Friends are just known enemies

Chapter 3

Hey guys ^^

This chapter is rather short, but the next one(s) will be longer, promise. Also, from now on there will occasionally be another P.O.V. but the main parts will still be from Liz's persepecitive. So, I hope you enjoy and give me feedback!

I open my eyes, moaning. I don’t want to face another day of school.

My hand feels numb and I push myself up. I nearly forgot about my ankle, but when I stand up, the pain shoots through me once more.

I hear my dad yell something in the kitchen, he’s up early. No breakfast for me then.

I go through my usual morning routine, getting dressed and putting on make-up. Then I carefully untie the bandage around my hand, sucking in air when I realise that the skin is sticking to the cloth too late

I rip it right off and the pain flows through my nerves. Just amazing. I decide to bandage it again, despite the fact that it will just make it worse.

I rush down stairs (I’m still slow thanks to my foot, but well) and surprisingly make it to the bus stop just in time. The kid from yesterday is here again, throwing paper at me, but I’m too tired to care.

At least I only have class in the morning and every minute I don’t have to spend in that hellish place is worth it. Too soon we arrive and I walk through the doors, straight into Marco.

“Sorry” I mumble and try to go on, but he holds me back. “Hey…about the other day at lunch-“

“Just leave me alone, okay? I got the message; you want to be with the ‘cool, popular’ kids. No place for freaks like me” I interrupt him and shake off his hand.

I tried to make a proud departure, but my hobbling probably made it look ridiculous. Never the less, I carry on with my head held high.

Surprisingly, the morning goes by without any incidents, I not once crossed paths with Jason which is a miracle.

I passed Marco a few times in the hall and he always stared at me with this guilty expression as if he wanted to be nice to me.

But I don’t have time to worry about silly high school drama, I need to catch the bus. I see him walk after me from the corner of my eye, opening his mouth to say something but I get on the bus before he can do so. Thank god.

He just stands there, watching as I drive away. About twenty minutes later, I’m outside a little coffee shop close to the “Black Heart”.

I work here every Wednesday and Friday to finance the band merch and books I need. I walk in, on time for once and the manager greets me. He’s a man in his thirties, tall and skinny with glasses that make his eyes look huge and chin long, black hair. His name is Tom and he’s okay I guess.

I don’t really know him though, we never talked much. Tom hands me my apron and I stand behind the counter.

As I said, it’s a small coffee shop, so there aren’t many people. Most of them come here all the time. Like the guy who just walked through the door.

I’ve seen him nearly every day that I worked here and he always stays for at least an hour. He’s average height (which is still taller than me with my 158 cm), has dark blonde hair and green/brown eyes.

“Hi” He says with a smile. “Hi. The usual?” I reply, trying to smile like I’m supposed to. He chuckles and nods.

He always orders the same and I’m sick of asking all the time. “Two dollars and 50 cents, right?” He asks, grinning at me. For once, my smile is real and I take it, nodding.

He walks to a table, close to the corner of the room and shortly after I get him his coffee, then returning to serve the few other costumers waiting in line.

Kyle’s P.O.V

I enter the coffee shop and the first thing I see is her. It’s ridiculous but she’s the only reason I come here. The coffee’s good, sure, but I could just buy it and leave, but I don’t.

She seems sad, like always, but as much as I’d like to comfort her, I can’t. I’m just a stranger. It’s stupid, having a crush on someone you don’t even know but I just can’t help it.

I walk over and she puts on her obviously fake smile. But today it’s different. She doesn’t ask about my order, she remembered it.

I chuckle and pay, returning the kind of inside joke by remembering the prize. She smiles and it’s the first time I ever saw her truly grin.

I sit down at the table closest to the counter and she brings me my coffee, but once again I don’t have the courage to talk to her.

I get my book out of my bag and start reading. When I look up again, it has gotten noticeably darker outside and I’m the only person left.

“Sorry, but I kind of have to throw you out now” She taps my shoulder and I nod, seeing as she already got her bag and everything. “I’m so sorry, I just completely forgot the time and-“ I stop when I throw over my cup and the coffee I didn’t drink spills all over the table.

“Oh my god, sorry, sorry” She smirks and gets something to clean it up. “Don’t worry, it’s fine. It’s good to have a reason not to go home anyway”

I wonder why she doesn’t want to go home. Maybe she has problems? I shouldn’t care about things like that this much. She wipes the coffee away and then, we both reach for the book.

Our hands touch and it feels like an electric shock went through my body. I just stare into her blue eyes and I notice the little swirls of grey in them.

She pulls her hand away, still looking at me. She coughs and says: “That’s a good book. One of my favourites” I glance down at the book I’m holding. It’s kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini.

She starts walking to the door and I follow her, noticing how she pulls her one leg behind. “You read a lot?” I ask, to be honest a bit surprised.

She doesn’t seem like the kind of person who likes books. She just nods. We stand outside the shop now and I watch her as she locks the door, while trying to stop my heart from pounding so fast.

“What happened to your leg and your hand?” Her body tenses and she avoids my eyes. “Fell down the stairs. Not a big deal” She shrugs it off.

“Oh, I’m Kyle by the way” I totally forgot to introduce myself and hold out my hand. She hesitates a second, then she takes it with her bandaged hand.

My handshake must have been too firm, because she winces and I let go quickly. But before I can say anything, she cuts me off.

“I’m fine, but I need to go now. I’ll see you around” She walks away, looking at the ground and I stare at her until she turns around the corner.