The Wrong Best Friend

Chapter Thirty Four: Why, Thank You!

CHAPTER 34: Why, Thank You!

"There’s no way that it’s not going there
With the way that we’re looking at each other."
-Lauv

Saying goodbye to my best friend was hard.

I don't know at what time she crept inside the house because when I slept, her side of the bed was cold and empty but when I woke up there she was clinging to my body as if I were some personal panda of hers.

Not teddy. She finds a panda more cute.

She threatened me not to cry at the airport but who was she kidding, as soon as the boarding call for her flight rang through the air we both burst into tears. Dramatic I know but I had gotten so used to being her around again that I didn't consider saying goodbye at all.

The sweetest part was that everyone had come to say goodbye to her and even though Mason held her longer than the others I didn't question her. It wasn't the right time and I'm sure she would eventually tell me what went down between them last night. Cause it definitely wasn't nothing.

Emma was so reluctant to leave her hand that Mum had to physically pull her away. Will had just hugged her goodbye and gave her a flower of lily that made her cry even more. She didn't stop waving and blowing kisses until she was completely out of sight.

Basketball practice was early since we had a match today and Coach wanted us to rest before playing. Today was kind of weird for me. I wasn't happy but I wasn't sad either. There must exist a space in between, when a person wasn't happy, wasn't sad, he was just a person without any emotions defining him.

I was within that space today. 

There was only one emotion I could clearly feel.

One that didn't want to be denied.

Fear.

I never really feared any basketball match before. Only anticipated it.

But something inside of me was quivering and it didn't want me to play. But I wasn't a quitter and even though my stomach was literally paining with the jitters, I followed through with Coach's instructions with other girls as he made us run through our usual drills, only that they weren't as draining as they usually are.

Damon was still not texting or calling back. It worried me but I knew there must be some emergency back home. But God, today I needed him so bad. If I kept going at this rate I'm sure I was going to have a panic attack soon.

Luke wasn't there at school today too. I didn't want to call him if he was sleeping and disturb him. Maybe he still had an hangover. Things were definitely tense during lunch. Charlie was quiet which was definitely a first but I know it had everything to do with Morgan smiling at Riley from across the room. Kelly ignored Mason. Madison just sat with her headphones on and Roxy pretended to study for her test cause she didn't want to be the one to break the silence. Josè walked me home and promised to be there for my match.

It was a little after when I got home that I decided to see what was going on with Luke. I walk softly up the path to his house and rap at the front door but not too loudly because the house seemed silent. There was no response so I look around and put my ear to his door and hear a soft 'Coming' and the muffled sound of footsteps. After a moment I knock my knuckles against the wood again, a little louder than before.

The door opens slowly and Luke's head pokes out and I grin widely.

“Hi.”

He frowns a little but then opens the door to let me inside and I hear his loud yawn as I walk in as if I own the house.