Hard Boy ✔️

52

- Set Me Free; Joshua Bassett - 

Paige Holland

"You need to look at it from her side, P," Logan spoke as he took a bite of his burrito. I slouched back in my chair, unhappy with his advice. "I can't say who's right or wrong. I just know it's really tearing into our friend group."

"Well she blew up for no reason!" I exclaimed, glaring at someone when they looked over at us. "It was out of nowhere, L. One second I was getting her ready for the party the next she was saying all of these horrible things about me. I get it, maybe I was a little bit in the wrong for what happened with Asher but she said she was over it and she can't just keep throwing it in my face."

"Is she really throwing it in your face?" Logan asked, sending me a look.

"It happened forever ago, Logan. Just like the party when this all happened. I mean, she forgave you and you did something wrong!" I exclaimed.

"I told her I wouldn't tell you something and told. I didn't steal her boyfriend," He said.

"Asher was never her boyfriend," I said, clenching my jaw. My fist clenched as well, anger coursing through me.

"But they were a thing, right? Kinda like her and Carter?" He asked. I could see the sadness in his eyes at the mention of Rory and Carter, but was quick to ignore it.

"I mean, if you think her going after someone she has absolutely no chance with is a thing, sure." I shrugged. Which technically speaking could go both ways - with Asher and Carter - in my opinion. But I guess everyone's thinking differently about this situation.

Logan stared at me with a blank expression, one I couldn't understand. Finally, he sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Paige, I love you-" He stopped, thinking of his next words. "But you're very unaware."

"What?" I asked, "Are you kidding me right now Logan? That's crazy coming from you! You're the one madly in love with my lame cousin when she's shown no interest in you. Just saying."

"And I'm just saying-" He stopped, his jaw clenching from my choice of words. "If you really liked someone and you walked in on her making out with them, would you be very happy?" He asked.

"Aurora doesn't 'makeout' with people." I cringed at the thought, "I'd be surprised if she's ever even kissed anyone. I mean I know there's that rumor going around that she and Carter were making out at homecoming or whatever but that doesn't always mean it's true. We all know how Kaya White works, almost anything and everything she says is a lie."

"Paige, listen to yourself please." He put his unfinished burrito on his plate, "I'm all for defending you but this is at a point where I just can't. I've already been called a colorful choice of names just for continuing to hang out with you despite the shitty things you said, so your acting like this every time we hang out does nothing but prove everyone's point."

"None of you thought so shitty of me until Aurora moved here," I pouted, resting my chin in my hand. I tapped my fingers against the table in thought, my eyes moving around the slightly busy restaurant.

"We don't think so shitty of you in general, Paige." Logan sighed. He leaned back, seeming to be done with his food. "We just think the things you said were shitty. Whether it was her that blew up first or said things first, you said very harsh stuff worse than she did. We all heard it, there's no excusing it no matter how close we are. Have you ever thought about just sitting down with her and genuinely finding out why she's acting the way she is? Everyone has a reason for acting the way they do for the most part. Especially if you've never gone this long without being okay and her having never blown up like this before."