My Fictional Boyfriend

Chapter 24 ~ Bestest

"I will never use it, Ella. Never."

I hardly kept up the pace of Liam. "Don't think I am intruding but it's my business too. I am your best friend okay? I hope you remember that."

"It's not that easy. He left us years ago. Now he will show up – oh wait, he didn't show up, more likely fled – that thing as if he cares." He stopped but still did not look at me. "If he truly cares, he should have done it years ago, he shouldn't have left the first place!" The rage flared on his face. For a moment, I was scared of him, he never got angry like this.

"Well, maybe he did it because he just realized it. That he loves you." My hand found his shoulder and let him look at me. I hesitated then eventually say, "This might sound a little hard, but can't you please give him another chance? You haven't even tried."

"Not now maybe someday." His anger was replaced by something else... pain?

"Okay. Someday." I smiled, hoping he would too. "But promise me you'll be grateful. And..."

"And?"

"And promise me I'll be the first one you'll ride the thing with."

He shook his head of disbelief, but he smiled. See? My smile was kinda contagious. At least for him. "Whatever." We walked in silence.

Liam received his pre-birthday gift from his father who was abroad. He did not want to talk about him and I understood that. He left them just before he and his mother moved-in the house next to us. But he still refused to drive and even open the thing that was delivered to their house yesterday, no more additional charges or paperwork, all set and ready to go. He was older by a year so he already had a student's licence which meant he could drive with a supervision of someone with full-licence in National roads or alone in villages and along small places.

"There you are!" Aly rushed to us once we stepped into the main gate of our school.

"What's going on?" I asked. There was a commotion in front of the school's bulletin board.

She excitedly held my forearms and said, "We made it to the first audition!"

I looked at Liam beside me who could not hide his happiness. "Congrats to the both of you!"

She stepped back. "Both of us? You're included too, Ella."

Did I just hear her right? "What do you mean? I'm not part of the audition." The hell I sang there!, I reminded my sane mind.

Aly blushed a little and looked at the ground. "Sorry I forgot to tell you. The drama committee asked your name after you left. They were disappointed you left so soon without even signing up in a hurry. One of our batch mates knew that I am friends with you so I told them I guess it will be fine with you if they'll include you in the aspirants." She shrugged, "Guess they like you that much."

"Wow, Ella, I know drama isn't your thing but don't waste it." Liam encouraged me, forgetting our recent conversation.

"There must be any typo." We walked to the list which was pinned on the cork board. There were columns for each roles that needed performers. The first three were for Marius, Cosette, and Eponine. Liam's name under Marius, Aly's name under Eponine, and my name under Cosette. Seems like Aly's partner did not make it.

"Nice audition," Marc, one of Liam's friends, patted him and noddedtowards me. I smiled back politely.

"Geez, this was not for me, I'm sorry." I sighed and turned back.

"Aren't you happy? A lot wished to be in the list but wasn't there." Aly followed, telling us a story about his partner who almost cried after knowing his name wasn't there.