today was monday. meaning julian and i were supposed to stage a break up today. and i wasn't ready for the laughs, and the constant stares and whispers. and i bet sophia will even make some snotty comment about how she's back with Julian.
i saw arii standing by my locker picking at her nails. she looked up as i got closer to her.
"hey," she said and pushed herself off the locker next to mine.
"hi," i said and opened my locker. i put my bag in my locker and took out my folders. i grabbed a pencil and shut my locker. i slipped my phone into my back pocket and arii and i walked down the hallway in silence.
"can i ask you something?" she asked. i looked at her.
"on friday, it seemed like you were acting different" she said.
"apparently i got drunk" i said. she giggled.
"i know i was talking to you when the alcohol finally hit you" she said.
"but different with Julian " she said.
"you two are normally close, but, you seemed, closer that night. almost like the feelings towards each other were actually real" she whispered the last part.
"do you like him?" she asked. i bit my lip. i think i do. but should i tell her?
"oh god, you do don't you" she said.
"i don't know" i said."you don't know?" she asked. "i don't know if i like him. i know that all of this is just an act but when we're alone he treats me like we're more than friends" i said.
"like the other day, we almost kissed. and we were by ourselves, no one was around" i said.
"really?" she asked.
"i've been thinking about it all weekend" i said.
"are you gonna tell him?" she asked.
"i" i said
and shook my head. "i can't" i said."if i tell him, and he doesn't like me back then it'll ruin our friendship" i said.
"but he took you home when you were drunk, he cares about you" she said.
"it's what a best friend would do" i said.
"he thinks of me as his little sister, or best, best friend" i said.
"and if i told him, all of that would disappear" i said.
"he'd be crazy if he didn't like you, ash" she said. i smiled.
"thanks arii." i said. she nodded and then i saw him, talking to Jovani. it looked like he was stressed out about something. Julian and i made eye contact.
"oh dear," i said and quickly turned around.
"Ashley, where are you going? class is this way!" she shouted as i was already half way down the hall. i plan on avoiding julian all day. i don't want to talk to him, and i really don't want things to end between us.
"Ash" i heard someone say. oh my god, it was Julian. i picked up my pace and someone grabbed my elbow and turned me around. dammit, why does he have to be so fast?
"are you avoiding me?" he smirked.
"no" i lied. he raised his eyebrows at me.
"you're avoiding eye contact, you're lying to me" he said. i looked back up at him, and met eye contact with his brown eyes. i looked away.
"Ash why are you avoiding me?" he asked.
"are you mad? did i do something wrong? did i say something?" he actually looked concerned.
