Wherever You Are

Chapter 10: Felicia's Unsent Letter

November 3, 2015

Dear Jonah,

School started two months ago and surprisingly, I've never had a better time at school than right now. Ashley is gone and off to college who knows where. I'm glad she's out of my hair and I can finally enjoy my high school career without being tormented and constantly reminded of us.

When Ashley left things got weird though. On the first day of school I was standing at my locker and as I was putting my books away I saw someone walking closer to me out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to see who it was and I saw Isabella making her way toward me. When we made eye contact she stopped in her tracks and went white as a ghost. I thought for sure that she was going to come over and slam my books to the ground or something. She didn't though. She let out a breath and turned on her heels to walk the other way.

I shrugged it off and thought I'd see her at some other point during the day. I was right about that too. We have three classes together. Two in a row and then the other one last. She kept her distance from me. She seemed scared of me for some reason. There wasn't a rumor going around. At least not that I was aware of. No one saying I punched Ashley in the face and broke her nose. There was no reason for her to be so scared.

This went on for a week. It was really bothering me. Anytime we made eye contact or I so much as walked near her she would tense up and move in the opposite direction. One day just as the bell rang. I walked straight to the door and followed her to her locker.

She put in her combination and put her books away. It was my chance to pounce. I walked right up behind her and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She turned around with a big smile that dropped the minute she saw me.

Her eyes got wide and I could see the blood drain from her face. "Isabella, what's going on?" I asked genuinely concerned.

She let out a puff of breath and hung her head low. "I'm sorry. I've been acting weird because I want to apologize for everything, but I have just been to scared to even approach you. I have acted horribly to you and there is no reason for you to forgive me."

"Isabella," I said.

"I know that I have been a real bitch and I'm probably the last person you want to speak to." She was rambling and I knew I wasn't going to get her to stop. So waited for her to finish. "I feel horrible and I wanted to try to fix some of the damage I've caused."

"Isabella, are you done?" I asked with a stern look on my face. She sighed and nodded. I smiled. "I forgive you."

Her jaw dropped and I didn't know someone's eyes could get that big. "What?" she asked.

I didn't want to hold any grudges. I was ready to let it all go. It was in the past and there was nothing I could do about it. There was a lot that she had done to me, but the fact that she stood in front of me and poured her heart out with an apology meant she could be forgiven. "I forgive you."

She pulled me into an unexpected hug. She quickly released me when I didn't hug back. "Oh, sorry," she said covering her mouth, but laughing. "Not there yet?" she asked jokingly.

I laughed with her and shook my head.

So that was how my friendship with Isabella began. She explained to me that after Ashley graduated she stood up to her and told her she didn't want to be her friend anymore. She told her she didn't want to be mean and ruin people's lives anymore. Ashley didn't take it very well and actually ended up slapping Isabella in the face, but she said it was worth it, as long as she was away from her. We hung out more and more after that. I introduced her to Seth and Sandra but left out the part where she was the girl who you kissed. I introduced her to Spencer too and the three of us became the best of friends.

The three of us even became a little popular. We had our own table at lunch. People in our classes started to talk to us randomly. We were just attracting people. It felt good to have friends. I had never felt more alone over the summer. It was a constant feeling of wanting to have someone to talk to. There was Spencer and I did talk to him, but I always felt like I was bothering him. He was too sweet to tell me otherwise, but it was a lonely three months.

I still love you,

Felicia