In Need of a Friend - A Joe Mazzello Fanfic (High School)

A Shattered Heart and a Necklace on the Floor

I awoke the next morning, realizing I had literally cried myself to sleep. I had only completed part of my homework, but I didn't really care. The year was almost over anyway and besides, I had bigger fish to fry - Joe thought I was in a relationship with Ben. I looked in the mirror and noticed that my eyes were red and puffy from sobbing. I saw that my hair looked a tad greasier than usual, then I remembered I didn't even take a shower last night. Well, one missed night isn't going to make me smell like a sewer. I put my hair back in a bun to hide as much of it as I could. I also put on a colorful, stretchy, headband to try to draw attention away from my hair's appearance. I know experts say you shouldn't wash your hair everyday anyway, but if I don't, then it gets oily. I put a little concealer around my eyes to try to help the puffiness around them, but it wasn't doing much. I tried some eye drops since my eyes were bloodshot, but that didn't seem to help. So, I resorted to lots of eye makeup to try to distract from all of the crap going on in that whole general area.

I wasn't hungry, so I didn't eat anything for breakfast. I just gathered my stuff when it was time and Joe was in the living room, waiting for me.

"Let's go." He said, giving me a half smile.

Ugh, this is gonna be so awkward.

We were on our way to school and stopped at a red light. Joe looked over at me. I had not said a single word and neither had he up until then.

"What's wrong with your eyes?" Joe asked me. I guess all the makeup didn't help distract from my eyes - it brought attention to them! I'm an idiot.

"Oh, um...I scratched my eyes with the mascara wand." Oh my god...what kind of a dumb fucking excuse was that?

"You did it twice?"

"Um...yep. You know I'm clumsy." I said, looking away.

"One of thoses swirly looking brushes did that much damage though? Your eyes are like completely red." He said, confused, as he started driving again. I just shrugged in response. After what happened last night. I didn't realy feel like talking to Joe. I hated how he wouldn't listen to me. On the other hand though, I needed him to get it through his thick skull that he was wrong about me and Ben. Joe is still the one that I want to be with.

"Well, do they hurt or are they alright?" Joe asked.

"They're fine. Don't worry about it." I answered. Joe nodded in response.

Once we got to school and got out of Joe's car. He was sort of walking ahead of me. We usually walk side by side. This was weird. I followed him to the cafeteria and evidently he didn't know I was still even around him. Here's how I know: The back door to the cafeteria basically closed on me as I was getting in behind him - he didn't know I was even there.

"Ouch." I said as the door had hit my arm. Joe spun around.

"Oh sorry!" He exclaimed, looking surprised by my presence.

"Um...it's okay..." I said giving him a strange look and holding my arm.

"I, uh, didn't know you were there." He responded, putting his hand on the back of his neck.

"Why wouldn't you think I was here? I'm here with you guys every  morning, Joe." I said, shaking my head in disbelief that he let the door close on me like that.

"Look, I'm sorry. I figured you'd be going to meet Ben. I didn't think you'd be with us this morning." He replied. I rolled my eyes as far back as they could go.