Butterscotch Backstabber

Chapter 18: Hard Ball Stage

"I feel that. I might stay single for a while too." She says.

For a moment we sit in silence and I fight back tears as my eyes lock in on a forgotten butterscotch candy still in the wrapper on my dresser.

I wish the pain would stop.

At school, on Monday as I pull my bike into the bike rack my eyes beheld a huge sign. A banner draped just about the entrances of the school that said Poppy Bennett I am sorry. Zoey rolled in next to me and said,

"Whoa."

I sighed.

"She doesn't know when to quit." Zoey locked up her bike.

As we walked into the school the signs continued.

On each wall, all the way to my normal seat.

I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

I love you.

I was stupid.

Give me another chance.

Please.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

I sat down at the table.

"Yeesh," Wes sat in front of me. Zoey sat next to me.

I ran my hands down my face before laying my head on the table and blocking everything out.

"Take the damn hint already, Poppy isn't into you anymore." Zoey snarked.

There was a moment of silence.

"Right Poppy?" Zoey asked.

I just gave her a thumbs up.

Wes sighed.

I flinched when I felt something slam down on the table in front of me. I looked up and there was Hilary, red and puffy-eyed and determined to ruin my day. Before Zoey could say anything Hilary pushed the canvas she had slammed down onto the table towards me.

I looked at it.

It was a painting of my face.

"I won't stop." She said.

"Go away Hilary," I pushed the painting back.

"I said I was sorry!"

"I'm not the one you need to say sorry to!" I shout.

She blinks at me in surprise then her lavender eyes move over to Zoey. Zoey gets up and stomps away. Typical Zoey. I get up to follow her but Hilary steps in front of me. I move to go around her but she moves in the way.

"Stop it," I beg.

"Poppy—"

"You did this to me!" I cut her off. "You... made me trust you. You made me feel things for you. I thought we had a real bond. It was all a lie." I sob.

"I didn't do anything to you! Sure I lied to Zoey to get to you but I never lied to you. I never pretended or forced you to like me. That was all real." She says.

"You manipulated me!"

"You did the same! You were pretending to be my friend so that you could get me away from Zoey. Don't you see, maybe this whole thing started off as a lie, but what you and I had, what we felt for each other. That was always real."

I back up but she keeps walking towards me.

"You can lie to yourself all you want but I'm not going to stop. I made a promise. I'm always going to be there for you, be your friend. No matter what. Even through this. I promised you that. Remember?"

My back hits the wall.

"Get away from me," I beg.

She shakes her head no.

She caresses my cheek, wiping the tears I didn't even know I shed.

"I never meant to hurt you," she whispers. "And I know you're scared to trust me again, but I just want to start over. On a clean slate. I want you to know me, the real me. No lies, no nothing. Please, Poppy, stop trying to shut me out."

"I'm scared," I admit.

"I know, me too." She sniffles and wipes my tears.

She leans in to kiss me but I stop her.

"I can't, Zoey is going to hate me again. We just made up and—" she cuts me off with a kiss.

My heart flutters and I deepen the kiss.

"Let me handle Zoey, let me make this right. Please." She whispers against my lips.

I grab her face and I kiss her, harder, deeper.

She wraps her arms around me.

In the distance, I hear Wes sigh.

But I don't care.

I can't help it.

The heart wants what it wants and my heart has spoken. It picks the annoyingly persistent, over-the-top, perfectly perfect Hilary King. Even if she isn't perfect, she's good enough for me.