To Be, Or Not To Be

Chapter 6: I Want My Best Friend Back

        Recovery is finding something to be happy about again. For Leighton, it was difficult. She had her family and friends back, but, let's be honest, it's not like they could've gotten rid of her anyway. If they really didn't care about her, they would've left her from the start. But here they are, by her side, whenever she needs them. The only one missing was Ander. Everyday, they would look at each other as if they wanted to say something, anything, but they never would.

        There was only one week left of school before everyone would be let out on spring break, which also meant that mid-terms were going to be all week. Thank God chemistry is the last day. I need as much time as I can get. Leighton's teacher for that class was literally impossible, but he was also decently hot. She, as well as all the other girls he had, could not get mad at him because of how sweet and good-looking he was. Her best friend, Jasmine, also had him, but during a different period than her. They would always talk about him whenever they waited on the lunch line, how he showed his goofy smile or how he shaved his scruff. Jasmine had a better relationship with him, though, because she struggled so much in that class that she would stay after every day, sometimes past 5, until she understood the concepts. 

        "Do you understand the periodic trends? Could you explain them to me pleaseee," Jasmine texted Leighton Thursday night. Whenever their teacher wasn't available, Leighton would be next up to ask questions, since science was her best class. 

        "Yeah, sure! Give me a sec to type it all out!" Leighton went through each trend with as much detail as possible, hoping Jasmine would understand it. She wasn't the best at explaining after all. A banner notification came down while she was typing. It was Ander.

        "Hey, Leigh. I know this is kind of random and we haven't talked in a while, but could you help me with this chemistry stuff? I seriously don't understand anything and my mom is going to kill me if I don't get at least a B in that class this quarter. You know how she is." A small, innocent smile snuck onto her face. Ander. I miss you. She finished her text to Jasmine first, in case she got side tracked and forgot about her. Time to get my best friend back.

        "Yeah, what do you need help with?"

        "EVERYTHING! HE SUCKS AT EXPLAINING!" She laughed at that. It was completely true. Their teacher may be hot, but he could not teach for his life. They were high school students, but he expected them to understand everything as fast as an actual chemist.

        "Lol okay give me some specifics first so I can explain it part by part," she answered. They texted until he was finally well-prepared for the mid-term, which was around 10 at night. 

        "Seriously, Leigh, you're a life saver! Thank you so much!" he said. And that was that.

        Leighton plugged her phone into its charger and went to her bathroom to get ready for bed. She looked into the eyes of her reflection. Her eyes were a dark, dark brown, almost black, but she paid attention to where the light reflected, the shimmering, white speck. A speck of hope. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, as every one of her beauty gurus did on YouTube, and she went back to her room to check her social media on her phone before lights out. But her phone was already lit with a notification when she came in. 

        "I miss you, Leigh." It was Ander. "I miss my best friend." She literally ripped her phone off the charger and texted him back.

        "I miss you, too! Like I've been wanting to talk to you but I was too scared that you might not want to talk to me again after I was being such a bitch to you. Seriously I'm so sorry, Ander! Please forgive me!!" She was laughing and crying at the same time because of how happy she was that Ander missed her, too. 

        "Leigh, don't apologize. You did nothing wrong like seriously I just want to be friends again," Ander texted. 

        "Yesss please!!" She couldn't stop smiling. It was the first time, in a long time, that something made her this happy. They texted until past midnight, catching up and telling each other about their problems; Ander forming a new hatred towards Darren and Leighton forming a greater hatred toward Ander's crazy psycho ex.

        "You should've told me this sooner! Then we could've been depressed together!" She laughed at his text. Trust me. You don't ever want to see me depressed.

        "NO! It's so bad!"

        "Oh trust me. You didn't know me in 8th grade. I was a mess. That's when I first started cutting. It was really really bad. So whatever you think is "bad" multiply that by 100 and that was me in 8th grade." She stopped and thought about it for a second. Ander. Really? He's probably the last person I would think would be depressed, let alone cut himself. He's always so happy and weird. She got another message from him. "Well, I don't know about you but I think we should get some rest before this mid term in like 6 hours LOL."

        "OMG we should! Night, Ander!"

        "Night, Leigh! ♥ ;)" She rolled her eyes with a smile. Typical Ander.

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        "Seriously, Jen, I know you like him! ;)" Leighton immediately sent it to her friend, waiting intently for her response. She was telling her about this kid, Conner, in her history class that got in trouble that morning for pulling out his phone while their teacher was getting observed. She specifically announced before her supervisor got there that no phones were allowed out just for today. Jen realized he was also in her English class, and Leighton playfully teased her about him, just for fun. When she started getting defensive about it, she realized that her friend might actually think he was a tad adorable.

        "Okay, maybe a little." She squeaked in the middle of the hallway. Jen has a crush on Connnnnner.

        "Wow, that was so gay!" Leighton scrunched her nose and punched Ander in the arm.

        "LOSER," she yelled. They looked at each other and laughed, just like old times. Her phone vibrated again.

        "Enough of my private life. What happened to you and Ander? Did you guys break up or something?" 

        "WHAT THE FUCK?" Leighton's eyes were wide. Oh shit, hopefully no one heard that. Ander was dying of laughter next her.

        "Oh my god," he said in between laughs, "Oh my god, what happened?"

        "SHUSH!" 

        "What are you talking about? We were never together! You know that! You're one of my best friends! I would've told you if we were dating!" WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? LIKE HUH? 

        "That's what everyone's been saying! I thought you guys were like secretly dating so your parents wouldn't know! Even in algebra! I was walking out of class and one of the juniors was like, 'Hey, do you know if they're together?' and I was like, 'Well I wouldn't be surprised if they were!' Everyone thinks you two are together! Or at least were. I haven't seen you guys talk in a while." Oh. My. God. "I mean, you didn't know me in 7th grade, but I actually secretly dated Ander LOL. But he broke up with me anyway no biggie. I could barely hang out with him anyway I put no effort in that relationship." 

        Leighton was literally frozen. She had no idea how to react. ME? AND ANDER? TOGETHER? WHAT THE FUCK?

        "Leighhhhhh, are you going to tell me or what?" But the sound of the bell cut them short. Thank god. "Ugh, you better tell me later, okay?" She gave a cheesy nod and headed for her classroom. I'm not telling him.