Always | ✓

2. My Life

I just get on my bike and and out on my helmet.

My dad's a cop, and the situation 'helmet-hair' means nothing to him when it comes to my safety and riding the bike. There are no compromises there and I really can't be asked to hear a lecture from him.

As I am about to peddle off, I see Liam's car zoom past.

Liam.

Liam and I, we're not really friends anymore. We just don't talk, well not as friends. We're just neighbours.

We started out as great friends, almost best friends I would say. Ever since he moved into the house next door to mine, Liam and I spent a lot of time together, as did our parents.

From playing make-believe or just building a fort and watching movies, we did it all when we were younger.

This were great even as we went to school together as well, but then Liam started climbing the social ladder.

And me? Well, lets just say I wasn't the girl people noticed.

Slowly Liam and I started losing contact with each other.

I found my own circle of friends that I became really close with, and Liam found his own too. 

There was a time where we would tell each other about our day in detail, but then slowly we started going days without even seeing other each other.

By the time we got to high school, the only interaction between Liam and I, would be a friendly 'Hey, Neighbour' or just a smile.

I don't even want to mention the awkward 'Hey' that was sometimes said...usually by me.

Right now, Liam's a part of the typical, popular clique every high school generally has.

He's also on the football team, so immediately that makes him popular, especially since they win a lot. Bringing back trophies and medals makes for a good social standing.

I know he'd earned it, but then it also has to help that he's pretty good looking, which according to society's unwritten rules, it's a ingredient in becoming popular.

I swear it's like the universe knows the guys that will be on the football team in high school, and just gifts them with good genes.

I don't really interact with the popular clique, since they have this snobbish, looking down on everyone attitude, which I hate. They just carry this aura around them, that makes me think that they feel they're better than us 'normal people'.

Unless you're hot, popular, rich, on the football or cheerleading team, it's as if they don't actually care about your existence. Apparently you need to be a somebody, which wasn't me. 

I mean, it's fine with me really, but all of that added up to a load of difference, that in turn distanced Liam and I.

Some people would actually be surprised if they ever found out Liam was my neighbour.

Hell, if they found out we were once best friends, they might die of shock.

I always thought that someday Liam would just turn and see me standing there.

He was always that boy that hurt his knee outside my house, whose knee I kissed better, who told me my kiss was magic, and smiled at me...

That smile.

Honestly I didn't realise it then, but I fell for Liam, even though I was only five. Hearing about his day, was the highlight of mine. Looking into his brown eyes, gave me this warm feeling.

I'm pathetic, I know.

The boy doesn't even talk to me anymore and I sound like a hopeless girl in love.

But I'm still falling for him, waiting for the day for him to catch me.

***

When I reached school, I safely locked my bike on the bike stand, and began to make my way inside.

When I walked through the entrance, I quickly spotted two of my best friends, Melanie and Sara, who were currently stood by my locker.

"Come on, Mel. Please?" I saw Sara pleading.

Not a new sight at all.

"Really, Sara? The puppy eyes?" Mel asked and then rolls her eyes. "Fine. But never again," she warned.

"Hey, guys. What you doing?" I asked, curious to know why Mel is glaring at Sara...this time.

These two have a real love-hate relationship. More than I've seen in any show or movie.

"Nothing, Rena." Mel shook her head. "Sara, of course, hasn't done the history homework, and as usual is begging me for it," she said in an unimpressed tone.

Sara huffed in response.

"Come, Mel. I said I was sorry," she pouted.

"There was just three more episodes remaining on the season, I just wanted to complete it. If anything blame Netflix and its easy binge-watching ways," Sara then tried to make her case.

Mel carried on to glare at Sara, looking completely unamused. "Sara, you said that last time."

Again, none of this was a new occurrence.

"Well to be fair, it is a good show," I piped in, knowing exactly what Sara was watching, because she called me straight after to rant about it.

Sara clung onto my arm. "Exactly! See, Rena agrees with me."

Mel's focus then landed on me. "Rena, don't even try to take her side," she warned.

Sara rolled her eyes. "You need to loosen up a bit."

I saw Mel's eyes narrow. "Sara, you-" she began to say, but then I quickly cut her off.

"Guys, come on, the day hasn't even started and you guys already have. Can we please just go to class together, in peace?" I asked them.

They looked at me and then at each other, and then finally nodded in agreement.

We walked to English Lit together, whilst cracking jokes.

These two literally go from bickering, to besties, in a matter of minutes, and I'm always left to play referee.

We walked into class and spotted Max, Danny and Flo already sitting and make our way towards them.

This is the one lesson we all have together, so of course it's my favourite.

The only thing I didn't know, was that my favourite lesson was about to become the first cause of my heartbreak.

***

Rena is now 16 years old.
Liam and her, despite living next door to each other, have grown apart.
He's unknown to the fact she likes him, not that she'd ever tell him.

This chapter is just to let you know about Rena's life now, before everything goes downhill for her. Seriously.

Thanks for Reading :)