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Chapter 9- She Drinks Way Too Much Starbucks

Chapter 9- She Drinks Way Too Much Starbucks

“I am so confused right now,” Holland says, holding an ice pack to her head a while later.

“Yeah, I’m extremely confused right now too,” Clark agrees, looking up from her phone, which she’s probably using to text Shawn.

Clark, Holland and I are currently up in my bedroom and I’m trying to explain to them the whole Mason situation to them. I’m sort of regretting that I told them because ever since I did, Clark’s been bombarding me with questions and it’s just too much. After Holland fainted, which was so ridiculous and just so dramatic and Holland-like, Clark ran over to her and I laid there immobile on the floor for a second, trying to remember how to breathe correctly.

Holland didn’t stay out of it very long though, only for about twenty minutes or so, and then Caleb and Wyatt wanted to watch TV there in the living room—  a football game or something, which is stupid since Caleb has a TV in bedroom—  and they didn’t want to hear our, “girl drama”, so for that reason, Caleb scooped Holland’s unconscious body up and brought her up to my room. Then she woke up and then demanded an explanation, which I’m trying to deliver to them right now, but it’s very difficult because I have to admit that I’ve been lying to them, which isn’t a good thing to have to admit to.

“Well, okay, just start from the exact beginning,” Holland sighs, crossing her left leg over her right as she puts her ice pack down.

“Okay then,” I retort with an inaudible groan. I plop down in between my two friends and sigh heavily and dramatically before beginning my story. “So, remember the day we went to mall? Like, just a few days ago?” I pause, looking at both of them for confirmation of their recollection of that day, and then continue. “Well, then we left, right? And so I went to work at Tome Sweet Tome like I always do. I asked Barbara if she needed some help, but she declined and just started listening to music for a while. Maroon , actually, but that’s not important. Anyways, there was a guy that walked in after a little while and I asked him if he was looking for anything in particular but he actually wasn’t, said he was just looking, so I kept listening to my music. But then a few minutes later, the same guy came up to register to buy the books, but then he was all like, ‘Aria Austin?’ because I never told you this, but we went to elementary school and one year of middle school together, Mason and I did, but then before seventh grade, he moved to California and jump-started his career so just three days ago was the first time I’ve heard from him in like, five years. So, then he wanted to go to Pete’s so we did and from then we’ve been hanging out and stuff. We went to the zoo that one day and today we were at his parent’s house in Elkhart, and yeah, that’s the whole and complete truth, I swear,” I say quickly, surprising myself when I don’t bite my tongue or fumble over my words.

“That may be the most ironic thing that I have ever heard in my life,” Clark says, her eyes widening as she puts down her phone.

“Wait a second, you went to school with Mason Carter for seven years? And you didn’t feel the need to tell me this?” Holland asks incredulously as she turns to look at me, narrowing her eyes sizably.

That’s one thing about Holland. She can make feel really guilty about just about anything. She’ll do this little facial expression where she wrinkles up her nose and narrows her eyes and it’s probably the worst look ever. I see her give it to mother a lot, because Holland and her mother have an awful, terrible and just horrible relationship. Holland’s mother had an affair with Holland’s father’s male co-worker, which, of course, tore the family apart and Holland still hasn’t forgiven her mother and I really don’t think that she ever will. I mean, she lives with her father and stepfamily even though she could totally stay with her mom if she wanted to. The two of them, last I heard, haven’t talked since March of this year, which is really disturbing considering the fact that it’s almost a new year. So, yes, she gives her mother the look every time she sees her, but they never, ever talk. At least, that’s what Holland told me and I have no trouble believing it because she sure dos know how to hold a grudge, Holland does.