52 Chapter 18 (1/2)

”The truth is rarely pure and never simple” – Oscar Wilde

October 8th, 2013; 8:36 am

The parking lot was filled with loitering students; the before-school craziness was in full swing. Students were laughing and hanging around their cars, and guys, mostly members of the football team, were wrestling each other playfully and cheering themselves on while the girls eyed their prey, a majority of them just simply hanging out with friends.

I smiled as Alex pulled up into a spot he'd found; the school seemed to be the only environment that hadn't changed for me. Sure, I wasn't the girlfriend of the great Alexander Morris anymore, and sure I had been labeled as the girl who lost her sister in a car accident by the majority of the student body, but other than that, life was generally looking up. All I had to do was fix up some broken parts – Avian – and I was pretty sure everything would be okay.

At least, I could try to make everything okay; for Lolita.

Alex smiled at me as he turned the engine of his jeep off, before jumping out the car and sauntering over to open the door for me with a smirk; I smiled knowingly, knowing that Alex was just doing that because he was simply being who he always would be: a gentleman.

And also to send every single nosy student within ten feet of the car into a frenzied state. The 'oh my gosh are they back together?' state.

I rolled my eyes.

As predicted, the students started whispering to themselves as I stepped out of the car. Alex smirked evilly then and slammed the door shut for me, before carelessly throwing an arm around my shoulder.

”You're heartless,” I murmured to him as I slung my purse on my shoulder. Alex snorted, clearly hiding a laugh as he pulled me closer to him.

”Don't be like that, baby” Alex said, definitely loud enough for all the students within earshot to hear; and the whispering got louder.

Oh, God.

I shook my head and laughed as we walked into the school; Alex opened the door for me, smiling sweetly as I thanked him, and I thought the girls observing us were going to have a heart attack.

It was completely absurd.

When we reached my locker, Alex leaned on the locker next to mine and folded his hands across his chest.

”I'm glad we talked”

I smiled as I opened the metal door, before dragging my gaze to smile up at Alex. He looked so sincere, as though he had believed that I meant what I had said about him not being truly in love with me. He probably still loved me and would take him a while to completely get over it, but I was still really glad he agreed with me. I only just wished the best for him; as of right now, he was one of my best friends.

”Me too,” I smiled as he stretched out his arm grandma style. Laughing, I walked into his embrace and sighed, before slowly wrapping my arms around him.

Still no butterflies or heart racing.

I smiled.

Pulling back, he smirked at me and yelled ”See you later, babe” and ran off in the opposite direction before I could protest. I laughed and shook my head, turning my attention back to my locker. As I busied myself with finding the right textbooks that I needed, I heard two sets of footsteps approach; more specifically, I heard the clacking of low heels walking toward me. Smiling, I turned my gaze to said people.

”How come we're always the last to know the most important details of your life?” Angel said, feigning anger as I slammed my locker shut. I scrunched up my eyebrows in confusion and turned to Rain; she had a surprised smile on her face and her arms were crossed over her chest. Smiling, Angel continued ”please tell me that you guys got back together?”

What?

I smiled, shock masking my face. Realizing what the current rumor probably was, I laughed softly and began walking toward my first period, both girls falling into step beside me.

”I knew they would get back together”

Rain turned to me with a surprised look and raised her brow questioningly.

”I thought you said you didn't have feelings for Alex anymore”

I don't.

Angel laughed victoriously, not waiting for my reply as she turned to Rain with her hand extended expectantly.

”Come on, pay up! You owe me ten dollars”

I stared at my best friends in shock.

”You guys bet on Alex and me?”

”Technically, Angel bet on you and Alex,” Rain said as she searched through her purse for ten bucks ”I bet on you and Avian”

”Such friends you guys are” I said with a laugh but they completely ignored me and turned back to each other.

”I was right and you were wrong, as usual” Angel said mockingly, sticking her tongue out childishly at Rain, who returned the favor. Glaring at Angel, Rain pulled out the ten-dollar note reluctantly.

”Hold up,” I said with a smile as I turned to my friends ”I never said Alex and I were back together”

They stared at me in surprise.

”I heard he gave you a ride to school”

”That's all it was: a ride”

”I heard he called you babe”

”He was just feeding the beasts of gossip that roam the hallways”

”I heard he kissed you, with tongue”

”He,” I stopped, closing my mouth abruptly. Slowly, what Rain had said sunk in. He kissed me?

With tongue?

When did that happen?

Oh wow, the things people made up, just for something to talk about; it was extremely ridiculous.

I laughed and shook my head in disbelief

”Yeah,” I glanced at Angel with a smirk ”that never happened”

”So what did happen?”

”Well, we stayed up all night just talking and working things out. We broke up for good, and I think Alex is okay with it,” I smiled slightly ”or at least he will be. We both will be”

There was silence as the girls took it in. Suddenly, Rain grinned fully and turned Angel.

”Whoop, whoop!” Rain hollered, retrieving her ten dollars. She placed the money back into her purse and extended her hand out toward Angel who was still staring at me in shock ”suck it, Angel, I win”

Angel pouted.