Something Great

Chapter 7

Kristel's POV

I woke up to a text from Louis:

Louis: Good morning, Kristel. :) Hey, I remember the girl's name. The one we saw yesterday at the park. Her name's Courtney Prior. See ya at school! :)

Courtney Prior. Of course.

I did my usual morning routine. Louis said nothing about picking me up, so I figured I might as well walk with Kate on the way to school. We were in no rush since it was only 7am and in our new schedules, Kate and I both have our free period until eight.

We were only about a block away from our house when Liam's car stopped a little way ahead of us. We walked toward it and he pulled his window down.

"Hey, ladies. Hop in?"

I looked at Kate who raised her eyebrows. She doesn't want to be the one to decide. Ugh.

"Sure, Liam." I said with a smile.

Kate was signalling for me to sit shotgun. It would be quite awkward for us to both sit at the back with only Liam in front, and it would be awkward if she was in front, since any shot at a conversation would more or less come from me or Liam.

So I sat shotgun, and we set off. Despite all our silent considerations, it was an awkward ride.

When we got to school, Kate left in a rush. She said she had something to attend to. It's free period! Gee, thanks, sis.

When I got out of the car, Liam said,

"It's your free period, too, right? Can we talk?"

"Sure." I told him.

He led me to a corridor outside the school where the football field could be seen from. There weren't any students here. Only in the field.

"About what?" I asked.

"About us."

I looked at him.

"What about 'us'?" I asked again.

"Do you... Do you still..." He was talking slowly.

"Do I still have feelings for you?"

"Yeah." he said with a sigh.

"Well... Yes." I sighed too. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I was wondering if we could... If we could go back to the way we were." he said, moving his gaze to the floor.

"I thought we already agreed that..."

"I know." he cut across me and looked at me again. "I know that. But..."

"What about Courtney?" I couldn't help but cut across him too.

He frowned.

"How..."

"Kate told me. She said that she asked you if she could tell me."

"I... She did. I told her I didn't know how to tell you."

He was biting his lip.

"Well what's up with you two now?" I had to ask.

"I... We argued."

"So what do you want with me? You want to make her jealous or something?" I snapped.

"No! I... I just thought... If we still had feelings for each other..."

"If we still had feelings for each other?! Then why'd you go and get yourself a girlfriend when we agreed to cool off?!" my voice rose. But not  yet to a shout.

Louis's POV

I was walking to the football field to get some exercise since I had a free period first thing on a Monday morning.

I chained my bike next to Liam's car as usual, and walked to the pitch through the corridor outside the school.

I was about to turn the last corner when I heard a familiar voice. I stopped.

"I didn't know what I was thinking, okay? I was devastated when you asked for that agreement. I felt like you were choosing him over me."

That was Liam.

"No, Liam. I just didn't want to hurt him. I thought you would understand!"

Kristel.

"I understand that you care about your best friend, Kristel! But I couldn't help it. It was unfair. It was like you were giving him a chance just because he likes you." I heard Liam say.

"I wasn't giving him a chance. I just didn't want him to get hurt! And we were fourteen, Liam! I was sure of my feelings for you, but I wasn't sure if I was ready for a relationship." Kristel said.

"Well, are you ready now? Kristel, please. Give me another chance." Liam said calmly.

"What about Courtney?" Kristel asked.

"She... She said she was tired of me trying to pretend to my friends that we were nothing. And she said that if that's what I want, that's what we can be. And she just... left me there."

"Was that why she looked upset? At the park, yesterday. Was that why you were busy with your phone, you were frowning, when we saw you? You were trying to contact her?" Kristel said.

"Yeah. I wanted to talk to her properly. I didn't want to tell anybody else about us, but I didn't want to hurt her either. I had to explain, but she left." Liam replied.

"So you were gonna break up with her anyway? Then why did you go out with her in the first place?"

"Well... Yeah, I guess. I like her, but I miss you."

They were both silent. I wanted to hear more, I figured there would be. Her answer. But I was afraid that they would see me there. So I left. I went to my locker. Nobody was in the hallway. I opened it, but I just stood there.

What felt like a million thoughts were surging through me.

They were talking about me. Kristel knows I like her, but she doesn't like me back. She likes Liam, I'm sure of it now, and he likes her back.

They were talking about an agreement. Kristel said something about when they were fourteen. Did they really have something going on back then? But there was a cool off. A two-year cool off, if she says yes.

"I wasn't giving him a chance. I just didn't want him to get hurt!"

Kristel's voice was ringing in my head.

She didn't want to give me a chance. That's probably true, even now. She didn't want me to get hurt. To get hurt because she and Liam liked each other. But the fact that she didn't tell me... That hurts a lot. Maybe I can't be her boyfriend, but I'm her best friend! Why couldn't she tell me?

And they talked about Courtney. Courtney Prior. She and Liam must have been going out. I think I just found out the reason why my best friend was so distant for the past few weeks. They were arguing. They must have always been arguing. He wanted to break up with her. And she sort of just broke up with him.

I was so angry with them. I felt like I could punch Liam in the face. He was my best friend. He didn't tell me he was going out with Kristel then, and he didn't tell me he was going out with Courtney Prior just recently.

Is that why he didn't want to tell me? Was he afraid that Kristel might find out? Or was he planning to let us know anyway, because he was using Courtney to make Kristel jealous?

I felt no guilt in thinking those things about my best friend. I have every right to judge for they kept all this from me.

And Kristel. She knew all along. But she could never like me back. That's why she didn't tell me. She was thinking of me like I was her brother. She didn't want me hurt. But what I'm feeling right now?

I swear it hurts.

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A/N. So... Questions answered? ;) Or not quite? Well, I said it once, I'll say it again: There will be more. And don't worry, this won't be the last you'll hear of Courtney ;)