Falling for Friendzone

Chapter 43

I angrily walked up to where Lane sat with Peyton and a few other girls from our school. I ran up to the group before I had a chance to think of what I was going to say, so I was basically just standing there while everyone looked at me like I was crazy.

"Um...can I help you?" Peyton asked me in that fake happy voice of hers. My eyes glanced over at Lane who had slid away from Peyton a little bit, but not a lot.

Gaining a bit of confidence I stood my ground and spoke sternly.

"Yeah, you can get away from my boyfriend." She laughed.

"Honey, I don't think he wants to get away from me." She sneered. But with that comment, Lane stood up.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly put it like that." Lane said. "It's not like I would want to be with you...well I still wanna be with you but-"

"What!?" I angrily cut him off.

"Let me explain Ellie." I waited impatiently for him to explain the words I don't think I want to here.

"I want to be with you Ellie, but I also want to be friends with Peyton." I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I spit.

"What's wrong with that? God. Nothing makes you happy does it?" I was thrown back by his words. He usually stays so calm, but he seemed to have snapped so easily. It's probably the alcohol.

"It's not fair." I yelled coldly.

"What isn't? What is it this time?" I flinched at what he just said, but chose to ignore his hurtful words and continued my train of thought.

"You. You aren't fair!" He rolled his eyes while I began my explanation. "You tell me that Calvin and I can't be friends, you tell me I need to stay away with him, and why? Because we used to be friends when we were seven? How come you get to talk and see Peyton whenever you want?"

"El, you know that's different-"

"How!"

"I don't like Peyton like that!"

"I don't like Calvin like that!" I scoffed at him, "I can't believe you."

"Me? You can't believe me?" He laughed humorlessly. "I see the way he looks at you. It's the way I used to look at you before we were dating. But you were just as oblivious then as you were now." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. His words were getting to me; all of them.

"I never wanted any of this to happen." I muttered under my breath, tears in my eyes.

"What was that?" He asked roughly.

Gaining a sudden rush of confidence I looked him in the eye and spoke loudly.

"I never wanted this to happen! Lane, you were my best friend, what happened?" Tears streamed my cheeks. People started to stare. "We were supposed to be inseperable, but as we got older, I got used to only hanging out with you when you had no better plans. When you asked me to help you be with...Peyton," her name left a bitter taste on my lips, "I was torn apart. Then when our feelings came out of each other, I thought...I thought things would be different."

Lane stayed silent and his eyes drifted back towards his feet; he sat down on the bed. I waited for him to speak, but it was apparent that he wasn't going to.

"All the memories, all of the firsts, all the trust. I put so much trust into you, and it all broke. I forgave you, then I saw the picture." His body flinched and he looked up at me with wide eyes.

"Y-you saw that." I nodded.

"Of course I saw it. Somebody tagged me in it, God. I trusted you! Then I figured out you partied behind my back? With Peyton of all people! I don't care that you did it, but you lied." I whimpered.

"Ellie, I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say." His voice faded out.

"Nothing! Just play it off like you usually do!" With that, I ran. I didn't know where exactly I was going, I mean I knew this house like the back of my hand, but with my mind fogged up after the fight, I couldn't tell where I was. As I ran, the last picture of Lane's face flashed in my head, he looked destroyed. I kept going until I hit a dead end, and this dead end happened to be the balcany that was at the back end of the house. The cool winter air hit me as I bursted through the doors, but I wasn't fazed. Even though it was almost midnight, light from the full moon lit up the night sky. My breathing was ragged and I soon realized I wasn't the only one up here.

My glossy eyes fell apon Calvin, of all people, Calvin. He looked at me with confusion in his eyes along with something else-pain perhaps? For me?- I couldn't quite be sure, but what I was sure of, was that as soon as I looked into his deep blue eyes, I broke.

My body started shaking and I fell to my knees. Loud, obnoxious sobs escaped my lips and a waterfall of tears fell freely down my face. It wasn't long before I felt a hand set gently on my shoulder. I hesitently looked up, trying to calm myself before facing Calvin, but I knew I didn't stand a chance.

No words were said, Calvin just simply held my body close as we sat there on the cold ground of the outside balcany. I don't think he knew what was wrong, but he held me without question. In the short few weeks Calvin had been back, he understood and was always there for me. I didn't always realize it, but he was.

What I did next, I want to say was completely accidental, but kissing someone is never an accident.

His lips were soft and sweet, tasting a bit of spearmint and something else I couldn't put my finger on. I placed my hand on his cheek and tried to deepen the moment, but I wasn't prepared for Cal to push me back. He wore a sad look and bit his lower lip.

"Ellie, I'm sorry. Trust me I've wanted to do that for a long time-fuck I've wanted to- but I know you wouldn't have done that if you weren't mad at Lane." Maybe he did know, but I guess I wouldn't have many other reasons to cry right now.

"But I thought you liked me."

"I know. And Deep down, you always hope that that one special person likes you, but deeper down, you know they don't." My eyes looked up at him.

"Look, I know you're upset, but Elz, trust me when I say you don't care about me like that. We're friends, and I don't think we're supposed to be more." His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I can't believe I just used him.

"Shit. Calvin I'm so sorry I did that. I never ment to use you like that." I felt absolutely awful, and I began to cry even louder.

"Shh, Elz, it's okay, I understand, shh." He quieted me like a child. What went so wrong in such a short amount of time.

*Lanes P.O.V. *

Ellie ran up the stairs and out of my sight in seconds. I turned around and kicked the sofa, feeling the pain immediately in my foot.

"Ahhh!" I screamed out in anger, not pain.

"Babe, calm down." Peyton told me.

"Dammit Peyton, this is fricken your fault!" I yelled at her and turned away. She jumped back at my words and I know I was being harsh, but I didn't care.

I figured she'd just leave me alone, but I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Lane, come on you need to relax." Peyton began rubbing my shoulders. "Come on, you can do so much better than her anyway."

My mind was a mess, and I wasn't sure what was happening exactly. Soon, I found myself being lead up the stairs, and into one of the guest rooms. Soft music was playing and the lights were off. As soon as the door was locked, our lips collided.