Internet Friends // Matthew Espinosa

Chapter 10

When I get back to my room with Alina and Autumn, I turn on the TV and watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I grab a pop tart.

As I'm looking through Instagram, I find the Hashtag #prayformagcon under all my photos.

I click it.

Endless photos of pictures of us sleeping in hospital rooms with text over it. I post a selfie of me, Alina, and Autumn with the caption

We're fine guys.

"So, guys." I look up from my phone. "I heard your going on dates?"

"Yeah, so?" Alina said.

"YOU NEED," I run to get my purse. "A SHOPPING TRIIIIP!"

"I went shopping with you." Autumn rolls her eyes.

"I'm buying you a new outfit." I narrow my eyes at her. "You returned the other one."

"Yaaaaaaay, shopping!" Alina says.

"See, Autumn?" I put my arm around Alina. "She's cool."

"Fine." Autumn says. "We'll go change."

They walk out and I try to find something I brought that would fit over the boot.

I finally find a lace crop top and a neon orange skirt.

I go outside into the hallway and I see Alina and a guy. Making out.

"Matthew?" I feel the tears burning my eyes.

"Nic," Matt pulls away. "It's not what you think."

"What do you mean it's not what I think? I know exactly what it is." I wipe the tears.

"Nicole!" Alina yells.

"And you!" I yell at Alina. "I thought you were my friend."

"Nicole, I-"

"Matthew, I actually thought you loved me. Or at least you had a liking to me." I yell. "But, you're just another player, you're just a big cheating, lying bitch."

"Babe, don't say-" he tries to hug me.

"GET OFF!" I yell and push him off. "Bye, Matt." I say with tears in my eyes.

And I run. And run. And run. Or I limp. I have no idea where I'm running, but I must not have gone far, because I run into one of the boys trying to slow me down.

"Nic, Nic, stop." He puts his hands on my shoulders. I don't know who it is, my tears are blurring my vision.

I sink down on a bench.

"He cheated." I sob and look at the boy sitting next to me.

Cameron.

"I'm sorry, Nic." Cameron put his arm around me. "If it makes you feel better, I like you way more than he does."

I laugh. "Thanks."

A fan runs up to Cam. "Cameron, can we have a-"

"Not now, guys." he says politely.

"ISN'T THAT MATT'S GIRLFRIEND?!?!" A fan yells.

I sob even more.

"Come on." Cameron gets up and keeps his arm around me.

"Where are we going?" I ask, wiping my eyes.

"I don't know." he keeps walking. "Not my room."

We kind of just walk and walk until Cameron stops.

"Come here." he takes my hand and runs to a building.

He walks in and turns on a light. It's like a rec room. It has a pool table, ping pong table, fooseball, some red chairs and a white couch.

"What is this?" I ask, smiling.

"It's kind of obvious, right? It's a big," he does air quotes. "Lounge."

I laugh. "I bet I can beat you at ping pong."

"Bring it on," he runs over to the table and throws me a paddle.

We play for, like two hours and watch 5 episodes of Pretty Little Liars on Netflix.

"Cameron?" I check my phone. 11:46.

"Yeah?" he yawns.

"What were you doing on a random bench in New York City?"

"My girlfriend, she, um, we'll, yeah you know."

"She broke up with you?"

He nods.

"I'm sorry." I say.

"I'm sorry for you, too."

I close my eyes and lay down on one of the couches. And I fall asleep.

When I wake up, I find myself laying on Cameron's shoulder.

I turn on my phone. My home screen is filled with Twitter notifications and instagram notifications. But, it's 7:30.

"Cameron." I whisper.

"What?" he mumbles.

"What time's Magcon?"

"Are you going?"

"No. Absolutely, positively not." I get up.

"It's at three."

"Oh."

"We should go."

"Yeah."

We hail a cab and I start reading all the tweets.

Apparently the hashtag #nicoleequalsslut is trending on twitter now.

So, I tweet,

'#whydoeseveryonethinkimaslut'

I get replies.

'you cheated on Matt w Cameron'

'Cam and you hung out while Matt moped about getting cheated on.'

I hand Cam my phone,"Look at this, I'm done with this." I say. "He cheated on me."

"I know."

I see Matt's tweet.

'It wasn't her fault'

I put my phone away. "Whatever."

"Nic, are you going to Magcon? I need to get you a pass."

"I don't know if I should..."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"Fine. But I'm not going near Matt."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

The driver drops us off and I pay him.

I walk to my room, hoping i don't get stuck in the elevator with HE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED.

And I don't.

Since it's only 7, and Magcon starts at 3, I have 7 hours to kill an hour to get ready. But, I have to admit, having a broken leg and carrying around crutches isn't easy. I try to get myself to go down to the cafe in the lobby, but I can't. Not with the fear of seeing him.

When 2 o'clock comes, I find myself trying to avoiding it.

But I slip on shorts, a t-shirt and converse.

I call Cameron.

"Hello?" he says.

"Hey, I need my pass."

"Can you come here?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"No."

"Matt's not talking, and he's just laying here. He won't be a threat."

"Fine." I hang up.

I walk up to their door and knock.

Cameron walks out and hands me my pass. I wonder how this will go.