Hearts ✓

Eighteen 💕

Empty

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With a turn on his heel, Darren disappeared, hIt was quiet, the ride home. Jake had his arm around me while I leaned into him and kind of fell asleep.

Lauren, who had the shotgun seat had leaned onto the framework of the door and slept as well.

After our very meticulous encounter with Darren, we had all decided to go to Emma's party to hang out, where Lauren and I had decided that I had needed as much support as I could get, and that meant, aside from the other girls, and the other girls who were also being played, I needed to make peace with the two people who wanted absolutely nothing to do with me at this very moment.

Ally and Elliot.

Aubrey dropped Jake first, then Lauren and I. We both lived on basically the same street so it wasn't really a problem. Waving goodbye, Aubrey headed out for the night.

While walking, Lauren breezed me through the plan we had constructed. She would take care of getting Ally and Elliot at the library, exactly twenty minutes after the lunch bell by telling Ally to meet Elliot, and Elliot to meet Ally in the library.

In those twenty minutes, I would have to speed through my lunch while Jes, one of the girls at our table had to distract Elliot by saying to her lab partner that they would have to do some extra work to get more data. In those minutes, Ally and Elliot shouldn't be able to communicate because Lauren would hack their phones to send them both messages telling to meet each other.

When they both got to the library, I would have to convince them.

I nodded, although I didn't actually know what to say.
------
Just like Lauren had said, both Ally and Elliot were in the library at exactly twenty minutes after the lunch bell.

They were both arguing about how the other told them to meet each other here.

As soon as they saw me, they went dead silent.

"Should've known this was you." Ally mumbles.

"Five minutes. That's it. If I can't convince you, then do be it."

"Fair enough." Elliot says.

"I'm not going to start this speech, or whatever you call it, by saying sorry. I really am, and I get why you were pissed, but I don't get why you still are." I say. "Are you really going to explode on me for hanging out with a girl that, Ally, you and I spent our childhood with, and are you going to never speak to me again because of this?"

Ally's eyes contain no emotion. Elliot's, however, do.

"Look at It this way. Our hearts are being crumpled and torn into pieces because of our naivety, and we are here fighting over hanging out with other people. I did lie to you, and that is wrong, but there's a reason that the term 'forgive' is in the dictionary. Because it exists." I pray this works. "I think you've forgiven me for doing worse than this. I mean, can we just get along, because I for one am so sick of this petty fight, because when you think about it, your going to get played eventually, and when you do, you'll realize that you need to learn to forgive."

"It's been five minutes." Ally says coldly.

"You can be as cold as you want, Ally. But my conscience is clear because I tried to make it up, and I tried to fix things. It's your choice to forgive."

"Time's up already, you said you'd leave us alone was the clock went over."

"Your right. I'll leave." I turn to leave, sighing at my horrible convincing skills but as I take a step to go, Elliot grabs my hand.

"Wait!" Both Ally and I look at her strangely. "Cals. What you did was wrong, but mistakes are being human, what matters is if you try to fix things, which you have just done. Ally, you've known Callie and Lauren for the longest time ever, and although you claim that being played changes you, it really doesn't, all it does it helps you connect with people who have gone through it."

Elliot had a great understanding of the situation. "Ally, you've been through millions of obstacles with her, why are you so eager to let her go?"

"You're right. Nothing will ever be the same, Cals, you've found a group of people who have experienced the same thing you have, good for you." She winces. "I'm going to forgive you, but we both know that we'll never be as close."

My smile falters slightly, having to face reality, but Ally is right. "I'm just glad we're friends."
------
Jake runs up to me as school ends. "What did you want to do?"

"Me?"

"No, I was talking to the plant, of course I'm talking to you."

"Actually, I heard the guys were going to some convention tonight." Jake immediately stiffens.

"Don't go."

"Okay."

But since life's a game of choices, I'll be going anyway, and we've already agreed that Lauren and Aubrey are coming with me.