For Zoey and Chase, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can't be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Chase even starts dating one of Zoe...
She was helpful, picking out the corsage I gave Jill.
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“I gave up one of my closest friends because of you, Chase. Because I thought the friendship we had was worth it. But the second you get guy friends, you push me aside. Do you have any idea how worthless you’ve made me feel? Did you even once think about my feelings every time you canceled on me?”
Because Logan always had the worst timing, he came down the hallway right then. “Come on, California! You coming or not?” he called out.
Zoey glared at him before she turned back to me. “Please don’t let me get in the way of your precious bro time.” She rolled her eyes.
That’s when I snapped. I no longer felt sorry for her. I was sick of the way she always made me feel like the things I wanted were stupid. That her time was more important than mine. For the way she kissed me and pretended it was nothing. That there were no consequences for her when it comes to me.
“This is all a joke for you, isn’t it?” I spat at her.
Her face turned white. “I never thought —”
I cut her off. “Yep, you never think.”
And then I walked away from her.
I had no desire to hear what she had to say anymore. I didn’t like being made to feel like I was letting her down. That I was a failure somehow. That I was single-handedly responsible for her happiness. That I was the one responsible for her not being friends with Lola anymore. It was a decision she had made. And it wasn’t my fault she wasn’t with Ian anymore, either. She needed to stop putting so much on our friendship.
I was a fifteen-year-old guy. What was so wrong with wanting to hang out with my friends? My real friends.
I went with Logan, but it was like I wasn’t there. I caught the ball because I needed to catch the ball. But that was it. My mind was back in that hallway. My mind would not move.
I wasn’t proud of myself for making Zoey sad or knowing full well she was probably crying at that very second, somewhere out of my reach.
But she just got to me.
I hated that she was making me feel guilty, when she was the one who should’ve been —
I mean, she was the one who, like, wanted to —
I was so angry, I couldn’t even think straight. I hated that I felt that way. I hated that I used to be able to tell Zoey everything, but couldn’t anymore.
She drove me nuts. She had these certain ways about her that would fill me with rage when I thought about it.
The way she would tease me.
The way she would expect me to be there for her.
The way she would rest her head on my shoulder when we’d watch a movie.
