The Beard

Chapter Twelve

It's safe to say, the rest of the week was uneventful. But by the time Friday came, I was so done with Elderwood High School and all of its students. It's not that they're nosy, no, that's not what really grinds my gears. What gets me is that they have no shame in coming up to you and asking if you and your boyfriend will be breaking up for good. What's really irritating is that I get this terrible stomach pain when I tell everyone 'no' because Sebastian and I aren't even really together anymore.

The only relief I get is when the bell rings at two in the afternoon. The weekend is here and I can rest easy, away from eavesdroppers and nosy students. Only there will be no full resting because homework is still a thing and you get no breaks when you're in your final year of high school.

Stepping out of the school, I welcome the slight breeze. It's not cold enough yet, but it isn't as humid as what August was. I walk down the steps and head towards the parking lot. I'm not sure if I should walk home today or hitch a ride with Sebastian. I've kind of been trying to distance myself from him a bit in hope of not getting my heart shattered when all this is over.

But as I see him waving me over, I know that we'll end up doing something today. I'm too weak to pass on spending time with him.

"Hey, long day?" He asks once I reach him, throwing an arm over my shoulder.

I press my cheek into his chest, sucking up all the comfort I can get. "Yeah, long and tiring. I'm ready to get this weekend started. I need a break from questions about you and Micah...speaking of," I pull my head away from his chest to look up at him. "Did you ever apologize. I completely forgot."

"I did." He nods, giving me that charming smile of him. A sigh of relief leaves me at not having to worry about that anymore. "You shouldn't worry so much, Emie bear."

"If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I'd be as rich as you, Ten." I tell him, sucking my cheeks in after. With an exhale, I motion to his truck. "Let's go. By the way, are you coming over? I think mom would love to cook-"

"Emie!" I hear from behind me, effectively cutting me off. I turn my head to see Jenny walking towards us, Greg trailing behind her. "Ditch the boyfriend and come with me."

I tilt my head to the side as I observe the couple in front of us. They were such opposites, but isn't that how it goes? Opposites attract. While Greg was rather big and bulky, Jenny was skinny and almost twig like. But they were about the same height with Greg only being about five-foot-eleven and Jenny at five-foot-ten. Small difference, but you couldn't really tell from a distance. Their personalities were the biggest difference between them.

Where Greg was like a big teddy bear, Jenny could be a bit hard to approach. It's not that she was mean, but if you aren't a friend, you're bound to get waved off. It's why Greg is seen as the friendly one of the relationship. They balance each other out quite nicely.

"What are we doing?" I ask, pulling my bag off my shoulder as I start to feel a familiar ache. "And please tell me it doesn't involve anything wild."

Jenny playfully rolls her eyes as she stops next to me. She loops her arm through mine, looking down at me with her chocolate brown eyes.

"Just a sleepover." Jenny shrugs, but I know that it's always more with her. "Plus, I even invited your terrible friend, Micah."

"Jenny!" I gasp, shaking my head. "If I'm going to a sleepover, I don't want to hear any fighting between you two. I don't want my whole weekend to be that."

Jenny steps away from me, a grin on her face. She pulls her arm away from mine and claps her hands together. "Great! Let's go, we can drive to your house for your things."