Best friends or something more?

Grace

I ran to the cafe, tears still treating down my face. I pulled out the 20 dollar bill I kept in my phone case for emergencies. Even though this technically wasn't an emergency.

"One iced caramel macchiato, please," I said to the cashier.

"$4.50," she replied with a smile. I managed a meek smile and hands her the 20. She then gave me my change and my drink and I left. I headed towards the park.

When I got there, I sat under a big oak tree. Josh and I always used to come here. Back when we were still best friends and spent almost every living moment together. Now it was like he spent every living moment with Grace.

I sighed, Grace. The school's girl version of Draco Malfoy. Bleach blonde hair, sinister gray eyes. Though she was  definitely the school's most beautiful girl. Smart too. I thought about how my C's and B's couldn't possibly compare to her straight A's.

I really am a nobody, I thought, making the tears that had momentarily stopped start to flow again. Not paying attention to anything or anyone for that matter, I sat there, deep in thought and self-hate. I thought about the time Grace pushed me down because I had accidentally stepped on her shoe lace.

I thought about the time Grace pulled my hair and called me a good for nothing stupid weasel. I thought about all the times Josh would tell me about how amazing Grace was and how I could only sit there with a very forced, fake smile.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A voice sounded behind me. I jumped up and whirled around to see Josh. That's when I really took in his appearance. Water streaks lined his cheeks. Deep bags were visible under his eyes. He looked worn out. Most importantly, the small amount of skin sticking on his wrist barely noticeable because of the shadow his jacket cast, were small vertical lines. Scars.

I grabbed his wrist and pulled his jacket up. He winced in pain. Some of them were old and some were new. They lined his arm, barely any space left between them.

I thought back to the last time we hung out, about a month ago. They weren't there then. Shortly after, he got together with Grace.

"Josh?" I said quietly. "D-did you? I-is this? B-b-because of h-h-her?" I asked, tears quietly streaming down my face. He looked at the ground, ashamed.

"Come on," I said taking his hand. I led him to my house where I got out the first-aid kit. I rolled up his sleeves and began bandaging his arms.

When I finished with his arms, I cautiously asked,"Are there more?" He nodded and pulled up his shirt a bit. I sighed and pulled off his shirt the rest of the way. Blushing madly I bandaged up his stomach.

"You need to work out," I giggled poking his stomach. That was an ice breaker. He pulled me into a long hug and that day, for the first time in a month, we had our movie day. We curled up on the couch and turned our phones off. We happily watched the movies, most of which we had already watched. We watched them late into the night and eventually fell asleep.