Hanging by a Moment

7

Chapter 7

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hayley asks.

"No."

Literally two seconds later.

"How about now?"

"No."

"Noooow?"

"NO!"

"Fine." She gave up. Or so I thought.

"Do you want to watch a sad movie on Netflix that will make you cry, so it looks like you're crying because of the movie, when in actuality, you're crying about your real life problems, while we eat foods that are high in cholesterol and sugar?" She challenged in one sentence.

"Yes." I smiled back at her, who needs comfort foods when you have comfort friends?

I don't remember what we watched, but I remember crying. Not the pretty cry, where a few tears trail down from one eye. No, this was a snot-dripping-out-your-nose-into-your-popcorn, ugly cry. It didn't make the problem disappear, but it was necessary.

{}

"So are you going to take me to the party today? I've been asking all week, and its Saturday now and you still won't give me an answer." Maya pestered.

"Yes!" I replied, putting an end to her constant nagging.                                     .

"Heck yeah!" she celebrated. "Logan is going to be there!"

"Wait, hold up, wait a minute. You didn't say anything about this being a boy-girl party."

"I prefer the term co-ed, thank you very much, and auntie said it was okay." She smirked.

"Whatever, butt face." I teased.

 Since when did my baby sister start liking boys? And who is this Logan species? I guess it's around that time my sister and I have 'that' talk. Although in this generation, I wouldn't be surprised if she learned it from some kid on the bus.

"Where is this co-ed party, as your prefer to call it." I mused.

"Oh, umh, actually its Becca's party." She murmured coolly.

My jaw dropped open. Of course the party would be Becca's, Nolan's little sister's party. Just my luck.

As I pulled into the Peterson's driveway, I internally cringed. I hadn't been here since the breakup. I pulled the car to a stop and popped the trunk for my sister to retrieve the present from it. I didn't plan on going into that house again, so imagine my surprise when the devil herself, Mrs. Peterson invites me in. I almost declined but decided to show some of the southern hospitality I was raised on.

I followed behind my very excited it sister, I once again in the house of my used to be best friend. As kids Nolan and I were inseparable. It wasn't always that way, when we first met he told me that I danced like a pigeon-toed horse, to which I responded by kicking him in the shin. It wasn't until one day when I was bitten by a non-poisonous snake that we became friends. I of course, cried all the way home, while he pulled me in his yellow wagon. After that I decided to keep him around, just in case any snakes came back.

Mrs. Peterson's shrill voice is what broke through my nostalgic thoughts. "I haven't seen you in a while sweetheart." I was thrown off by her use of the endearment, but I figured she was talking to me as we were the only ones in the kitchen.

"I've been busy," I lied.

She smiled at me with an almost pleading look in eyes. I couldn't decipher why she looked so sad. However, after the way she treated me in the past, I didn't think I wanted to know.

I shifted my weight to my right leg as I stood awkwardly in front of her. She was frosting a cake that I guessed to Becca's. She looked so normal and dare I say...nice while she painted yellow flowers on the delicious smelling cake. It almost made me forget for a second how mean and truly evil she can be...almost.

I wanted so badly to leave, but I sensed that she wanted to say something. Instead, I cleared my throat to catch her attention. She ceased her cake decorating and looked up at me with those sad eyes again. They made me self-conscious and I glanced around the room so that I wouldn't have to look her in the eyes.

"So..." I said, desperately trying the break the stare-in-silence cycle, but my attempt was futile. Finally I decided to leave, but before I could make it to the door she called out to me. I turned back around slowly, and nodded for her to continue.

"Laiyah, I want to-, I've been thinking ab-, I've been thinking about the past and I-, and I," she stuttered.

"And you?" I offered.

"I've been thinking that we should leave the past in the past." She rushed out in one breath. "We could start over maybe?"

Not trusting my own ears, I just started at her blankly. It can't be? Is this her form of an apology? If it is should I accept her offer?

"I don't know, you-, you never even apologized." I answered honestly.

"You're right, I never did, but I will now. I'm sorry for the things I said to you in the past, and for the way I treated you. It was wrong of me to be so terrible to you and I am deeply sorry." She apologized.

I was still confused by her words. I had thought that she hated me these last couple years and now she's apologizing to me? Is this real life?

I have never told anyone about the things that she's said about me, and I was never planning to do so. No one knows that she's the reason Nolan and I broke up. Not even Nolan.

I considered her apology and decided to accept it, but actions speak louder than words. So with that in mind I said, "I accept your apology, but not your companionship."

She smiled once again and this time it reached her eyes. "I hope to see you around more," she said.

I nodded but didn't dare answer, not sure if I would be able to keep that promise. I walked out of the kitchen, into the main hall area. I hadn't been to this house in years, but I still knew where everything was. I heard the shuffling of feet, as I walked down the hallway, but when I looked back no one was there.

Today has sure been a crazy day, I thought to myself. You've got that right!

A/N: Sorry for the wait, I'm lazy. Thank for reading. Vote! Comment!