Awks. ✓

Chapter 38: Roses And Dandelions.

"Did he say anything about what made her... Do it?" Alexander questioned. Heaving another sigh, I put my head down, resulting in my hair creating a short curtain over my face.

Not your news to tell.

I shook my head, deciding not to tell them about the details in the letter. I looked back up at them and stared at each of them. "She wrote me a letter. And she told me to pass a couple of things onto you guys."

To say that they looked surprised at that moment would definitely be an understatement. I leaned to the left so that I could pull the envelope out of the back pocket of my jeans. I opened it up and cleared my throat.

"Claire," I began, looking up at her, "get off your phone and enjoy the outside world for a change. You're always reblogging picture of trees and mountains and shit. Go for a damn hike you antisocial freak." We couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her turning her phone off and shoving it into her hoodie pocket.

"Accurate as fuck." Alexander commented, raising his hand. "My turn. My turn. Me. Me."

"Alexander, man up already and start talking more." I looked away from the letter and at him. "Ugh, you already do and it's annoying."

"I'll pretend like you didn't just hurt my feelings." He scowled. "Keep reading."

I gave him a cheesy grin before continuing because to be honest, teasing him had lately become one of my most favourite hobbies. "Get out there and make more friends, maybe even get yourself a girlfriend while you're at it."

"But I already have you." He piped up, pouting as he brought his knees towards his chest.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I think she meant a real girlfriend and not someone you just use as a chick repellent." Averting my gaze from him, I looked at Dylan who was surprisingly quiet since we got back. "Dyl, you okay?"

He looked away from the spot on the ground his vision was focused on and looked at me. He licked his lips and nodded hesitantly.

"Stop letting life be the little bitch that it is and stomp all over you. Stand your ground and go after what you want." I read, before folding the letter back up and putting it in the envelope. Dylan never had anything to say in response to Bethany's words. He just simply went back to staring at his interesting spot on the ground.

"I also have something to say."

Stop being such a wuss and spit it out already. You brought them here. Say it.

"I want to be your friend." I told them, resulting in me getting puzzled expressions. "It's just, I want to get to know you guys better. For you to be comfortable enough to open up to me whenever you want to. Bethany never had anyone like that and I can't help but blame myself for not being there for her. I don't want anyone else to ever feel like they have no one to turn to while I'm around." Tears began to collect in my eyes as I blinked them away but to no avail, pushing a couple over the waterline of my eyelashes and down my cheeks. "We didn't even have her phone number."

"It wasn't your fault." Claire comforted me, shifting closer to me and wrapping her arms around me, a couple of tears escaping her own eyes. "It wasn't anyone's."

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Alexander sighed. "Even though I'm slightly offended by you asking to be my friend because I thought you already were. Great to know that the feelings were mutual Marianne."