Just A Classmate [H.S]

5

L A N A

After packing away the dishes and cleaning up a bit, I motioned for El to follow me into my bedroom, so she grabbed Alex from his high chair and put him on her hips as we began walking upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Mum asked as she looked up from the kitchen. Lauren looked at us confusedly as well, wondering why we didn't ask her to tag along as well. But I had every reason to not want to associate with her.

"Upstairs to do...some stuff." I answered, turning back around to leave but Lauren's high pitched voice stopped us once more.

"Can't I come, you used to always want me to come..." She responded sadly. It instantly made me feel guilty about being so rude to her. I guess I could give her break and tell her why I'm so upset. I nodded my head as she smiled and followed us up into my bedroom. I closed the door behind us and sat on the bed. Lauren came and sat next to me whilst El sat on the floor beanbag, playing with Alex.

"He's gotten so big!" She exclaimed, motioning to the baby. We all watched as he stood on her lap quietly, fiddling with her fingers. It was crazy to think just a few months ago he couldn't even sit up without support, now he was standing.

"Yeah. Well, he eats like his Auntie so..." Lauren laughed, referring to me. I managed to crack a smile but as she turned to look at me, I found myself frowning. She surely wasn't that oblivious to how I was feeling. We had all known each other's emotions inside out.

"So when are you leaving?" I bluntly asked. She coughed and looked past me by the window. Good. She knew I was angry at her.

"In six days." I nodded my head and laid my head down as she got up and touched various make up items on my dresser, applying random items of my make up on the back of her hand, making irritating "oohs" and aahs" at every swatch.

"Don't touch anything." I spat. It clearly came out ruder than intended. Both Eli and Lauren turned to look at me. I could tell my behaviour was upsetting Loz.

"Lana." Eli looked at me, her eyes telling me I was being too harsh. Maybe I was, but she deserved to understand how she had made me feel. I felt so betrayed by her, my own sister; flesh and blood. It didn't matter that it happened ten years ago, because it still happened.

"Can you tell me what I did wrong? Because I'm really confused to why you're angry at me?" Lauren folded her arms across her chest to glare at me.

"Oh please, don't act like you don't know." I sneered, rolling my eyes at her.

"No, I really don't know Lana."

I sighed and took a deep breath before spilling my heart out. "Why did you pay him? To be my friend. I thought he genuinely wanted to be my friend, but he got bribed by just $100. Where did you even get $100 from?"

Her eyes softened when she finally caught onto it. She rubbed her face and was quiet for a few seconds, but I avoided eye contact with her.

"Lana, it's not l-"

"And honestly, am I only worth $100 to you?"

"No of course not! Listen Lay, I was only 11 years old and I was worried about you. Remember blondie would always pick on you and make you cry, then you lost your friends. You were only six, I didn't want my baby sister to feel left out." She answered reasonably. If I were in a better mood, I wouldn't have been so angry.

"Oh okay. So you just went around to a bunch of six year olds and asked which ones would be my friend for $100?"

"No actually, Harry had a little bit of a crush on me back then. Because you guys were at different kindergartens, he didn't know you. So I asked him if he could be your friend and then I... paid him the money. I told him I would introduce you guys the following day at my house but that was the same day he saved you from the bus and then you guys became friends." She rambled. I felt a little more at peace. Although it still hurt a little, I understand what her intentions were. And besides, she was only 11; what did she know.