Friends Forever, huh?

Chapter 3 | I slapped my ex-best friend

"I dare you"

"No. No way." 

"C'mon sunshine, I don't bite."

I wrinkle my nose, shaking my head at him, "I'm not kissing you. Your breath smells bad."

"SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU LIMP NOODLE!"

"Also you quote Mulan way too much." I lean closer, looking right into his eyes, "Your breath smells--"

Cole takes advantage off my closeness to lean in and connect our lips.

I've never kissed anyone before, so I'm naturally awkward about this situation. His lips move against mine and I stand completely still. Frozen. I thought he was joking, but no, Cole Brighton is actually kissing me.

I tentatively move my lips against his, attempting to return his kiss, but he chooses that moment to pull away.

"You kissed me!"  I cross my arms as he pulls away, trying and failing to be angry with him.

He's looking at me with warmth in his eyes, a genuine smile turning his lips upward. "That I did, sunshine. That I did."

***

Cole releases my arm, his expression instantly becoming guarded. "It doesn't matter. I didn't respond to your texts, boo hoo. Move on!"

"It matters to me, jerk!"

"I moved on, okay Ash?" His eyes are flashing as he argues with me, "there was no point pretending that we'd remain friends."

"You made a promise, Cole! You said we would stay friends even after you moved away. How could you?! You betrayed my trust."

"I'm sorry that I broke my promise. It happens. Move on."

"You're a jerk," I say quietly, all the fight gone from my voice. He doesn't give a response, simply gives me a noncommittal shrug and walks away, leaving me alone in the hallway.

He doesn't care. He doesn't even care enough to refute my statement.

Fine. Then I can stop caring about him too. I can let go of him and his infuriating smirk and stubborn attitude. I can finally let him go. It's long overdue anyway.

After getting a Band-Aid for the cut on my elbow, I leisurely make my way back to the cafeteria. I have no desire to be there, so I might as well prolong my solitude for as long as possible.

For most students, lunch is the best time of the day. For me...well every part of the day is equal. All of it is awful.

But anyway, I have a unique distaste for lunch. Lunch is the part of the day that makes me feel undeniably invisible. No...not quite invisible. I don't feel invisible...I feel noticed and unwanted. That's a better description.

I'm walking into the cafeteria when I hear laughter--his laughter.

"You used to be friends with that loser, Ashley?" This from Shelby, who's not bothering to hide her amusement. Her tone is casual, but jealousy flashes in her eyes.

Please deny it. I know you don't care about me but for the love of everything good in this world, please don't tell her about our friendship. Don't give her more ammunition.

Shelby's words hardly faze me. I've learned to expect insults from her. However, what I'm not prepared for is Cole jumping on the bandwagon.

Cole shrugs, not bothering to refute her words, "we all have periods of our life we want to forget," he pulls Shelby closer, looping an arm around her waist. "I don't hang out with losers like her any more."

I'm standing in the doorway as he speaks, going unnoticed by Cole and Shelby. Unnoticed until I stalk across the room and slap him across the face, that is.

"Don't you dare," I seethe, anger causing my voice to shake, "don't you dare come back and pretend that you know me. You don't." I narrow my eyes, staring into his until he's forced to look away, "I trusted you."

He regains his voice, voice slightly softer now, "I guess you made a mistake."

I give a short, humorless laugh, "I guess I did." My words are practically venomous, affectively hiding my anguish. He dares to insult me after years of silence.

How could he? How could I care so much for him to still be hurt. I shouldn't care. I shouldn't.

"One last thing. Stay away from me, Cole. Thanks for coming back and screwing up my life."

Next thing I know, I'm halfway home. Everything's passed in a blur of tears and anger. How dare he come back after two years and act like he has the right to call me names? How dare he.

I slam the door as I walk into my house, all my sadness replaced by anger.

"Who's there?"

Of course. My mother, who works crazy work hours most days, is home today. I love my mother, truly I do, but since she's home that means I have to give her an explanation for ditching school. I'm not quite ready to talk about Cole yet.

"A burglar," I respond, anger causing me to revert to my primary means of communication: sarcasm.

"Why are you home so early?" My mother questions, coming up and placing a hand on my forehead, "are you sick? Do you need me to call a doctor?"

"I don't need to see a doctor, mom, I'm fine!"

"You look like you've been crying. Are you on your period?"

"Mom!"

"Alright, alright," she gives a light laugh, "why don't you tell me why you're home from school three hours early?"

I sink into the couch, a groan escaping my lips, "Cole Brighton, the new reigning jerk of Stonewall High, happened."

She raises an eyebrow, "Cole Brighton, the boy you used to be best friends with?"

I snort at that, hiding my pain behind a slight smirk, "operative words being used to be. He called me a loser today--he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore."

Then my façade breaks and a single tear slides down my cheek.

"Oh, honey.." Mom gives me a sympathetic look, wrapping an arm around me and letting me cry on her shoulder. She doesn't push for more details and I'm not eager to give them. So she doesn't scold me for coming home early, she just lets me cry on her shoulder...and for now, that's enough.

It's enough to make me forget about the boy with the brown eyes that used to ruffle my hair and give the warmest hugs. His smile always made me feel as if the sun was a person and he was standing in front of me--with his blonde hair and corny jokes.

It's over, I remind myself. It's time to let go of the Cole I knew because he doesn't exist anymore.

Well Cole is a jerk. What a fun realization.

If you guys couldn't tell, I like Mulan quite a lot, so yes, expect many Mulan quotes in these chapters :) Anyhow, I loved writing the first flashback scene--maybe someday we'll see a scene like that in real time ;)

Anyhow, let me know how you like it!

-J