The Outcast

Chapter 12: AWKWARD

Chapter Twelve: AWKWARD

Nirvana Evans

The morning after hanging out with River I woke with a bright smile plastered on my face. Swiftly getting out of bed I skipped all the way down to the kitchen to grab breakfast and sooth my growling stomach. But the sight I found almost made me lose my appetite and drop the eternal smile. There was Nathan dressed in a pair of Spongebob boxers and nothing else. He was chugging down the orange juice straight from the carton like there was no tomorrow.  Nathan wasn’t a bad looking guy but this was a sight no germ freak cousin wanted to experience so early in the morning. He seemed oblivious to my presence until I cleared my throat loudly.

“Morning cuz, want some?” he offered me handing over the half empty juice.

“No that’s gross! And will you please put on a shirt?” I begged him averting my eyes away from him.

“Why? Is my sexiness making you uncomfortable?” he wiggled his dark eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes at him and pushed him out of the kitchen. I watched him trot upstairs to the guest room where I assumed he would do as I had asked.

After having breakfast with the whole family might I add, mom left to go shopping with some of her club friends, dad left to go fishing with some co-workers and Nathan went who knows where. I decided that I didn’t want to be home alone all day on such a perfect summer day. It was a good day to head to the beach or go fly a kite with the nice breeze that ways swaying the leave’s in the tall trees. I went upstairs to my room and took extra time in getting dressed for the day. I picked out a pair of my only denim jeans and my prettiest top, don’t ask me why, and ran a brush through my tangled hair. I chanced a peak at my neighbor’s window and found that he was indeed lying on his bed reading something. Quickly lacing up my convers I rushed out the door and headed straight for the coffee shop where my best friend would surely be working. It had a couple of days since the incident at the party and I had convinced myself that I had given Hazel enough time to cool down and forgive me for something that wasn’t even my own fault. I also hadn’t seen Will since the day at awkward day at the yogurt place but I didn’t worry much over him. My main concern right now was speaking to Hazel.

Once I arrived at the coffee shop I spotted Hazel ‘standing behind the counter as she got ready for her break. I had purposely chosen to arrive at this hour hoping to take her out for lunch so we could fix things between us. My friendship with Hazel was extremely important to me.

“Hi Haze” I alerted her of my presence. She looked up at me with cold eyes. The iciness of her stare sent shivers through my spine and I didn’t like it one bit. Did this mean that she needed more time?

“Hello” she replied back emotionless.

“You’re going on break now right? I was thinking maybe we could go for lunch at the snack bar and talk” I said to her trying not to sound too desperate.

“Sorry I already have plans with someone” she told me turning away from me.

“With who?” I asked surprised.

“None of your business anyway we don’t have anything to talk about so if you’re done here I’m leaving” she informed me as she took off her black apron and matching hat.

“Of course we have a lot to talk about. I need to know if you’re still mad at me about what happened at the party. You know it wasn’t my fault. He kissed me because he was drunk not the other way around Hazel, and I’m seriously sorry it happened please believe me” I rushed out with pleading eyes but something told me her decision was made in advance.

“Look I don’t want to hear your lame excuses. A real friend wouldn’t have done that and the only thing you need to know is that we’re not friends anymore, got it? Now bye. I have places to be, people to see” she shot back arrogantly with a flip of her blonde hair, a gesture that she and I used to make fun of when the popular girls did it at our school. This wasn’t the Hazel I knew, something was off about her. She hoped over the counter when I heard the coffee shop’s bell ding signaling that someone had arrived. Hazel walked over to the person and when I caught sight of the face I stood frozen in place.