A Curly Mess Of Emotions✓

6

"Stephanie?'

But I froze. Again. Santa better be ready for a hella lengthy letter today-

Wait, no. I'm practically an adult now. I won't let someone from the past change my ways.

"What-" he started again.
"We gotta take him to the hospital," he finally said.
Well duh obviously we won't take him to an amusement park in this condition

I just nodded, suddenly mute to say anything due to the shock.

We sat in his car and quickly drove to the hospital. Wait, he knew which hosp- ah, obviously he did.

I held onto Russo tightly, guilt filling inside me. I shouldn't have taken him out.

I called my mom and informed her about the situation, as calmly as I could.

Russo was quickly admitted to the ICU and that's when we exchanged our, um, greetings.

"So...Andrew. Mind telling me what you are doing here, in Indiana?"

I didn't mention him before, did I? That's because I wanted to forget about his existence. But oh well.
Yeah. I'll introduce him to you guys.

He's Andrew. Andrew Brooke. We used to be best friends in the past. He was the only person I trusted the most after Russell.
We hung out together, studied together, and everything else that best friends do. Gosh, I still remember that scar below his right eye (I had thrown a cutter at him once when I was young).
There was never any, you know, love between us. Sure I loved him, but not the butterflies in your stomach kind of love. More like I love you like a brother kind of love.
Well, best friends are supposed to tell each other everything, right? I sure stuck to that. He, didn't.

It all started abruptly. When one day, I caught him kissing a girl at the school corridors. He said that she was his girlfriend. Okay I wasn't jealous, but I was angry. Girlfriend?! He never even mentioned a crush. But we made up later and got back to being best friends.

About a week later, I caught him kissing a different girl. I was confused. Andrew justified that he broke up with the old girl. But didn't they start dating just a week ago?

This happened more and more customarily.
He constantly found new girls and dumped them.

He became a playboy.

And I lost my best friend.

He joined the bullies, the ones which we used to despise. He picked at everyone at the school, I was no exception.

It was that one day, when he tried his luck on me. He apparently forgot what I do to guys who hit on me.

Andrew lost three teeth that day.

And I officially became a loner.

When his parents got to know about his, umm, behaviour in the school, they sent him to a boarding school in London. God knows how that went.

And now, he's here.

"So...Andrew. Mind telling me what you are doing here?"

"I finished my term. How are you?"

How am I?

"Oh I'm great. My brother is in the ICU and I'm having a conversation with my ex-best friend, who literally almost ruined my life and trust in the past. I'm great! You?" I said, letting it all out.

He winced.

"You're still pissed at me?"

"Oh no why would I be? I wish to stray flowers all around you,"