Freshman

Run

Dani's POV

The first thought to occur to me when I see Abby is, run. Run from all my problems, all the sh*t we went through. But I can't, Jeremy's my ride home. This is exhausting.

Avoid eye contact, avoid eye contact. Jeremy whips around to look at me. "Hey what's wrong?" he frowns at me.

"I don't know what you mean, nothing's wrong" I say avoiding the look in his eyes.

Jeremy laughs, "And I'm the Queen of England. There's a reason you're cringing behind me. What's got the big bad Ellie so scared?"

"I'm not scared!" I defend and stamp my foot.

"Yeah?" he raises an eyebrow. "Cuz it looks to me like you are" Jeremy points out while paying for the yogurt and thanking the cashier.

"I just don't want to attract attention" I say as we walk to the table, and I adjust my shopping bags that are resting securely on my arms.

Jeremy snorted. "That's a first"

I frown at him."I just don't wanna see Abby" I confessed

"Who's Abby?" he asked as we sit down at the table.I move my head so I can see her past the old guy in front of us, and she still hasn't seen me. She's handing out samples of yogurt though.

"My used to be best friend"

"What happened?"

"I got into the populars, and they didn't like her"

"So why didn't you leave them? Don't you value her more then that?" he says and takes a bite.

"Yeah but...."

"But what?"

"I needed to be popular" Jeremy scowled at my words. "No one needs to be popular. Are you that insecure you needed the security of hiding behind being a b*tch?"

"It's not like that, I"

"What's this really all about huh? How could you desert your best friend?!"

I didn't say anything. He got me, I know he did. I took a bite of my yogurt to avoid talking. I hate this friking interrogation and all it's bullsh*t.

"Dani, answer me. Why?" he says, his voice getting louder. I can feel the anger building up inside of me.

"I just wanted people to like me!" I finally exclaim, hoping that no one in the mall heard that. His expression softens, and I feel myself scowl. I don't need his pity.

"Does this have anything to do with how you were bullied as a kid?" Who the hell does this kid think he is?

"I don't even know you! Stop messing with my head and pulling all this physcology crap on me! You're not a doctor!"

"I'm not saying anything that doesn't need to be said. Has being popular changed you that much? She stuck by you when you needed it, and you should've stuck by her" I want to be angry, I really do but I have nothing to say to that. I knew I changed, I knew I was different. But I didn't know how badly I've changed. Maybe I am just a slut.

I push the thought away, I don't want to think about that right now. Well, not here anyways.

"It's not that I don't ever want to talk to her again, I do. I just don't think she'll want to talk to me"

"Girls, really so much unecessary drama" he stands up, and pushes his chair in.

"Where are you going?"

"To fix your mistake, you're welcome".

"What?" I ask as he walks over to Abby. "No stop!" I call after him. It's happening. I'm panicking.

"Hi, I'm Jeremy" he sticks out his hand for her to shake, and she does. She looks at him nervously. "Hi, I'm Abby"

"Pretty name for a pretty girl. This may seem kind of random, but do you have any free samples?"

"Um yeah sure. We have this new blueberry frozen yogurt called Blueberry Breeze and...."

"Could I try some?"

"Sure" she smiles and hands him a dark blue tester container filled with blue yogurrt.

"Mmmm delicious" he says after taking a bite. I'm in complete awe of his nerve. "I think I'm goona go buy some.Why don't you talk to my friend Dani, and I'll go get us some ice cream" he drags me forward by the arm, and I slap him on the arm in response. Abby has a look on her face like a deer caught in the headlights, and I'm sure I look the exact same.

"Hi" she greets me, and looks down.

"Hi" I answered back.

"You hang out with that guy?" she points to Jeremy with the arm that isn't holding the tray. "He doesn't look like part of your crowd"

I shrug. "I've taken him under my wing, he wouldn't even have been able to talk to you without me"

"That's nice" she comments.

"How are you?" I ask, desperately wanting to change the subject and loathing Jeremy entirely for making me do this.

"I'm good, just made the rep soccer team"

"See?" I smile at her news. "I always told you you could do it"

"Yeah" she smiles. Then her expression turns dark. "I'm glad you're having fun. And that you and Will are happy together" I wouldn't call it happy right now.

"Thanks" I smile weakly and she returns it. But I can see the pain in her eyes, the hurt and betrayal. I feel like a monster.

"Abby?" I ask.

"Yeah?" she answers. I'm not ready to apologise yet, what do I say?

"I wanted to invite you to my party this weekend. Well, Will's party hosted at my house. My parents are going away and Alysha's inviting some grade 12's. It's going to be sick"

"I don't know" she purses her lips. "Sounds like it'll get out of control. And Lizzy doesn't exactly like me"

"She'll be too smashed to know the difference between Jeremy and Channing Tatum"

Abby laughs."Is Jeremy going?" she looks at him, smiles and he waves back. What's going on there?

"I don't know" I answered honestly. "The football team doesn't really like him. But I'm sure they can put up with it"

"Well, maybe I'll have to think about it. Okay?" she says and I nod.

"I should get going" I say she nods and I head over to Jeremy, who's making his way to me.

"How'd it go?" he asks and I shrug. "Better then expected"

"Oh goody!" He exclaims sarcastically and claps his hands together. I shove him on the arm.

"I hate you" I hiss at him and he grins. "This could be the start of a beautiful friendship"

"We'll see" I said and headed for the mall doors. "Let's just go home"

"Wait" he exclaims, and stops. "We still didn't buy me anything!"