The Struggle

Sydney's POV.

When I turn around, I see something I never thought I'd see! Ever! Not in one million years!! Luke has always been so loyal and so quick to protect me. He gets so pissed when ever he sees someone looking at me. Except when I turn around, all of that goes down the drain.

All I see is Luke and a brunette cheerleader making out near the entrance of the tunnel. Once they finally stop eating each other's faces, it's clear to me she is.

Sadie Greengrove.

Sadie and I were best friends until eighth grade when she said that she wanted to "get used to life without me" since we'd be going into high school the coming year and that we'd barely see each other anymore.

When I turn around, Emma can see that something is wrong.

"What's wrong??" she asks, concern evident in her voice.

"Saide!!" I inform her with my voice full of disgust.

Emma doesn't even need me to tell her which Sadie I'm talking about since we all used to be best friends. It used to be the three of us. Thankfully Emma decided that Sadie leaving us was a load of bull, and she promised that she would never leave me, and so far, she's stayed true to her promise.

"Awwwh Syd, I'm sorry! You're too good for him anyway!" Emma says as she wraps her arms around me. "So what are you gonna do about the dance tonight then?"

"I'm just going to go and pretend that nothing is wrong."

"Sydney, you can't just let him walk all over you like that! In fact, that's more than walking all over you, that's cheating and who knows how long they've been at it!"

"Em.."

"Sydney I'm sorry, I just don't want you to be treated that way." she says.

'God! How am I lucky enough to have a friend like Emma?' I ask myself.

Ashton's POV.

Finally the day is over. When I get out side and walk over to the bike rack, my bike is gone.

"Where the hell....." I whisper to myself under my breath, trailing off as I see just who I don't want to see right now.

"Looking for this, Ashton?" asks Michael, gesturing towards my bike as his friend Ryan hands him his pocket knife.

"Can I just have my bike back?" I plea with them.

"Oh yeah sure! Of course," he says way too cheerful," you know, it'd be such a shame if I would trip and," *POP, POP* goes my tires on my bike.

'You've got to be kidding me' I think to myself.

"Oh god, Ashton I am so sorry.." Michael says as he lays my bike down with popped tires in front of me and walks away with Ryan, snickering the whole time.

_________________________________

"Oh!! Thank god your home! I was starting to worry about you!!" my mum says as she hugs me. "Why are you so late?"

"Oh I just ran into some friends." I tell her while raiding through the fridge.

"Oh great! Maybe they can come over sometime! I'd love to meet them!" my mum says, oblivious to my sarcasm.

"Mum..."

"Oh. Look sweetheart I know it's hard and I know that you miss Australia but at least try and make some friends."

"Mum, I've been trying for the past four years," I tell her as she looks at me with tears threatening to start pouring out of her eyes at any minute. "look, just..." I say, but decide to just stop talking and head up to my room.