Let Her Go

Chapter 2

"how do these look?" Angie turned to me and made a duck face while modeling the sunglasses and scarf. We were at View Point Mall, which Angie decided to take me to in order to cheer me up after my doctor's appointment. But after just 20 minutes, I just want to go home, change into my kitty kat onesies, and eat some cookies n' cream ice cream on the couch and binge watch Pretty Little Liars on Netflix.

"They look fine."

"Fine? Oh c'mon, B. "Fine" has been your answer for the last 3 pairs. You're not even trying!" Her voice rose with each word until she let out an exasperated sigh at the end. "Look, I understand you aren't in the mood, but I'm trying here, B." Her hands reached out to hold mine. She looked up from the movement to make eye contact and I almost cried when I saw the tears that were welling in her eyes. "Please," she took a deep breath, probably to compose herself, "please just tell me there's still a point in trying."

All I could do was nod even though I did want her to stop trying. I wanted everyone to stop trying because there really wasn't a point anymore.

Before my thoughts could wander there too much, I grabbed Angie's hand and pulled her in the direction of the food court.

"C'mon, I'm starving."

As we sat down at the table for four, we were both chuckling about the lady in front of us who was yelling at the cashier boy for getting her order wrong. The thing that was funny is how high pitched her voice was, she sounded like Theodore from Alvin and the Chipmunks.

"Excuse me, sir, I asked for a chocolate chip Blizzard not cookie dough! What kind of idiot are you to get that wrong!" Angie mimicked. "I'm gonna call your boss-

"Ma'am, I apologize for messing u-

"No! I'm gonna call the owner of the company-

"But ma'am-" I tried to continue our little charade, but we were both consumed with laughter by then.

"Something funny?" I opened my eyes in time to see a broad frame fill the empty seat next to me. My confused expression met a  smiling one as I made eye contact with the boy from the movie theater.

"Hi." He smiled a broad smile that showed his teeth and everything. Only today, I noticed he had purple braces. I don't know why, but at that moment, no coherent thought was forming so I said the only thing I could think of.

"Braces?" He bit his lip as if the confidence he had swaggered into the seat with had vanished from his body and a flash of shyness replaced it.

He scratched the back of his neck and faced forward in his chair. "Uh, yeah. They come off in a few weeks though." He looked at Angie and smiled. "What's up, Ang. Everything good?" Angie crossed her arms over her chest and chuckled dismissing his comment.

I only just realized the guy who was with him at the movie theater was sitting next to Angie. He sat back in the chair in a relaxed position, seemingly people watching.

Since no one was talking, I decided to join him and looked out at the sea of people eating their meals right along with us. In front of us was a young couple talking and laughing and sharing looks of adoration. To my right, a mother sat with two toddlers, a boy and a girl, who were making a mess and giggling while the mother stared at nothing in particular, appearing sad. I wonder why she wasn't making them stop the food throwing. I even wondered where the father was; maybe that's why she was sad.

"So what you ladies got planned for today?"

"None of your-

"We're just gonna walk around the mall. Maybe you guys could join us." Angie flashed a cheeky grin to the one next to her and I knew that meant she saw something she liked. Angie didn't find many guys cute, but when she did, there was no way she couldn't get him to fall. And they always did. I, on the other hand, was a hormonal boy crazy teenager but had no experience whatsoever to show for it.

"If you guys are gonna follow us around though, it's only fair that you tell us your names..." That thought reminded me that we really hadn't learned their names and I was slightly embarrassed that I didn't remember to ask. Both boys chuckled.

The one next to me pointed at his friend across the table. "That's Cameron," he took a short pause then turned his head to look at me. Dark locks fell across his face covering his long lashes while hinting towards puppy dog brown eyes. The look almost seemed intentional. "And I'm Calum" he finished with a wide grin before turning his body to face me completely.

Calum. The name fits him. "So Calum, will you tell me why you and Cameron here," I jerked my head slightly to the tan, curly haired boy across the table, "are stalking us?"

Calum leaned forward and rested his arm against the back of my chair. His face was so close to mine I could feel his breath tickling the tiny hairs on my neck. He was so close. The air around me became warmer the closer his proximity. I took an unsteady breath as the nearness began to make me uncomfortable.

I cleared my throat and the action seemed to bring him back to reality. He went back to his previous position he was in before whatever weirdness just happened.

"Sometimes guys just appreciate the company of pretty girls." This came from Cameron who flashed his movie star white teeth at Angie. Yup, he was hooked.

I was painstakingly aware that I'll probably be forced to tag along with them until Angie added him to the notches on her bedpost. Just another Tuesday in this town.

"And pretty girls like me don't like hanging out with fuckboys like you. Excuse us." Angie flipped her hair over her shoulder before standing up with her tray and heading over to the trash can. I giggled to myself and followed suit.

Cameron raised a thick eyebrow at her. He walked over to us and looked directly at Angie when a smirk crossed his face. "But sometimes you do like to "hang out" with us. Otherwise we wouldn't have gotten the title fuckboys."

She gasped.

He winked and walked back over to the table we had just occupied. She turned to me then. The look the gave me was one of pure unsatisfaction. Never has a guy been able to retort her like that. She was flustered by the whole experience. I laughed and wrapped my arms around her waist, turning her in the direction of the stores, the boys flagged our rear shortly.

I glanced back at them and found soft brown eyes looking right back at me. I turned back quickly uncomfortable with the whole scene.

Never have I ever hung out with boys outside of school since I was about 8. It's not for a lack of trying on there part but almost 10 years ago my life changed and it won't change back. Boys were no longer a part of the equation and as time went on, life didn't give me a reason to care or try.

So I stopped.

And I don't ever want to start again. It won't be long before it won't matter what I want anyways. It'll all be over soon enough.