Unexpected

• Chapter Twenty-Two •

She removes her hair from the high ponytail that she has and starts braiding it to the side like she does when she's angry or upset.

Ana gives her a hug and a smile of encouragement. "Don't worry Rani, things will always get better no matter what."

I nod my head enthusiastically and scoot my chair closer towards them. "Yeah. Regression to the mean. It means no matter how bad things get or even how good, it will always come back to the middle. So while this may be a bad time for you, it will always return back to a time or place you're satisfied with."

I've met Ranis parents and trust me when I say they are two very scary people. Her father always has an emotionless face and rarely speaks adding to his already intimidating stature. Contrastingly, her mother does nothing but speak and not in a positive way. She constantly finds flaws in people and does her best to make you feel inferior. How Rani and Bodhi cope with them is a miracle.

"Thanks guys but you don't understand. My life is practically controlled by them. That is why I do my best to go against everything they say. I want them to notice and realise I'm not exactly who they want me to be. I'm my own person."

Rani groans loudly and bangs her head against the table.

Ana and I share a concerned look before patting her on the back in a soothing way.

I sigh at the frustrating situation, "You're always welcome at my house Ran."

While Rani sulks at her negative home life, Ana starts questioning me about Abel. I knew it would only be a matter of time.

"So I heard you left school with Abel yesterday." She smirks at me.

I roll my eyes at her. "Yes Ana we did. And we had a normal conversation like normal people do."

"Uh huh. I bet there wasn't much talking involved."

I scoff incredulously. "Actually Ana, Abel was telling me the reason he was basically ignoring me all week. You wouldn't believe what it was-"

Ana interrupts me before I can finish my sentence.  There is literally no respect in this friendship.

"He was jealous of all the attention you were giving Noah, we know."

I gape at her in shock. "You knew and you didn't tell me!?"

"I honestly thought you would have figured it out by now. You're really slow sometimes Kez but this was surprising."

Rani finally rises from her comatose like state and joins in the conversation.

"Everyone knew about it Keziah. It's hard not to when it's so clear how much that boy likes you. I'm jealous."

The thing with Rani is that she never sticks with one guy long enough for it to have meaning. I think she gets bored of them too quickly for it to last.

"You don't even believe in love Rani." Ana replies.

"But when you have a guy like Abel, it's hard not to start thinking about it."

Despite the fact that I know Rani isn't interested in Abel, I bristle at the idea that he is what she wants in a guy. Abel is mine. Well kind of. I really need to tone down this possessiveness, it's getting out of hand.

"Yeah, he's smitten," I roll my eyes at this knowing it isn't true. "But anyway, what else happened, where did you even go?"

"He actually took me to this cliff that literally overlooks the whole town. In all of my time here I have never seen it before and it is beautiful. But that's beside the point. After he told me he was jealous, I actually confessed that I liked him.."