Fell In Love With My Best Friend

Chapter 6

Eleanor was walking out of class, and she was heading to her locker. She started to put a couple books away as she felt someone walk up to her. She looked behind her locker and standing before her was Ryan. She gulped and cleared her throat.
"Can I help you?"
"Maybe." He ran his fingers through his messy brown hair. "Were you apart of that scene at the end of our game yesterday?"
"Of course not. I didn't even know what was going on. All I knew is that that was my ex-boyfriend up there."
"Ex-boyfriend? Interesting."
"If you say so."
"But, you had nothing to do with it?"
"Nope."
"Are you sure? You seemed pretty interested in the whole thing," he said, smiling.
"Who wouldn't be? That was tense."
"It was just some guy telling this girl to leave him alone."
"Because she's a jerk to Erica."
"Yeah. Who is 'Erica'? Is she dating that Liam guy on the basketball team?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, lucky guy."
"Yep." Eleanor's mood changed from nervous to sad. She grabbed her phone and shut her locker, and she practically ran to class. She didn't look back. She wasn't ready to deal with Ryan talking about Erica. Everyone was better than her. Everybody.
She sat in her desk, furiously opening her notebook. She stopped all of a sudden. But, wait. He said that I seemed pretty interested in the whole thing? How would he know that? I was on the very top row.... She looked up, biting her lip. He would've had to search for me.

***

Erica and Liam walked into Science class and Briana wasn't there. She must be running late, Erica thought as she sat down. Luke was in his usual spot, not paying attention to anything or anyone. Avoiding eye contact. Everything seemed to be the same except for one person missing...
Soon class was over and Briana had never shown up. Erica started to feel a little bad. "I hope I didn't make her change classes," she said out loud.
"Don't worry about it," Liam said as they walked together to their next class.
"Do you think something happened to her?"
"Probably not. She probably just can't show her face since we embarrassed her so bad yesterday."
"I feel really bad."
"You shouldn't."
"Shouldn't I? That thing was mostly my fault."
"Not really... It was mostly mine."
"Yeah, but if I hadn't..."
"Erica...What happened to her was all her fault. Yeah, Taylor and I embarrassed her, but she did that to herself. She poured milk on you! She should've seen it coming. It's karma."
Erica shrugged and heard laughing behind her. She turned around and saw Briana walking through the hall to her locker. She practically hid her face in the locker. Erica felt a tear run down her cheek and she hid her face in Liam's chest. Liam put his arms around Erica's waist and led her to class. "It's OK," he whispered to her as they sat down.
"This is horrible."
"It's fine. Don't feel bad."
"It shouldn't have gone that far. Maybe Karma is what she needed, but this? No one deserves this." Erica wiped her eyes as the teacher walked into the room and began giving instruction. How does pouring milk on someone match this?

***

"Hey. Wait up," Eleanor heard someone call behind her. She turned around and groaned when she saw Ryan.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Hey. Calm down. I just wanted to catch up."
"For what?"
"I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seemed pretty upset at lunch."
"How would you know that? I was way across the room."
"I have good eyesight."
"You were watching me?"
"Yeah..."
"That's not creepy," she muttered as she kept walking.
"Like you haven't stared at me before."
"I haven't."
"You're a liar."
"Am I?"
"Yeah, you are."
"Whatever Ryan."
"You're in denial."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know you like me."
She stopped. "Why do you say that?"
"Come on. Don't play stupid. You look at me when I walk into school, when I leave, you come to my games, you get angry when my ex-girlfriend is around."
"Ex?"
"See? You even paid attention to that part," he said, smirking. "Out of all the things I said."
"I just said that because she's so attached to you. I'm surprised she agreed to leave."
"I'm the one that broke the relationship."
"Why would you do that? Everyone thinks your ex-girlfriend is perfect."
"She might've had good looks, but she's not perfect."
"Whatever you say," she said, attempting to walk away. But, Ryan kept following her.
"Seriously. I don't know why I ever went out with her."
"Why are you telling me this?" Eleanor said, turning around, whipping her hair around her shoulders.
"I think it's the right thing to do to let my future girlfriend know I'm single."
"You're not talking to your future girlfriend."
"Why not?"
"You wouldn't date a geek like me."
"Of course I would...Not that you're a geek, but..."
"I get it."
"OK. So...?"
"So what?"
"Will you go out with me?"
Is he serious? He can't be serious. I'm not his type. I'm not pretty....
"Stop hesitating, and just say yes," he said, smiling.
"Is this some kind of dare between your friends or something? Who can pick up the biggest loser?"
"What?" Ryan stepped back. "Of course not! If that was the case, you would be the last one on my list."
"Should that make me feel good?"
"I have no idea," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Look, I'm serious. I know you might think I'm messing with you, but I'm not. Just let me prove that to you."
"Why me?" Eleanor asked, quietly starting to walk again.
"Because you show up to all my games and you're not boy crazy. You're actually mature and don't scream like I'm in some boy band."
Eleanor laughed. "That's true."
"See? Come on, give me a chance."
"Okay, fine."
"Is that a yes?" Ryan asked, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Yes."
"Ryan's bringing the sexy back!"
Eleanor shoved him and laughed as she walked into her class. That did not just happen...

***

It was after school and Erica was waiting with Liam for the bus. She kept thinking about Briana and how crushed she is right now. She couldn't help but remember the laughing and embarrassment Briana has been through today. I feel really bad... What if this never changes? What if they're still like this in high school?
"Hey," someone said, sitting next to Erica. Erica turned and saw it was Briana.
 "Briana...?"
"Yeah...It's the jerk."
"I...I'm sorry."
"For what? You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one that needs to say sorry. I treated you awful. I poured milk all over you. I made you miserable. I got what I deserved. I lost the greatest thing I thought I had. I guess that's what happens. Karma..."
"Briana. I didn't know that was going to happen. I had no say in that."
"It doesn't matter. I deserved it. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry, and I should've never treated you like I did."
"Thank you, but I'm a tough girl. I would've gotten through it. I never would've taken it to that level."
  Briana shrugged. "I guess Liam can cause some problems."
"What do you mean?"
"Liam was the cause of this whole thing between us."
"Why? Well, I know why, but why did it make you hate me?"
"Well... I like Liam. Well, I liked him in 6th grade, but he had his eyes on you. I guess I got really mad. I thought only I should have him. I thought he was the King of all creation." She sighed. "Anyways...Long story short, you got him. I didn't. I hated you for it," she said, shrugging. "Oh...Well, I'm sorry."
"It's fine. It is what it is. I thought I could have Ted and be happy, but that never happened." "Plenty fish in the sea."
"If you say so. He was only a distraction anyways." After a few minutes of silence, she said, "Well, I have to go," she said, walking away. "Sorry again."
 Erica was shocked but pleased. All this happened because of my best friend. Funny...
Soon after, Liam walked up behind her, and she told him everything that Briana just said. "I guess I'm too irresistible for everyone," Liam said.
"You keep telling yourself that."
"Hey, I got my best friend, and I have a backup."
"You're funny," she said, glaring at him.
Liam laughed and walked with Erica to the bus. "Are things good between you two, then?" he asked as they sat down.
"I guess. We're probably not friends, but we're friendly strangers." Liam nodded and shrugged. "That's something."
"Yeah, I know."
"Don't think too much about it."
 "I won't. I'm satisfied."
"Good. I think," Liam said, laughing.
Erica smiled, watching him laugh and thought how cute he was. I'm glad I never lost him to Briana. I don't know what I would've done if I lost him. He's my everything.