Unexpected (Avi Kaplan)

Before He Cheats

"Come on Ivy! You can't keep practicing or you'll blow your voice!" a blond girl yelled over the sound of the stereo system that was blasting a constant repeat of Rolling in the Deep by Adele. Reluctantly turning the music down, I stuck my head out of the door and looked at my friend with narrowed eyes, finding it hard not to break into a smile at the scolding look she gave me.

"Fine, fine. You win. I just can't help it," I told her as I finally opened the door completely, revealing the sweatpants and matching over-sized sweatshirt I had decided to wear. Leaning up against the door frame, I crossed my arms and sighed. "the talent show is tomorrow and I don't think I'm ready just yet," I added, worry covering my face as I shake my head.

I hated that I had to look up at my friend, even though she was 5'6". I was two inches shorter than her and barely managed to break the 110-pound mark. My hair was dark, almost black, but the caramel-colored highlights managed to lighten it slightly to a chocolate brown. My eye color wasn't the worst, but in my opinion, it definitely wasn't the best. They were hazel with green flecks throughout the irises, but there was just something I didn't like about them. Right now, those same hazel eyes were looking up into the baby blues of my best friend.

"I think you're just nervous because of Dean being there. You keep forgetting that you two are dating even though it's been almost a year. You can't keep getting nervous just because of him," Kalyn said with an exasperated tone, her head tilting to the side and causing her blonde hair to fall to the right. Straightening up and smirking slightly, Kalyn raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and began giggling without warning. "Or maybe, just maybe, you're nervous because of the fact that our school seems to be important enough to have Pentatonix of all people come perform and watch. I guess going to UCLA does have its perks," she said, dropping a bombshell without warning.

"Look I'm already nervous enough, and it doesn't help when you lie to me like that."

"Check this out," Kalyn said and handed me her phone, the school's website pulled up on it. She watched as I read, a smile on her face until she looked up only to see a white door in her face. "What the hell Ivy?"

"There's no way in hell I'm gonna stop practicing now!" I called, turning my music up and beginning to practice once again, refusing to leave my room for the rest of the day until I got hungry.

Around 5 in the evening, I finally emerged from my room to a quiet apartment, figuring it was a pretty good time to rest my voice. Heading to the kitchen, I looked for something, anything to eat, but found nothing I was in the mood for. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I grabbed my keys and wallet before heading out to my car, a 2014 white convertible Corvette Stingray. My baby. My parents told me they would get it for me if I managed to graduate in the top five of my class. I guess hard work does pay off. I decided that if I couldn't find anything to eat here, McDonald's was only a couple miles away. Pulling out of the parking lot, I headed to the fast food restaurant, finding an easy place to park and heading inside. As I looked around briefly to mentally claim a place to sit, my eyes ran over two familiar figures. Pausing to take a better look, my jaw dropped as I stood frozen, ignoring anything and everyone while I forced my feet to move, walking up to the small table.

The two broke up their mini-makeout session and looked up at me, shock on their faces. "Iv-"

"Don't say a damn word to me!" I screamed, easily drawing everyone's attention to me. "You know, Dean, I expected this from pretty much every other guy at school, but not you. I actually thought you might care about me. And you!" I said, pointing to the blonde, "You were supposed to be my BEST friend! I want your stuff out of my place by six, Kalyn, or I'll remove it myself," I said, tears threatening to spill over my cheeks. No tears. Not yet. Losing my appetite, I turned and ran out, speeding home without regards to the speed limit.

Getting back to the apartment, I went straight to my room and slammed the door behind me, throwing myself on the bed just as the tears became too much to handle. I don't remember going to sleep, but I did, despite how fitful it was. I have to admit that being hurt sucks, but I never felt a pain worse than being stabbed in the back by my best friend and boyfriend.