I watch through the windshield as we drive through the dark with my arms crossed over my chest and a scowl on my face.
"Do you wanna just stay the night-"
"No." I say, keeping my gaze focused on the road in front of us.
"Hey, I'm sorry Mo disappeared, but I'm trying my best, alright?"
"Not your fault, Grant, I just wanna get home." I still can't believe Mo ditched me for some guy and decided to just 'stay the night.' She never does this. Something's up and I don't know what it is, but I hate it.
We pull up to my house and I immediately get out.
"Thanks." I tell Grant before stepping up to my porch and into the house. I hurry upstairs and into my room, plopping onto my bed. It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep.
••
It's Thursday already and Mo hasn't said much at all to me. I've continued to meet her at her locker everyday, but she hasn't showed up since Tuesday. I've been getting rides from my mom now. I still don't know why. I know I should talk to her, though. If she'll even let me.
"Group work!" The teacher calls out, interrupting my thoughts.
"Why are we doing so much group work recently?"
"These next few lessons involve a lot of group work in the textbook." My teacher says in her thick Filipino accent. "Choose your groups." She adds and I put my head on my desk. This week sucks.
"Sister's best friend doesn't look too happy. Did she catch you sneaking around?" I notice the accent and know immediately it's Harry. Oh, so he does remember me? As Grant's sister's best friend.
"I told you. We're not a thing."
"You guys left together. Looked like a thing." He shrugs and sits in the seat across from me. He notices Tasha coming this way, so he gets up and moves to sit next to me instead.
"Well we're not so."
"Hm." He says.
"Hey, Harry." Tasha smiles with hopeful eyes. He gives her a simple sup nod and I shake my head.
"What?" He asks, clearly noticing my head shaking.
"Nothing." I shrug. This is the longest conversation I've ever had with a guy and I don't want it to continue.
"Okay." I don't get how people can sleep together and act like nothing happened. That is one of the most intimate things you can do with another human being, and people still mess around with whoever. I'll never understand it.
"How've you been? Haven't seen you much since the party." Tasha smiles.
"Fine." Harry says with a sigh.
"Are you sure? You're giving me one-word answers here." She laughs slightly.
"Sorry. Trying to do the work." He slides my open textbook over to the middle of the two desks and pretends to be looking at it. I roll my eyes.
"Harry..." Tasha begins.
"Look, do you not know what a one-night stand is?" I widen my eyes.
"I do, but I thought-"
"Thought what? We'd live happily ever after? No, that's not how it works." I gulp and look away. I guess they're doing this right now. Right here. They're really doing this.
"You were just...gone...in the morning."
"Yeah." He says in a 'duh' tone.
"I felt something, Harry. With you in-"
"Okay." I speak up before she can say anymore. "Can you guys talk about this some other time?" I widen my eyes and slide my textbook back to my side of the two desks. Harry gives a light laugh and Tasha glares at me.
"Then leave." She says.
"This is my desk. You two came over here."
"We-" She cuts herself off when she realizes I'm right. "Harry, though. I think you should know that..."
I drown her out and sigh. This is gonna be a long rest of my day.
After school I go immediately to Mo's locker. She has to come. She has to. Where else would she put her books?
I know where she'll be.
I decide on going to her car instead. I rush to the parking lot and luckily, her car is still there. I wait for about ten minutes before she shows up.
"Mo. Let's talk."
"Gotta go, sorry. Another time."
"No." I grab her shoulders to stop her. "Tell me what's up. Seriously. Please."
"I'll make it quick. I don't like you sneaking around with my brother." She pushes past me to open her car door. I close it before she gets in.
"What!?"
"I'm glad he brought you home though after the party. I'm sure you guys had a great time. Just the two of you, all alone. No Monica to stop you guys." She must be really mad. She never calls herself Monica. Not with me, at least. As far as we're concerned, she's Mo.
"He literally just brought me to my house because you took off with some guy." I explain calmly. "Nothing's going on with me and your brother, and I don't know why you think so."
"He told me! He told me that he had a thing for you!"
"What? Okay, first of all, when the hell did this happen? And secondly, just because he has a thing for me doesn't mean I have a thing for him."
"Why should I believe that."
"Because I'm your best friend?" I tell her like she should already know this. "Just trust me, Mo. Why would I lie to you? I swear, nothing's happening with me and Grant, nothing has. I promise you." Mo sighs and stares at me.
"Get in."
