Salad Days (Calum Hood FF)

Chapter 3: The Past

Agnes' Pov

A couple of weeks had gone by and surprisingly no one had noticed me sneaking away at night, nor had anyone noticed how much happier, I've been in the past few weeks. It was the weekend so I happily woke up at an appropriate time and walked down the stairs. I heard rummaging from the kitchen and I swung the door open, "Morning guys,"

"Morning Nes," Megan smiled at me as she put her cup into the sink, turning back to look at me, "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"No reason,"

"Agnes, I need to talk to you," Nicole announced as she swung the doors open behind me.

"What's up"

"Do you want to come with us to the guys' gig tonight?"

"Oh, the one at the pub downtown? Are you sure that Agnes should go? It's pretty shady down there," Megan said as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Well since Agnes is 15 now she should get to explore the same things that we do," She argued and turned to face me, "So what do you say?"

"I'd rather not," I said as I turned to grab some food from the fridge.

"Why not? Weren't you just trying to join us a couple weeks ago?" She asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"I have plans with Zyra and Archie tomorrow, you said I could go last week." I said slightly confused as I remember asking her not long ago.

"Oh right," She sighed out, "Nes I don't think that you should-"

"Nicole. You already said I could go, and we're not doing anything bad."

The door bell rang and before I could use it as my escape goat Megan beat me to it, "I'll get it. You two stay here."

"Nes I'm just saying," She sighed as she moved closer to me, "Archie is going through a lot right now, he barely got back to school after rehab, and Zee is just going through a lot as well. She isn't the same as she was before and I just don't want you to be in danger."

"Not once has Zee ever put me in danger," I scoffed as I rolled my eyes at her, "And I trust them, with my life. You used to be friends with Archie, why all of the sudden are they so bad?"

"Agnes!" She exclaimed, "He ruined his life! He sold drugs, he took drugs, he caused so many of my friends to overdose, because of Archie! That's why I don't trust him."

"Or you just gave up on Archie because you were so scared of being accused as a user? You're scared of not being seen as the perfect older sister? You are so scared that you are willing to give up you're friend, once your best friend? Did you forget that too?"

"He was my friend. But friends don't hurt their friends-"

"And friends don't abandon their friends in times of need." I huffed as I pushed myself off of the counter, "I'm going to Zyra's, don't wait up."

I walked out of the kitchen, seeing the guys, and Megan trying to pretend as if they didn't hear us arguing in there. I went near the couch and grabbed my backpack before going near the open door.

"Agnes if you go out that door you are going to be grounded." She threatned.

"Like you can do anything about it," I scoffed once more as I slammed the door shut behind me and began walking to the next street to Zyra's.

After a few minutes I finally reached the familiar steps and opened the door, "Zee! I'm here."

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she greeted me with a bottle.

"I needed to get away." I dropped my bag near the door and walked over to the couch to sit next to a tipsy Archie, "Nicole was getting on my ass."

"Still hasn't changed as atll," Archie laughed next to me.

"Guess not,"

"Maybe her ass got more sticks stuck up in it," Zee laughed as she plopped next to me and popped another bottle.

"Cheers to that!" We all laughed and before we knew it, it was a party.

Nicole's Pov

"I 've never heard you guys fight before, what happened?" Ashton asked as he went near me and caressed my arm. Being my friend for a few years, and then being my boyfriend for the last two years, he knew me inside and out.

"I did what you said and invited her to your guys' gig tomorrow, but she refused because she had plans."

"Sounds fair?" Calum said confused.

"Plans with Zee and Archie." I finished off.

"How is Archie anyways? Is he doing any better?" Ashton asked once more as he set down his bag next to the couch.

"I don't know. I haven't asked." I shrugged leaning against the wall.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to be involved with that."

"Nicole, he was our friend-"

"You were all actually friends with Archie?" Luke asked.

"We met when we all went to pre-prep together, and we just clicked until two years ago. Then he got held back twice.Until he started selling drugs at soccer games, then eventually even just in the halls." I uttered, remembering the first time I saw him handing out baggies underneath the bleachers.

"Why did you guys stop talking then?"

"My mom found out and made me stop talking to him and Zee. I said yes because they said if I didn't I would be sent off to Singapore to go to private school."

"But your mom left, even after you never reached out?" Michael asked.

"I guess not-"

"That's probably why Nes isn't understanding where you're coming from. She thinks your just trying to control her life, without knowing the truth. Maybe you should tell her the truth." Megan said as she sat on the couch.

"I can't-"

"Nicole it's been years maybe she'll understand-"

"I don't want to bring up the past. I turned my whole life around and I refuse to relive the person that I used to be. I never want Agnes to find out what happened."

"You don't want her to find out that you were once where Archie is? You disobeyed your parents and they caught you which is why you changed all of the sudden?"