The New Arrival

Chapter 15

"I told you guys," Hannah remindes. "Its been dead for a long time now. We were both stuck in a pointless relationship. We were better friends than actual partners. "

"Maybe its for the best then." Ellie said.

"It is. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. " Hannah told us.

Well I was still carrying mine. What was wrong with me?

My two best friend were staring at me. "Do you have any free periods today?" Ellie asked.

I shook my head, confused at her question. " But I'm ditching history first."

"Why?"

Good question. I knew the answer but I wanted to keep it to myself. So I shrugged. "Just dont feel like history today."

Ellie and Hannah exchanged a look. "Well we both have a free period first--" as if on queue Hannah was interrupted by the bell. She smiled. "You are coming with us and telling us everything."

"Theres nothing to say." I insisted, walking to one of the picnic benches in the playground.

"Well there must be. You're ditching history because of him." Ellie pointed out. Did they have to know me this well? I sighed. "So what happened?"

"On Saturday we were alone for a bit, we started messing about, I started running away from him but he caught up with me. He was really close, and then... he tripped and pushed me against a hedge, like really close." I swallowed. Hannah was grinning while Ellie's mouth was hanging open

"Carry on."

"Things got pretty intimate, and we nearly kissed--" Ellie gasped. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh my god you kissed?!" Ellie exclaimed.

Hannah shot her a look. "Come on Ellie, there's obviously a but." She then turned to me. "What's the but?"

I looked down at my hands. "His hand started sliding down, and--" my throat was drying up. Not this again. "I freaked out. I suddenly couldn't see Luke, all I saw was Jack. And instinctively I ran away."

"Chloe." Hannah looked at me sympathetically. "Dont worry about that. That's okay. Its normal. Its a trauma. But you'll get over it." 

"Have you spoken to him about it?" Ellie asked.

I nodded. "He asked me about it after apologising."

"How'd it go?"

"He told me he cares about me." I paused in time for my best friends reactions. Ellie's eyes lit up as she let out an over exaggerated gasp, and Hannah squealed, clapping her hands. "Guys, it wasn't a freaking proposal. He just took me out for a nice day to help me let go of my issues for a day."

My best friends looked at me in awe. "Did he say that?" Hannah asked. I nodded. "That is so sweet! Chloe I swear he likes you."

I didn't say anything, not because I agreed with that idea, but because at that comment, I remembered last nights conversation. I didn't believe that Luke actually had feelings for me, but I couldn't help but notice the disappointment in his voice when I rejected the idea of us nearly kissing meaning anything. 

"Chloe," Ellie said. "What are you not telling us?"

I snapped back to reality. "What?"

"What are you not telling us?"

"Nothing. Why would you think I'm keeping something away from you?" Way too defensive Chloe.

"Maybe because usually you'd be denying our comments and you're not." Hannah explained. "Did he tell you anything else than just 'caring' about you?!"