Falling for Friendzone

Chapter 15

Ellie's P.O.V

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For once on a Monday morning, I wasn't tempted to kill my alarm clock. The weekend quickly came to an end and a new school week was ready to start, but this week was going to be better then all of the others. This Saturday, was Homecoming, which meant spirit week.

Four days of different and wacky clothing days, leading up to the fifth day being a blue & white day on Friday. Today happened to be Disney Princess day, and with my red hair, Ariel it is!

I straightened my curly locks and put it up to match the princess' as much as possible. Clothing wise, I just kept it simple by wearing a dress similar to the one she wore as a human; being a mermaid is hard shit to pull off!

During spirit week, even the guys participate. Most were dressed as the Disney princes, but the more dedicated guys would actually dress as princesses.

My guy friends were Aladdin (Drew), Prince Charming (Cam), and the dude from Repunzel (Alex), I couldn't care less what Lane was, but I have noticed he's been gone a lot more often. Lane was one of those guys that would miss a class or two if he felt like it, but he wouldn't be gone days at a time, and I'm sure his grades were being effected. I've tried asking Peyton about it, but without Lane there, she acts like a bigger b*tçh then I thought possible. I'm mad at Lane, but I still care.

Katie was Jasmine, going along with the whole Aladdin thing, and Kristen and Natalie were Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.

Besides the dressing up, the first three days were pretty normal. The teachers would take it easy on homework this week because of all the school festivities that were soon to be held, and face it, no one wants to do, or correct, homework during Homecoming week.

As the school day carried on, I slowly made my way towards my English class. We had a review of the past lesson, then were given time to do as we please, homework, read, talk "quietly". I was in the middle of a conversation with Drew and Kristen when my teacher asked if I would take a note down to the office for her, then run a few bags out to her car. I agreed right away and she tossed me her keys; it was nice getting out of class once in a while.

I happily made my way down to the front office, only to be greeted by our school secretary that always wore too much red lip stick, and the same long style skirts every day. She greeted me with a smile as I handed her the envelope with the note my teacher had in it. The perky lady lost her smile for a second as she read the note, and then she gave me her best forced smile to tell me thanks, I just nodded and head for my teacher's car. As I left the office, I saw the women shake her head while mumbling something about all that lost potential for no apparent reason. This comment made me curious, but it wasn't my buisness so I continued my journey with the bags in my hand.

I unlocked her car and set the bags inside, before locking it back up. I was about to head back inside, when something-or someone-caught my eye, Lane. He was sitting out on the football field bleachers, strangely by himself. I quietly made my way over by him so he couldn't hear me, he was mumbling words under his breathe before speaking up more clearly.

"I can't do it, I can't do it, I...I can't-" He cut himself off. Before I knew what I was doing, I made myself seen, and shouted out. "Can't do what?"

"What! Are you spying on me?" He coldley spat out. I jumped back at his outburst. This wasn't him, even Lane never acted this cold towards anyone, unless...

"Lane, have you been drinking?" I asked looking into his, now cloudy, blue eyes. He reeked of booze, which let me know the answer without a word from him.

"Is this what you do?" I asked him, annoyed. "When your not at school, you've been going out and getting drunk?" He sat motionless for a few seconds, before he slightly nodded, followed by nothing but quiet. As I yelled at him, his eyes softened. I felt bad, even though I had no reason to, but one question came to mind in that moment of silence that had just occurred.

"Why?" I softly whispered, taking a seat next to him on the cold, hard bleachers. As soon as I asked this, he turned his body away from me.

"I can't, I can't, I can't." He mumbled, slurring thick in his voice.

"What can't you do?" I calmly asked him. Sure I was mad at him, but it seemed like he needed someone, and I think that someone is supposed to be me.

"I...I umm...can't go back to school like this." He was holding back what he was trying to say from me, and I was sick of it. Even in a drunken state he couldn't treat me like his precious Peyton. I got up, and headed back to class, until I heard my name being called.

"Ellie." Lane slurred. That's all he said before passing out.

Lane's P.O.V

When I woke up, I was confused and dazed, I wasn't sure where I was until I heard my parent yelling at me for 30 minutes non stop about my stupid actions, that's when it all came back.

Ellie finally realized what I had been doing when I wasn't in school all of those days. I'm just happy she caught me on the day after I stopped the shrooms. I realize how bad of a decision I made, and I've never been one to drink to the point of blacking out, but lately, it's been the only way I can keep myself focused on the simple and important things in life, and away from the struggles of my emotions.

My parents stopped yelling at me, taking away my T.V and grounding me starting the day after Homecoming, they said they were punishing me, not Peyton. They left the room to leave me with my thoughts. If I passed out on the bleachers, Ellie must have been the one to take care of me...what all did I tell her? Thinking deeply, I remembered that's why she left, I wouldn't tell her anything, I couldn't.

I was about to call her and thank her for getting me home, but when I picked up my phone, I realized two things. One, she was in volleyball practice, and two, she hated me now more than ever.