"Just Friends"

Chapter 19

SAM

The moment I saw Hailey on her locker I felt a colorful excitement birth in my gut.

"Hey," I said with a smile she didn't return.
Instead, she snapped a resting bitch face and proceeded to do her own thing, ignoring my existence. Her look radiated hate.

And it was then that our fight came to mind.
I bit my lip, regretful. I had trash talked Evan from head to toes, and only because I was jealous.
Of course she didn't want anything to do with me.

"Fuck," I said to myself.
She glanced at me, then turned back around; ready to leave. I didn't want our friendship to end. I needed to apologize.
I went after her.
"Hailey," I called her.
She ignored me.
"Hailey," I called again.
She kept walking, not even acknowledging my presence.
"Hayley, come on," I pleaded.
Still not even a single sound.

"Hayley!" I ran in front of her and blocked her way. She simply turned around and tried leaving the other way.
I grabbed her arm. "Hey! Listen to me! I'm trying to apologize, okay?"
Her eyes were on me, finally.
"I was a dick. For no reason. At all."
Her eyes narrowed in judgement.
"Okay, maybe- there was a reason. You were right. I was jealous. But that doesn't justify what I did. Evan had nothing to do with this. I was just in a really bad place and I- I didn't know what else to do. But that's over now."
Her face shifted, as her anger began to fade.
"So can you please forgive me? You're a really good friend and I don't want to loose you. I'm really sorry."
"The next time you talk shit about my best friend I swear to God I'll break your fucking nose," she looked me in the eye, dead serious. She did't stutter. It was the first time I found her intimidating. "But yeah, we can be friends again." A huge smile drew in her lips, abandoning the threatening stand. I smiled back.

We walked down the halls, on our way out the school. "So what are you like bi now?" she questioned.
"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders, not feeling uncomfortable with the topic for the first time in a very long time.
"I get that. Do you want to know?"
"I guess. I mean- yeah! I just don't know how."
"Yeah, well. I might just have the thing for that." She looked at me with a plotfull grin.

*****

When I agreed to go along with whatever she had in mind, it was because I never in a hundred years would have guessed she wanted me to hook up.
That was on me, though. I should have known better.
This was Hailey we were talking about. Crazy, daring Hailey.
So after all, the one to blame here was me for not expecting something like this.

She forced me into a pink tight dress with black writing.
"You're an annoying little shithead," I told her with my brows shrunk in annoyance.
"I know. I love you too."
A smile took its time to show up on my face.

Once the dress was on she made me walk down an imaginary runway to show her.
"See? It looks amazing, I told you." I stood in front of her mirror and took a look.
It really did. It showed my curves in a way I never would have imagined. The color was doubtful, but it still worked.
I didn't feel like myself, but there was something appealing in that.
New solved crisis, new me; I figured.

After all, Hailey had given me the chance to pretend to be everything I wished I was.

*****

Before walking inside the bar I took my time. I glanced at the lights' sign reading girls and took a deep breath.
I had to do this.
For me, for my mental health, for a chance in being a better person.
Not for a second did I feel ready, nor did I even know what I was doing, but I did it anyway.
I just kept moving forward, trying my best not to care what could happen.

There were two girls making out in the dark hallway before the actual bar. One was pinning the other against the wall and aggressively grabbing her hair.
I felt butterflies flatter my stomach and grabbed Hailey's hand.
She held it tight and walked us to the bar. I say us because my legs were steady froze and she did all the work.

When we finally got there I felt the flattering stop and let go of Hailey.
Girls all around. Some with long, carefully styled hair and skilled make up, wearing tight femme dresses. Some had short hair and wore suits. Some were having a good time with their girlfriend, sweetly dancing to the music as they held each other's waists and grazed their faces. Some were sitting by the bar having a drink, probably waiting for some hot girl to pick them up.
Everyone here was -in their own way- gay, and that only brought me comfort. I belonged here.
For the first time in a while, I didn't feel like a fish out of the water in a place flooded with people I didn't know.

Before actually following Hailey's plan -which she had vigorously stated to be find, approach, flirt, make out in the bathroom; and also added a little bonus called go home and fuck the shit out of her, to which of course I rolled my eyes- I needed to pee.
I told Hailey I was going to the bathroom and found the way on my own. When I left my stall there was a girl washing her hands, giving her back to me.
A red tight dress made a way of her curves and met with her naked back, leaving me breathless.

I felt her glance on me.
In the mirror's reflection I saw two captivating green eyes, soft and sweet; indeed staring at me.
She drew a flirty smile before leaving the room.

I replayed Hailey's words in my head, as I dumped cold water on my face in an attempt to maybe have me react.
Find, approach, flirt, make out in the bathroom.
There was no doubt, the first step was done. I had found the girl, now I needed to build up the courage to actually approach her.

I saw her siting in the bar alone, waiting for someone. She turned around, met my eyes and gave out a little smirk.
Maybe she was waiting for me?
I pushed my legs to the bar and sat in the chair next to her.
"Hey," I said feeling dizzy. I pinched my wrist and found confidence out of God knows where.

I simply pictured that life-changing moment where the main character finally finds herself within, and her whole personality has a glow-up.
I decided that was going to happen to me.
Right there and then.

"I'm Sam," I continued, sounding steady and poised.
She faced me and drew a smile. "Emma," she answered in a sexy, smart British accent.

It hit me how beautiful she was.
I had this idea in my head, this gorgeous concept of what she looked like, yet the reality surpassed every expectation.
Her eyes were as captivating as they were in the mirror's reflection; only now that I had a chance to see closer I realized they were more hazel than green.
Her hair was a dirty blond, somewhere between curvy and wavy.
Her whole face looked made of porcelain; pale, clear, delicate.
She was probably one of the prettiest girls I had seen in a long time. I really could see Hailey's plan happening tonight.

"So, who are you here with tonight?" I sat up straight, making sure I could face her properly without hurting my back.
"My friend. But she left me to hookup with the bartender. Friendship goals." She popped a huge sarcastic smile, and I chuckled. "You?"
"My friend. I don't- really know where she is?"
I looked around for Hailey. She was dancing with a girl; quite an intimate dance may I state.
"There. The girls dancing, looking like they're about to make out? The pink haired one. She's supposed to be straight."
Emma laughed as I smirked; wowed with how easy it was to talk to her.
"What about you?" she asked.
"I'm- confused? Not straight, definitely. Just not anything, as the time of being. That's actually why Hailey brought me here..."
"I get it. If it's any comfort, everyone here has gone through the exact same. Well, maybe not your friend"—I chuckled—"but you get it. You're not alone, that's what I'm trying to say."
"Thanks. That actually is helpful, so yeah- thanks."
She gave me a kind smile. "Anyway, my point was: if I make a move, what would you do?"
I smiled. "I don't know," I teased, yet she grinned because she knew exactly what I meant.