Best Friends For Never

Chapter 1

TWO YEARS LATER

TALIA’S POV

I slipped on my other shoe then stood up, checking my reflection in the mirror in front of me. I had gone for a black dress and a pair of black stilettos, nothing special, but it looked nice nonetheless. I put on some more mascara and checked my hair, before grabbing my purse and heading downstairs.

“Mom, I’m going out with Liam and Sophie. Bye!” I shouted, hoping that she wouldn’t ask me any questions about where exactly I was going.

“Out?” I heard her repeat. I turned around and mentally groaned as I saw her walk out of the kitchen, my dad by her side.

“Yes, out. Like, to a party,” I quickly explained. My hand was already on the door and I was ready to leave. Too bad neither of my parents were going to let me go that easily.

“You mean ‘see you at four o’clock in the morning, when I get home drunk and throw up in the plants?’” My dad folded his arms over his chest, obviously trying to seem authoritative.

I rolled my eyes. He was exaggerating. It really wasn’t four o’clock; it was one or two, max. But yes, I may or may not have been slightly tipsy.

“It was only once that I threw up in the plants and that was because I had some really bad sushi." So the whole sushi thing was a total lie, I didn't even like sushi, but it sounded pretty believable to me.

“You don't even like sushi!" My mom said, exposing my thoughts.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that believable.

"You know what, I bet it had something to do with that Liam boy," my dad piped up.

"'That Liam boy' is my boyfriend," I corrected him with a sigh of annoyance.

"Boyfriend? Boyfriend?" He repeated in disgust. "He looks like Sonic the Hedgehog, have you seen his hair?"

I rolled my eyes again. Liam just happened to have a few piercings and bright blue hair. Did it matter? Wasn’t it what was on the inside that counted? Maybe, if they had bothered to actually meet him properly, then they would know a little bit more about him than just his hair color.

“Liam does not look like a hedgehog! And just because he looks different doesn’t mean you have the right to judge him,” I said pointedly.

“Oh, please,” my mom said. “This isn’t about judging Liam, it’s about you.”

“Yeah, I get it. It's the same speech every time, mom. I say I'm going out, you say no and then I have to listen to you rant before I leave," I shrugged. "I think we should just cut to the part where I leave, to speed things up a little, you know?"

“What’s happening to you, Talia? You used to be such a good girl!” My mom said in a defeated tone, sighing and causing me to roll my eyes. Honestly, why was she acting like I had turned into some kind of murderer? I was just a teenager trying to have some fun.

I shrugged at her again, glancing at the clock impatiently.

She didn't notice and continued to talk. “You used to be such a good daughter, but now, you don’t even care about what your own parents feel.”

The important words in that sentence are ‘used to.’ Since apparently, according to my own mother, I am no longer a good daughter. I ignored the feeling her words had on me. Yes, it hurt me, but I didn't want to show her that.

“You haven’t been a good daughter or even a good person. Not since Nate left.”

My gut wrenched at the sound of the name Nate. Nate had been my best friend since we were in diapers, until he moved to England when we were fifteen.