Can't be Bought

Chapter 20 - Fragile Friendships

"Worried about what?" I ask Mary, confused by her statement.

"I just - I just," She stutters, unable to get her words out. 

"I just don't want you to get hurt." The words fall out of her mouth quickly. 

We look at each other, both unsure of where this conversation is going. 

"What do you mean?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. 

"I'm a big girl, I know how to handle myself." I spit out, my voice irritated. I can't believe I have to defend myself to my best friend. She rolls her eyes. 

"That's not what I mean," Mary replies, matching my angry tone.

I cross my arms, letting out a heavy sigh. 

"Well then what is it?" She doesn't reply. 

"Mary?" I ask. 

"It's just, you're acting differently." Mary says, her voice softening. 

I turn my head to look at her and I can tell that she's upset. 

"Different?" I stop walking and so does she. 

"How am I different? I've hardly hung out with the guy." I defend myself, throwing my hands up in the air to make my point. 

She sighs, rubbing her hand up and down her arm. 

"Cammie, I can tell you're happy but I want you to be careful. You don't know him that well, you don't really know who he is." 

I scrunch my face in annoyance. Why is she being like this? 

"Oh, and you do?" I blurt out. I turn around and start to walk away, trying to catch up with the other girls. 

"Cammie!" Mary shouts, following closely behind me. 

"Cammie come on! I'm sorry!" I quicken my pace. 

"Slow down!" She reaches me, placing her hand on my shoulder to turn me around. 

"Cammie." She says, this time her voice is soft and calm. 

I let out a big huff. 

"What?" I say angrily, annoyed by the sound of her voice. 

"I didn't mean to upset you." She whispers, her voice barely audible. 

I snicker quietly to myself, finding this amusing. What was she trying to do bringing this up? I nod my head and sternly reply. 

"Okay." I turn back around and we both catch up with the girls.

I think they noticed our tension as they didn't talk to either of us. Meghan and I head home, Mary to hers. Brooklyn, Breanna and Justice decide to come over to our place.

Once we walk inside and close the door, Meghan instantly says something.

"What just happened with you and Mary?" She asks.

"Nothing," I reply quickly, shutting her down.

Breanna laughs but tries to cover it up. 

"You know we could hear you, sorta." She says jokingly, trying to cheer me up.

I try to push back a small smile. 

"She was being weird," I say, my voice still annoyed. 

"She tried to tell me to be careful like she even knows who Maddox is." I toss my stuff on the kitchen counter and plop myself on the couch. 

The girls all join me. Justice sprawls out on our chair and sticks a lollipop in her mouth. Where did she get that?  

"Maybe she's jealous of you getting the attention." She says, popping the sucker with her lips. 

"Nah I don't think she's jealous," Brooklyn interjects. 

"She can get any guy she wants." She adds.

"Yeah but maybe she wants Maddox," Justice adds, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. 

"I don't know," I say, trying to end the conversation. 

"But whatever just happened was weird and I don't really want to talk about it anymore." I hold my hands up in defense and grab the remote, turning Netflix on. 

We all hang out for a little while, watching The Office. After my eventful Friday night, Saturday morning and my plans with Luna tomorrow, I don't really want to do much. The girls stay for dinner and we cook up some chicken nuggets and fries. We have a lazy day in full of laughs and stupid moments. It's fun, but I wish Mary was here too.

Around 11:30, the girls decide to leave and head home. I hold the door open for them as they all walk outside. On the way, Justice stops to tell me something. 

"I was thinking." She says, her voice low and quiet. 

"Maybe it's not Maddox that she's upset about." She pauses and looks into my eyes. 

"Maybe she's worried about losing you." Justice pokes me in the heart jokingly and laughs. 

She turns around and walks down the sidewalk with Brooklyn and Breanna. They hold their hands up, waving goodbye and shouting "I love you!". I close the door, standing there for a moment. 

Maybe she doesn't want to lose me as a friend. How could I have missed this?

Mary and I have been the closest of friends, she was my freshman roommate. We spent almost every waking moment together. I never had a real  boyfriend during college. She doesn't know what I'm like in a relationship so she's worried.

I make my way up to my room, texting Mary as I walk the stairs.

Can we talk tomorrow? I'll come over in the morning.

I hit send. I head into my room and change into a big t-shirt and shorts, getting ready for bed. My phone dings and I jump up to read it.

Mary 💞

Yes, we need to! Come over around 11.

I smile to myself as I read the text, happy that she responded. 

Tomorrow's a new day. A thought pops into my head and I remember my plans with Luna.

And a tough one.