His Rebound

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Chloe...Chloe...Chloe..." I squealed almost choking her in our tight hug outside The Beany Bean's we decided to meet.

"Oh god Katie, what happened?" she demanded after regaining her composure, once I left her.

"I am going home." I showed her my letter and tickets with excitement which came along in a separate envelope.

"WHAT? NO." she cried snatching them from me and looking at them.

"What no?" I repeated her words in confusion, snatching my tickets back from her just in case she wouldn't tear them.

"You can't go home... that too on your birthday." She said taking my tickets back and stomping on her feet.

"But why?" I asked in bewilderment not caring we are still standing outside the café and almost shouting our lungs out.

"We have been planning your birthday surprise from so long and now you just can't say I am going home." She cried in exasperation.

"What?" my eyes popped out with excitement on hearing her words.

In all the hassles of my life, I just forgot my 21st birthday is coming in a few days but like always, she remembers it and was planning for it just made me excited.

"Yes...but it's not a surprise anymore." she admitted sheepishly.

"Thank you so much Chloe...I love you so much...you are the best thing ever happened to me." I said hugging her tight.

Chloe was my roommate when we were little kids. She had been living here since the age of 12 because her parents had their jobs in different-different cities and they couldn't take care of her like the way they wanted. It was disturbing her education so she was sent to live in St Xavier's Boarding and lived with me in the girl's hostel. We have grown up together, and sometimes people misunderstand, as sisters as we almost look alike.

"You shouldn't thank me...you should be thanking Hayden for it."

"Hayden?" I asked.

"Yes, he was the one planning it and told me not to tell you but guess what, I am dead meat now." she said making me chuckle.

"He'll be sad that I am going." I told her genuinely.

"You didn't tell him yet?" Chloe asked in a loud voice and I shook my head.

"You are the first person whom I told." I shrugged.

"I think he'll be happy for you." she told me.

"I know but all his plans would be ruined." I told her.

"Nothing is more important than your happiness for us and you'll be celebrating your birthday with your family and trust me that would be more thrilling than what we have planned for you. You should go and enjoy there but I don't know, Hayden had something else planned for you which he wasn't telling anyone." She told me.

"What was that?" I asked curiously.

"Maybe he wanted to propose you." she wiggled her eyebrows and I hit her forearm.

"There is nothing between us. He is just my friend." I told her defensively. I met Hayden when I moved to a different school at 14 which wasn't all girls. I wasn't accustomed to co-ed schools and without Chloe in my class, I felt completely lost. I still remember how we met. It was the fifth day of the new school and it was my Art class. I was sitting in the far corner of my class when a tall, lean guy with long black hair invaded my isolated area. I must admit I was so uncomfortable sitting next to Hayden that day that my legs had almost started shivering but he was unfazed. He gave me a small polite smile which calmed m nerves down a little and then he started making some conversation to which I mostly replied in monosyllables.