After The Lie ✔️

FRIENDSHIP .001

During the middle of their first grade, was the first time Claire saw Elaine, she used to sit behind Claire and that was it. They never really talked much. Elaine was a transfer student who just moved into the town. Since she transferred in the middle of the session, everyone already had friends. And this didn't seem to bother Elaine because she was a friendly girl who was nice to everyone and didn't mind being alone.

Claire however, had friends. But they weren't the "real" friends she thought they were. There were seven and she was the eighth one. They had been together since nursery, that's why Claire considered them to be the best of friends. Soon however, she started noticing how her friends kept her at a distance and would only call her if they needed some help. She ignored all these signs because she believed and trusted them.

A whole year went by without Claire and Elaine talking to each other. Their friendship was limited to only greetings. Claire started to feel more and more left out as her friends started to ignore her even more. But there were times where she felt her friends really cared about her, making her question her own thoughts. They would tell her how important she is to the group, and that one word would make her forget all the insecurities she felt. Still she would often be left alone by her friends.

Once during lunchtime, she couldn't find her friends anywhere. It felt as if seconds after the bell rang, they all just disappeared. She tried looking for them but with no luck, she ended up eating lunch alone. After eating, she decided to once again look for them. Yet she couldn't find them and that's when she decided to check the library even though she knew they wouldn't be there, but just in case she still went there. The library was mostly empty like she suspected. She observed the empty room, her eyes soon fell on Elaine sitting there. She walked up to her.

"Hey, have you seen Sally and the others?" Claire inquired about her friends

"No. Although I doubt they would even come to the library." She replied politely, while chuckling softly

"That's true. Thanks." Claire turned around to go back but something stopped her. She again turned to face Elaine who was now dabbing her pen constantly on the table, trying to figure out something. Claire didn't know Elaine much still she was surprised to see her in the library. She didn't expect her to be the type that could be found here.

"What are you doing?" She asked

"Studying for the maths test we have later on." She replied, "hey, what do you think I did wrong in this question?" She added, looking at Claire

Claire surveyed the paper and then gave a soft giggle.

"Look, in the top you have put the addition sign but over here, you have changed it to subtraction." She replied, pointing at the mistake

"Thanks." Elaine replied erasing her mistake and fixing it. Claire was still standing besides her. She knew she had to look for her friends or maybe her friends must be looking for her, but there was a part of her who wanted to sit and talk with Elaine. She knows that Elaine is a nice girl and somehow she has always wanted to be friends with her, but then she tells herself she already has friends and that's the reason she never took the initiative to talk to her.

"I never thought I'd see you in here, studying." Claire said, soon waving her hands in the air nervously, "sorry, I didn't mean to judge.."

"That's fine." Elaine grinned, "I never expected myself to be here as well. But you see, I have no choice. Dad said he'll take away all my video games if I at least don't get an A in this test."

"Oh that's cruel. Good luck." She wished her, "Thanks." Came a grateful reply

"If you don't mind telling me, how much you got last time?" Claire asked. Elaine's face went expressionless and then came a small smile, her hands were fidgeting, "Let's just say, I didn't pass by only a few marks, one or two marks." She responded

"Oh. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do great this time!" Claire tried to cheer up Elaine, who smiled in return

"Finally, they won't find me here!"

Someone said a bit loudly. They both turned to look at the source of the sound and found Jackson entering the library. He was still panting and looked like he had run all the way here.

"Oh Tyler! You're here!"

He exclaimed walking towards the table that was a bit far but not too far from where Elaine and Claire were. On the corner of the table, near the window, a boy with blond hair was sitting there, reading a book.

Elaine narrowed her eyes and then pointing at that guy, asked Claire, "Has he been here the time?"

"I don't know, I'm also surprised." She replied. Both then started giggling.

"What you up-to?" Jackson asked Tyler

"I'm reading a book." He replied

"Boring. You should come play hide-and-seek with us! It's fun!" Jackson retorted

"Thanks. But this book is fun as well." Tyler replied. Claire and Elaine didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation, but since the room was empty and they were talking a bit loud than what's allowed in a library, both could hear them clearly.

"What's it about?" Jackson inquired

"It's about a sea pirate who sails the seas in search of treasure! He has this magical dagger that helps him! It's pretty cool!" He exclaimed with excitement

"Sounds nice!" Jackson responded

"Oh! Is it the hidden mountains one?" Claire blurted out. She didn't mean to say anything partly because she didn't want to sound like someone who eavesdrop on other's conversations. But she loved that series! She has all nine of his adventure books, and when she heard Tyler talk about it, she got excited and instantly blurted out

"Ah....yes..." Tyler replied nervously, he was also feeling a bit embarrassed at how excited he was earlier

"Have you read these series?" Elaine asked her

"Yeah. All of the parts!" Claire replied

"Hmm...I prefer watching movies than reading a book. That way you can actually see everything and it's fun." Elaine shrugged

"Me too!" Jackson added

That's when the bell rang. It was the first bell. In this school there were two bells. The first bell would ring five minutes earlier as a warning bell.

"Tyler! Let's go!" Jackson said, Tyler got up and followed after him

"Elaine, are you coming?" Claire who was walking back, stopped to look at her

"Yeah, I just need to gather my things." She closes her books and grabs her pencil-case along with them. They both walk back together to the classroom. Claire asked her about if she ate lunch or not, to which Elaine replied she quickly ate outside the library since food isn't allowed inside. Claire then felt kind of bad for her and invited her to eat with her and her friends together. Elaine was grateful but hesitant. Claire insisted a lot, but in the end Elaine didn't agree. She said, "Don't mind but I'm really sorry. I can't join your friends. But thanks for inviting me!"

Claire decided not to insist much further seeing how much Elaine was resisting. She wondered if maybe Elaine hated her friends.