The Night School [GxG] [First Draft Edition]

Chapter Forty-Three : Life Problems 101

How fucking stupid was I to think anything had changed?! It's like the second I start to let Hazel in, she tries even harder to screw me over. She hasn't talked to me since last night -when she'd kissed me for the first time while asking for permission. Permission that I gladly gave. But I really regret it now. I let myself get a little too attached to her. Now she was avoiding me again. Note to self: avoid Hazel at all costs. I feel bad and all, about Winter, but if Hazel wants nothing to do with me, well, I never really wanted anything to do with her. Actually that's a lie. I just don't want anything to do with the Hazel that I know. If there were another Hazel -nicer, less irritating, you know, not Hazel- I might consider.

"Grace, you're zoning out again" Marley interrupted my internal venting. "You've got that 'Hazel was being a bitch again' face" she sat down on the couch across from me and absentmindedly poked at her lunch of overcooked pasta from the servery.

"The usual. She led me on and now she's avoiding me" I sighed.

"Ah. Not that you're gullible or anything, but what delusional story did she come up with this time?" She rolled her eyes. "And you're welcome for covering last night. You owe me some details, Gracie"

"Megan kidnapped me to meet with Riley, and then kidnapped me to take me to her house against my will to have dinner with her and Hazel, but they left me in the car" I left out the whole Hazel thing. I'd totally tell Marley all about it if not for the fact that I had a very strong feeling that if I told, Hazel would be hiding my body in a dumpster outside a fast food restaurant. Nothing personal, Mar, I just kinda want to live until I can move far, far away from Hazel and live out the rest of my life.

"That does not explain why you're more annoyed today than any other day" and Marley clearly wants me dead.

"Hazel just... Ugh... She tried talking to me at one point so Riley wouldn't get especially pissed at her, and she was actually acting like a normal person. And I believed it" I put my head in my hands with a groan.

"Dude, you have got to stop falling for these things" Marley sounded teasing, but I knew her well enough to know that she was being serious.

"I try! I try not to listen and every fucking time I fail!" I whined. "Last night I actually thought she was opening up to me- for me, but no. She said what she did because she had to. She has to spend time with me because she has to. And I am so done with this. It really couldn't be more clear that she and I want nothing at all to do with each other" I blurted before remembering that I was talking out loud, not silently to myself. "Sorry. That wasn't your problem" I smiled up halfheartedly. Marley was scowling.

"Oh no. My best friend sulking around over some bitch who is screwing with her head is totally not my problem" she snorted "if it was a small problem, it would have been solved before you got stuck on it. This is a big problem. My only suggestion is to figure out what you want" I opened my mouth to retort "don't give me that. I've seen how you act around her. I'm not that stupid. I know there is more between you. If there isn't then my god do you people need a reality check. Grace, if you really wanted her gone, you'd have no problem getting over her"

"I really want her gone"

"Well then, idiot," Ana's laugh interrupted our quiet conversation, but Marley still finished "ever think that's why you can't get rid of her?" I didn't even have time to register what she was trying to get at before Tatiana and Micha crashed our best friend time.

"Hello girlfriend and Tatiana" Marley snapped back into her usual self. Micha pursed her lips slightly before smiling at Marley, and walking to sit beside her. She kept eye contact with her while she moved, the subtlest 'you'll tell me later because you're not telling me now' look, to which Marley tilted her head towards me and a look of understanding and irritation flashed in Micha's eyes. Ana was oblivious to the whole thing.