so did Niki and Jasmine and they headed out the door, but I had to see this for myself.

Celeste was walking to her convertible Mustang, and Niki and Jasmine who parked beside her like a sandwich her was happy for her.

"Omg, that's so exciting Celeste!" Jasmine, a biracial girl with thick natural curls cheered. She was honestly the nicest out of the group, but I never thought to befriend her. I had not business too, but I stayed back still listening from the locker room door.

"Yeah! But, what if Jake finds out?" Niki asked concerned for her friend. I leaned forward a bit.

"Jake, will NOT find out. I told him my daddy has a business offer across town and he wants me to go to the signing. Which is true, but I told him we can't hang out, 'cause afterwards Imma be smoochin' on Broader," she faked kissed her friends unlocking her car. They all laughed while I totally gasped.

"Omg! Celeste really is cheating on Jake!!" I whisper-yelled to myself. I still stayed hidden from them, my back on the door. I peaked my head back out again.

"Omg Celeste, you are so slick," Jasmine boosted her.

"I know right! Well bye biotches! I'll FaceTime y'all all about it afterwards," Celeste went into her car.

"Haha, bye girl!"

"Bye!"

"Love ya!" Her friends all said.

I returned myself back into the locker room, and I was speechless as I walked to my locker staring at the ground.

"Ugggh, what the heck!?" I whispered to myself agitated. "What am I suppose to do??" I sighed rolling my eyes as I unlocked my locker grabbing my bag, and taking out my now off white cheer shoes. I paused still thinking about everything.

"I cannot tell Jake Celeste is cheating on him. I mean....thats weird! Jake probably won't even believe me!!" I had to say. I bit my bottom lip thinking about it more. "And he's writing that song for her for homecoming! I can't tell him, he's been working too hard on that and she needs to hear him play again! He's really good, Jake is a good boyfriend!" I had to admit.

Not knowing what I was going to do, I just figured I'd keep it to myself and let Jake figure it out for himself....

"I might as well," I said to myself in my Volkswagen as I left school campus. "After all, he might become too distraught and stop helping me get with Asher because of all that...and honestly, we can't let that happen. Not when Asher and I are just now climbing up at the peak of everything and yes that's selfish of me," I told myself stopping at the light. "But Jake wouldn't care. Besides, he'll figure it out on his own. Celeste can't keep a secret like that for long. She'll probably break up with him after she realizes Andrew might be the better pick...."

I thought about what I just said and sighed as I crossed the intersection, driving with one hand indecisive.

"But if Jake ends up being upset...I'll be there for him if he needs a shoulder to lean on. I may hate his guts for legit reasons, but he's still my friend.... I have to be there for him..." I paused with squinted eyes realizing what I just said again and I had to add....

"Maybe."

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