Bad Decisions Make Good Stories

- 13 -

Thirteen

By Thursday, I was back at school and functioning properly. Maybe it was Julia’s soup, maybe it wasn’t but when I went to English on Thursday morning, I felt as good as new. I was happy and I felt replenished, as if three days at home were just what I needed.

I sat down at my desk and waited for Noah. He made it just before the last bell but he strolled into class as if he was perfectly on time. I refrained from rolling my eyes at the fact everything seemed to come easy to him. He chucked his bag to the ground and slouched into his seat. “Glad to see your face again nut. You look much better than yesterday.”

“Thanks,” I muttered sarcastically to which he just ruffled my hair.

For the rest of the class, we talked and did our work – well, I did my work – Noah did the talking. When the bell rang, we left together. We walked down the corridor together, heading in the same direction. Hiking my bag further up my shoulder, I looked curiously at Noah. “Do you think you’re going to graduate?”

“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “My grades haven’t been the best. But I’ll scrape by I reckon. Mum would kill me otherwise.”

“You know, I could get Lauren to help you if you’re not understanding the work. She helps me with Maths all the time, she’s really great,” I said tentatively.

He shrugged. “Maybe. I’ll get back to you.”

“Cool. So anyway about tomorrow night, I’m going to come with Jet,” I replied as we approached my Bio class.

“Awesome. It’ll be a sick night,” he stated.

We stopped outside my class just as Ava was walking down the hall. Assuming she’d gotten over our irrelevant tiff, I smiled at her. Opening my mouth, I was about to say hello but she cut me off. “Don’t even talk to me Marnie.”

Then she went into class without another word.

I looked at Noah sadly. “Well I guess she’s not over it.”

“What did you guys argue about anyway?”

“Nothing,” I breathed out. “I’ll see you later Noah.”

He gave me a quick one arm hug. “Yeah later, nut.”

*   *   *   *

My happy mood had dimmed by lunch because Ava pretended I didn’t exist in all the classes we had together. I tried talking to her but she completely ignored me. And when I went to lunch, I was nervous over how the group would be. I approached the table and thankfully they looked happy.

I put my tray down gingerly and they all greeted me back from the dead. I laughed and started at my food nervously. “So where’s Ava?”

There was a pause before Jayden looked at me uncomfortably. “Well, we know about the argument on Saturday and we made the mistake of implying we were on your side because I mean you did nothing wrong.” He hesitated again. “We didn’t want to be the ones to tell you this …”

“Just spit it out J,” I said, panicking slightly.

He hesitated, trying to avoid the inevitable. “Ava is … Ava—“

“Oh for fucks sake,” Jade said aggressively. “Ava is sitting with Bitchy Becky and her Barbies.”

It was like a kick to the stomach. I turned to their table and sure enough, Ava was nestled next to Becky, laughing as if they were best friends. She caught my eye and she smirked. She smirked.

I turned back to my group, speechless.

Jade shrugged. “Whatever. She annoyed me anyway.”

“Jade,” I cut back. “This has to be temporary. Our argument was over literally nothing.”

“Not according to her,” Finn admitted. “She’s been blowing it way out of proportion.”

I frowned. “She’ll come back. It’ll be okay.”

Jade shook her head and slammed her carton of milk down. “No, she can’t come back. Out of all the people she chose, she chose Becky. That was so low it hurts even me. I mean, Becky is horrible, she bullied Lauren all of Freshman year! Ava is not allowed back with us.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing the group probably agreed. Ava had picked the wrong group, Becky had been nothing but cruel to Lauren in Freshman year not to mention her ongoing tension with Jade. I sighed. “I’m not hungry anymore. I’ll be in the library if you want me.”

I left before they could say anything.

I found an empty table in the library and sat down. I didn’t do anything. I just sat there and let my mind wander. Half of me was angry that Ava had left so easily but the other half felt guilty. I chose to be friends with Noah even though it bothered Ava and in the process, I’d lost one of my best friends. I sighed to myself and let my thoughts run around until the bell went.

Instead of going to class though, I skipped and went home. I could have detention tomorrow for all I cared but I was not going to sit through my classes with Ava by my side ignoring me.

I was walking towards my car when someone called my name sounding surprised. I looked to the source, spotting Noah and Kyle next to Kyle’s car. I titled my head and realised what they were doing. “Are you guys smoking a joint?”

Noah shrugged. “Class was boring.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re really something else. Did you pull this shit back in New Zealand?”

“Didn’t need to. I liked it there.” I looked at him and he shrugged. “Where are you going anyway?”

“Home. I don’t think I can survive an afternoon with Ava. Apparently, she’s best friends with Becky now. Thanks for telling me, by the way, that my best friend is sitting at the table next to yours.”

Noah sensed the pain in my voice and cringed. “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you but your friends said it would probably be better coming from them.”

I sighed. “Whatever. I just wanna get out of here.”

Noah offered me the joint. “There’s a great place you could go. It has rainbows and unicorns and waves of colour.”

I laughed and pushed his hand away. “No thanks, I actually want to survive the rest of the year and smoking pot on school grounds won’t let me to do that.”

“Suit yourself. So how come you and Ava argued? What was it over? Are you ever going to tell me?”

I hesitated. I really didn’t want to tell him. “Um, I’ll tell you tomorrow when you’re not baked. Catch you guys later.”

I got into the car before he could push for further information. 

 *   *   *   *

What a boring chapter. Lol oops. But more shit comeing soon. JJ coming eventually.

Merry Christmas!

Stay good yo xo