He Was A Broken Boy ✔

○ ONE ○

○ ONE ○

"Shelby, you really need to get out more" Alana said, leaning back on her chair.

I looked up from the book I was reading, glancing at my friend as she smacked her gum loudly. I glanced over her shoulder, the Librarian glaring at her back.

I tried not to smile. "I am out, I don't have a personal library" I replied, shrugging one shoulder.

Alana rolled her eyes and lent forward on her chair, the legs hitting the floor. "You know that's not what I mean, why don't we go out of lunch or something?" She asked, her eyes practically begging.

"Because you can never pick a spot and I'm not hungry" I replied, turning the page with my eyes back on the words.

Alana sighed. "Fine, well I don't read books so I'm going home" she said annoyed, reaching for her bag.

I looked up from my book and closed it with a snap. "Oh come on, we both know you come to the library hoping to scope out hot nerds that are secretly millionaires" I said, rolling my eyes.

She shushed me as a few people looked up from their reading. "Shelby!" She scolded me quietly.

I stood up, tucking my pile of books under my arm. "Let me just put these back and we'll go grab a coffee" I said, giving her a look.

She nodded and sat back down as I walked towards the stacks of books. I started putting my books back, moving along the shelves before I heard very loud noises.
Frowning, I peeked around the corner and my mouth fell open as I saw him.

Matthew Kane had his lips attached to some random blonde at the back of the library. A pang of an emotion I couldn't even explain ran through me. I moved back to the shelves and rolled my eyes before walking back towards my best friend.
"Guess who I just saw" I said, my hand clenching.

Alana frowned. "Who?" She asked, sitting up straighter.

I huffed as I picked up my phone. "Matthew Kane" I replied, checking for messages.

Alan stood up. "Shut up! He's here in a library?" She asked bewildered.

"Yeah but what do you think he's doing because he definitely doesn't read books" I replied.

Alana frowned again. "He's making out with Courtney" I replied before pretending to throw up in my mouth.

"Of course he is, bad boy and popular cheerleader, it's so cliche" she replied as I waked past her.

We heard giggling as Courtney and Matthew emerged from the stacks. Alana glared at them as they strolled past us, their hands joined. "Come on, are we going to get this coffee or what?" I asked, tilting my head at her.

She nodded and we both headed for the door. "So are you going to the Rock Café tonight?" She asked as we pushed the double doors open.

"Why would I?" I asked, confused.

"Because that's what everyone does on a Friday night, and as much as we despise Matthew, his band had great music" she replied, shrugging one shoulder.

"You know me Alana, I don't do that type of stuff" I said as we walked down the concrete steps.

People rushed past us, in their own little world. "Remind me why you hate Matthew Kane?" Alana asked.

"Because he's a no good asshole who thinks he's untouchable, guys like that never end up well" I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"What happened between you two?" She asked, as we dodged a jogger who ran past us.

"It's a long story" I replied.

It was indeed a long story, full of betrayal and loss. My mother was best friends with his, which automatically made us friends.
When Matthew lost his parents in the car accident, my mum tried to help him but he refused and shut us out. Shut me out.

A week later, he was popular and the sleazy guy he is today and I was still me.
We tried to help him but he cut us off.

But that's not what made me hate him, it was the delibrate refusal to acknowledge my existence. When someone asks "Has anyone seen Shelby?", my guess his reply would be "Who's Shelby?".

"Oh come on, give me the shortened version" she said, glancing at me.

I spotted a nice comfy café and pointed at it. "Want to go there?" I asked Alana.

"Yeah looks nice, now stop avoiding the subject" she said, as we headed across the road.

"His parents died and he avoided my family at all costs, pretends I don't exist" I said, opening the door to the café.

Alana sighed as the familiar smell of coffee assulted us. "That's right" she said as if she was confirming something in her head.

"What's right?" I asked, as we neared the counter.

"You had a crush on him but then all that stuff happened and that's why you were so upset that he started to ignore you" she replied before smirking and looking at me.

It faded when she saw my angry look. "I didn't have a crush on him Alana, he was my best friend, I was trying to help him but all he did was push me away.. why are we even talking abut him?" I asked, confused.

"So you didn't even get the slightest bit jealous when you saw Courtney and him making out?" Alana asked, crossing her arms.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll have a hazelnut latte please" I said to the cashier before turning to my friend.

"I felt nothing, if he wants to sleep around than he can, I'm not his friend or family, therefore not my problem" I said as I handed my credit card to the cashier.

I paid for my coffee and moved away from Alana as she paid for her drink. "The one person I do miss is my brother, I haven't got a letter from him in weeks" I said as Alana sat down.

"Yeah, your brother is hot" she replied.

I glared at her. "Ew" I said.

She shrugged. "He is, he's the typical plays football and goes out every weekend but still manages to get good grades guy, and that's hot" Alana said.

My phone buzzed as I received a text from my mum, asking me to get home. I sighed. "I gotta go, drink my coffee for me" I said, standing up.

"Family emergency?" She asked.

"Looks like it, see you later?" I asked.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed as I started to head for the door.

I dragged my keys from the back pocket of my jeans and pushed the door to the café open, glancing at my phone.
Within seconds of turning to the right, I smacked right into someone. My phone fell to the floor and I winced as I heard the screen crack.

"Ah shit!" I cursed, bending down to pick it up.

"Should watch where you are going" a male voice said as I crouched on the ground.

The voice that was so familair.
No, no, no, no. Fate wasn't this cruel.

I looked up and met the dark blue eyes of Matthew Kane. "I'll keep that in mind next time I decide to bump into any assholes" I replied, without thinking.

A smirk ghosted across his face before it faded. "Excuse me, some of us actually have places to be" he said, raising an eyebrow.

I gritted my teeth and moved out of his road, walking forward towards the parking lot.
I checked my phone, sighing when I saw how big the crack was. To be quite honest, I was just glad I didn't turn around to look at him as I walked away.

Because our eyes would have met.