Best Friends

Chapter 17

When Friday came, I was worried.

Today is February 27th. Tomorrow, the 28th, is my 18th birthday. Dad had called me last night saying he's busy, stuck in work and won't be home, but it would be okay if I moved back in at home. The thing was, I didn't know if I wanted to.

I admit with guilt that I liked bring snuggled innocently against Jack each night. I know I still have strong feelings for him. But I try to keep them buried. Especially because of the plan and the fact that Braden and I are still together. I really care about him but I don't know if what I feel is love. I don't think he trusts me anymore. He had tried to bait Jack into a fight, which wasn't like him at all.

I don't want to see either of them get hurt. But I know before senior year is over, I'll have to make a choice. I don't think I'll like the outcome, from either side.

As I get ready this morning, I couldn't stop thinking that something felt wrong. Jack was still sleeping as usual. Braden had started talking to me again, but nothing has happened besides him holding my hand. Honestly, I was too afraid to do anything. We hadn't kissed, gone on a date, or anything like that, for almost a week. Almost a week. That's really not normal for us.

Lucy had been telling me what the doctor was saying and it wasn't good. She had been drugged and that explained her dizziness and part of her sickness. When she isn't throwing up, though, she's in a good mood. Leo comes over after his school to take care of her, and that's the time Cole goes to work. During the day he takes care of her and is always hovering, which Lucy finds annoying, but I find sweet.

I had started to get messages again from the unknown numbers, the mean girls at school. Clare hasn't said anything to me in a while, which is good. I do know it wasn't her that Luke had slept with while drunk but that still doesn't stop me from wanting to rip her head off. I calm my thoughts as I walk the school hallways.

I went through the day in a blur. I had gotten a burn on my knee from falling in gym class during soccer. I loved gym but sometimes it was a lot of work.

I learned to be quiet in my classes and not talk back because it only fueled anger. It wasn't helpful.

Braden wasn't in seventh period. I've never known him to skip a class before. I know he is here today, we sat at lunch together, alone. It was horrible. I wanted things to go back to the way they used to be. We really were a good couple... Up until I started being friends with Jack again.

Braden was so sweet and kind at fist and now it's like I barely know him. When the bell rang, I rushed out of class to look for him. I was worried. The last time someone was missing, Lucy had been kidnapped. I don't think that's what happened to my boyfriend, but I'm still worried.

I went to his locker but he wasn't there. I went down another hallway and saw Braden... who is talking to Jack. As I got closer, I could see Jack is staring into his locker and it sounded as if Braden was taunting him, but that couldn't be right. When I was standing just a foot between the two guys, I heard my nerdy sweetheart of a boyfriend challenge my best friend in a fight. Is it normal for a girlfriend to want to slap their boyfriend for being an idiot? Because that's exactly what I wanted to do.

Jack had turned around and closed his locker door, but it didn't appear he was going to fight. His eyes locked with mine and then went back to Braden's. "No."

"The most popular and athletic guy here doesn't want to fight some know-it-all?" Braden mocks.

I was hurt. I couldn't believe this. He was talking and I heard it, but I couldn't process this. What had happened to Braden?

"I'm not going to fight you because I won't break a promise, not this time. Because I care more about her than it seems you do. I'm not fighting. Not today," Jack says to Braden.

"What are you talking about?" He asks. I can tell Braden is confused but he still keeps the taunt in his voice.

Jack looks at me again as he says, "Turn around."

Braden follows the instructions and looks like he saw a ghost. The amused glint fell out of his eyes and he stumbled forward. "Scylla.."

I shook my head and stepped back. I was biting my lower lip hard, to keep from crying, which I did not want to do.

"Don't. I can't believe you would try to fight my friend, just because of something that is in the past! You were different, Braden, and that's why I liked you! But this?" I shook my head and my eyes watered. "I can't deal with this. We're done."

My voice cracked as I spoke the last word. I walked two more hallways and then went outside. Somehow I knew Jack was behind me. He was still giving me a ride. I beat him to his car. I opened the door and closed it with a slam, buckling up.

"Let's go." I tell Jack, lowering my head.

He gets in and buckles up too. "Where? Home?"

I nod. I felt unable to say anything else. Tears fell out of my eyes even when I kept wiping them away.

Jack helps me out of the car. I feel weak and I can't see, from the blurriness of the tears. We go inside. I feel myself trembling but I don't know what else to do.

I feel myself laying on Jack's bed and he's standing next to me, talking at me, but I don't hear him. I hear him sigh and he sits on his bing-bag chair.

The tears had stopped but I still felt off, unable to move. I started to drift off in sleep.

When I woke up, it was evening. The doorbell rang and I started quietly down the stairs. Jack had already opened the door. I saw Clare standing at the door.

"Cate? What do you want?" Jack stands in the doorway, his body language showing he didn't want her here.

This is Cate, apparently. I felt too awful to feel angry or resentful towards her. She was definitely Clare's twin. They were identical except Cate had a different aura, more dangerous and sneaky. But right now, she only looked scared and her voice was dreadfully honest.

She took a breath and looked at Jack. Neither of them had seen me yet.

Neither of us were prepared for what she was about to say.

"I'm pregnant," she says.