Forever and Always • cel

Chapter 14

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

                                                                                                    — Helen Keller

"Hey Nia!" Clara walks up to Nia and gives her a hug. "Hey Clairbear! Hey Chloe!" Nia smiles, revealing her braces. I remember when I had them last year and Maddie called me metalmouth. At least I had Josh then. I feel a twinge of sadness. "Come on in Chloe!" Nia beckons and I realise I've been standing outside for too long. I smile and enter the house, navigating my way to the living room through the way-too-familiar house. All the other girls are already there, including Maddie. Oh, Josh is here too. The girls, except Maddie of course, are sitting bouncing on the couch and yelling when I walk over. "Hey! Come on Chloe! And Nia! We're gonna have such an awesome party!" Paige yells and pulls me by my wrist. I scream as I fall onto the super long couch.

"Let's take a picture of our Converses! Everybody feet up!" Brooke commands. Nia slips onto the couch between Kendall and I as we all stick up our feet. "Guys the order's off!" Clara yells and everybody laughs. "Fine! Rearrange!" I roll my eyes. Everyone positions themselves so that our Converse rainbow went in order. We got these Converses just last year, back when all of us were still really close and I was still in middle school. Funny how things could change so fast. Even Maddie has a pair. But she doesn't wear them anymore. I still wear mine occasionally, so do the other girls. After Brooke snaps a few photos, we all get off the couch and roam around.

I stick with Paige and we walk over to the food table, putting whatever we want on our plates. "Hey girls!" Josh pops up behind Paige and a gasp in shock. "Josh! You're not wanted here. Go away!" Paige yells and shoves him away. She drags me towards the other end of the room. I think Paige is more upset about our breakup than I am. "God, I hate him so bad! He's actually dating Maddie now! It's like the old him all over again and I never liked that version. At least when he dated you he still had some respect and stuff, but now, he's such a wild child. Gosh!" Paige complains. "I think you hate him more than I do!" I laugh. At that moment, I hear someone else laughing and look in that direction to catch a glimsp of a pair of bright pink Converse. I look at the face matching those feet. Wait, are my eyes playing tricks on me? I blink and look again. Yup, they're still there. "Is Maddie wearing her part of our Converse rainbow?" Paige asks in surprise. Maddie seems to have heard Paige as she turned around to look a us. But then she pretends nothing happens and continues talking to her friends.

.~.

"I'm gonna just go out and get some fresh air." I say and Paige nods. We part ways and I go outside to the veranda. Kenzie is sitting on the steps all alone. I sit down beside her. "Why so lonely?" I ask. "I'm just thinking about how my sister used to be our best friend. Now she's the total opposite of us. It's just really hard to have to live in the same house as someone you hate to that degree." Mackenzie replies. "Paige told me it's like that with Josh too."

"It's like having to live in the same house as someone who betrayed your friend. But the difference is, the betrayer is your sister, your old best friend. Everyday's a dilemma. I don't know how to even act around her, especially now that she's with Josh. Sometime's I selfishly wish that you didn't break up with him. It's been harder ever since, no offense."

"I wish we didn't either. Maybe I should have just believed him. I really regret it. I miss him so much." Tears form in my eyes and I look away from Kenzie to hide them. I feel a hand clasp around me and I clasp it back. "I almost forgot to tell you, Maddie wore her Converse today. The pink ones." Kenzie suddenly says. "Why would she do that?" I wonder aloud quietly. I feel Kenzie shrug and just left things at that.

We just sat there in silence, with my shoulder against a pole and Kenzie's head on my lap, tears rolling down my cheeks silently. I guess we sat outside for a really long time because by the time people were milling out of the house slowly, Kenzie was sound asleep.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I think it's pretty good for my standard. The girls' Converses are at the side. Also, I just wanted to say, I've got exams in 2 weeks and need to study a lot so I won't be updating very soon. Sorry guys :(