BREATHE [✔]

5.Friends?

Chester

"Can you quit following me !" I said turning to Conrad.

He had been following me around since I had arrived at school with a goofy happy smile that made him a whole lot more irritating. Ever since our little dinner trip, Conrad was acting like we were friends. But we were not friends he wasn't even the usual type of friends I hung around with. But who was I to judge I was probably some pitiable charity case friend to him.

"No !we are friends now," he whined.

"Really? you trick people into being your friends often ?" I asked sarcastically.

The whole time all I could think of was the meme that said screaming intensifies because my brain was full on having a fit.

"Hey, we had a moment. Come on." He said matter of factly raising his hands like it would make it better.

I abruptly stopped and felt him bump into my back. But instead of saying anything I looked at him then continued my walk. The number of students in the corridor was increasing. Everyone bustling about rushing to the cafeteria. Pizza slices, oranges, and white mush was today's menu. And of course, that's the first thing I noticed as I entered the cafeteria. The second thing was the unmistakable stench of happy people and not so polite conversations.

"Okay listen up Conrad, we are not friends, you don't need more friends you have a flock of them already and I am going to have lunch with my actual friends and I would appreciate if they don't see me with you so please stop following me! "

I actually did a semi-jog across the cafeteria to my table wincing whenever my right foot actually touched the floor. Because after my all so wonderful journey to the land of feelings I was in actual pain. But I actually appreciated it, it distracted me from being inside my head.

Sitting down amongst my Brady Bunch. I realized today wasn't so bad. I had a cool girlfriend, some pretty decent friends and maybe just maybe something different was about to happen. But who was I to catch a break? A fairy tale character? If anything my whole life was a bad episode of supernatural and I wasn't even Dean or Sam. I was like one of those extras that die as soon as the audience falls in love.

"Babe..?" Nic said placing her hand on my thigh.

I looked up to see the concerned look she was giving me. Not that I would blame her I did get into a fight with a random guy and one of my best friends.

"Are you okay?" She said placing her hand on my cheek ever so delicately.

"I am fine," I said looking away.

"Come on now she whispered into my ears. "

This was how she always got me to do anything for her. I was powerless to whatever 'magic' her voice possessed.

"Okay not here. " I said.

Nic stood up and stretched out her hand as a sign for me to take it and follow her. Which I did realize that my friends' conversations had just been white noise in my head.

Following her outside we sat by this usually secluded bench outside the library building. What started as a conversation of how "I was just tired,"
ended in a heavy make-out session. Of course, this was because I honestly couldn't explain to Nic what exactly was going on because I didn't even know what it was. For some reason, I could not get the words Conrad told me out of my head.

Now that my mind had wandered to Conrad I was feeling uneasy for some reason. Being around Nic and thinking of him made me feel guilty. So cutting our conversations short I dragged her back to the cafeteria and guess who was by my table. None other than the one human I was avoiding. Just as I turned to go back outside I heard Amery call me out. Leave it to him to call me out at the wrong time.

Defeated I trailed behind Nic back to the table. Yes, Conrad was already buddy-buddy with MY friends. So I sat down right across him between Nic and Precé. Conrad looked at me and smiled and at the moment he looked like the last missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Siting with my friends like we had been friends since birth.

"So you guys going for the trip?" He asked looking at me directly.

"Two-week Dalens Vile trip?" Sammy asked.

Realizing we hadn't spoken since the fight night I looked at my friend with what I hoped were apologetic eyes. I hated fights because it did not matter who was right I always need up feeling guilty. But Sammy being Sammy she ignored me and acted like I was invisible great.

"What trip? I want to go too." Amery said.

Conrad looked around the table as if he couldn't believe there were people who didn't know about the trip.

"Well, basically it's a two-week all-expense paid trip for the first 25 students to register. But the trick is when you go you have to participate in a bunch of team-building exercises so you get credit for the classes you miss. "

Precè looked excited and ready to sign us all up with or without our permission.

"No. " I said staring at him.

"Come on Chester, " Conrad said with a smirk.

Stupid brat was he trying to manipulate me into being his friend or something.

"Yeah Chester," Nic said looking at me with pleading eyes.

At that moment I realised I was screwed. I was going to go on trip for two weeks stuck with strangers and friends and having to participate in social gatherings. Yey fun. I thought sarcastically.

Written[08.03.19]

Edited[22.02.20]