"Laurel you have to strike in the right position. If you don't then you're stepping in someone else's place and that's point deducted." I sighed rubbing my temples.
Over the course of a few weeks, Laurel had come a long way. She wasn't our strongest dancer, but she wasn't as bad as she used to be. We spent all our spare time at the gym rehearsing the dance routine.
Her stamina was up to par, but her moves were still a bit stiff and awkward. I wasn't going to mention it aloud, but regionals was only a few weeks away and I wasn't satisfied.
"I'm trying, but every time I do that my mark is off." she argued.
"You're putting to much air in it, try it again and don't let your arms smack the person behind you." I reminded her.
Laurel rolled her eyes and started from the top. The majority of the routine was great, but when her plie came in she always landed in the wrong mark.
After watching her fail a couple times, I called it. There was only so many times you can do the same move over and over again without putting a strain on yourself. Laurel shot me a grateful look when I blew my whistle.
Her body quickly gave out and she dropped to the ground. I hovered over her and helped her up.
"You did good today."
"My legs feel like spaghetti." she groaned, "I hate dancing so fucking much."
"Why don't you quit?" I asked her. She raised her eyebrow questioning my sanity-trust me I know that look by heart.
"Have you met my sister?" she scoffed. "Lacy is obsessed with the family legacy. I can't just quit, I'm not a nice person but compared to Lacy I'm mother Theresa."
"I'm sorry." I mumbled.
"For what?"
"For doing something you don't like. But it's your choice whether you want to play by others rules or your own." I told her. She looked at me as if I was a stranger that had shown her magic was real.
"Is that what you do?"
"I lived with a mom who let me be whatever I wanted. She never held me back and supported everything I did. My life wasn't predestined, it's whatever I want it to be. For the most part I'm happy. Why can't people be more like that-albeit less crazy." I chuckled.
"You've actually said something that doesn't want to make me smack you. Nice job midget." Laurel smirked patting my head.
"I'm growing on your little grinch heart." I awed poking her boob. She smacked my hand quickly shooting me a glare.
"You fucking weirdo!" she yelped.
"I prefer crazy." I smirked.
***
These past few days had been weird with Nate. He'd been avoiding me for the most part. And even when we found ourselves face to face, it seemed awkward and strained.
Like right now, at my house. Nate was over to hang out with Reese. Everything was as usual- awkward....
UNTIL- Reese left to help my dad pick up a few boxes from the storage room downtown. We were soon left alone in the living room watching the movie we had picked out.
"The killer is behind the door." Nate muttered.
"Stop spoiling-"
'Ahh!' the girl screamed when she was stabbed in the back. Of course the killer was behind the door.
"-the movie." I sighed dejected. We sat through the whole movie, painfully quiet. Reese still wasn't back and Nate and I were still avoiding conversation.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye. Still no sign of life...
I waited a few more minutes and checked again. Nope still ignoring the big elephant in the room....
Finally I grew tired of this dumb game. "Nate we should talk!" I blurted. I turned to face him completely, however his eyes stayed glued on the newest movie.
"Matey please..." he mumbled.
"Why are things weird? We're friends Nate and friends don't ignore each other." I argued.
"I'm not ignoring you. I'm....I'm just dealing with stuff..." Nate shrugged then to emphasize he didn't want to talk, he turned up the volume.
"You can talk to me about it." I said loud enough for him to hear me. Nate turned to me with a cold stare.
"I don't want to, now drop it Matey." he groaned closing his eyes and sank into the couch.
"Nate honestly if you just talk to me-"
"Enough! I said I don't want to talk about it." he snapped. Nate saw I wasn't going to give up and abruptly stood up. "Go play therapist with crocodile Dundee."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I growled getting on my feet.
"Nothing." he shot back, "Just drop it Matey, and leave me alone." he whispered.
I stared at him in shock. In all the time I've known Nate, he's never been as hostile as he's been right now. He was angry and something was bothering him.
But Nate wanted me to leave him alone. Why did that fucking hurt so much? I wasn't going to show him it hurt though, I was stronger than my feelings.
"Fine, I'll leave you alone-" I nodded meeting his warm brown eyes defiantly. "-for good."
His eyes widened with shock too. Except he looked hurt, the same hurt I was feeling. But he didn't say anything more....he just left.
And that was that.
***
My days went by slower as Nate and I now avoided each other. No one outright questioned it but you could tell they were curious. I was too, I thought Nate and I had finally became friends.
But something shifted and I couldn't pinpoint what that was.
"You look cute when you're thinking." Ezra chuckled poking my cheek with his pencil. I slapped it away and glared at him.
"You dont go around ruining people's inner monologue. What is wrong with you?" I shook my head in frustration.
"People don't go off and have inner monologues while studying." he retorted leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms behind his back to get comfortable. His arms bulged out and I could see the faint outlining of a tattoo.
"Whoa, you have ink?" I asked entranced by the tattoo. My love for tattoos was odd to my dad but mom and I had always thought they were creative and sexy. Though dad doesn't know I feel that way.
Ezra smirked and rolled up the sleeve of his flannel shirt. On his forearm was a tribal tattoo. But it was a little more than that after looking at it long enough.
"They're rose thorns." he answered unknowingly correcting me, "I got them because my mom said that even the most beautiful creatures must be protected. Like a rose and its vine of thorns."
"Are you saying that you, yourself are beautiful?" I raised my eyebrow. Ezra laughed and winked at me.
"Confidence is a quality that others should have."
"More like arrogance, but I'll let it slide since that tattoo is some sick work." I chuckled kicking the leg of his chair causing Ezra to crash to the ground. He groaned and popped his head up to look at me quite shocked.
He should have known I'd do it. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to embarrass someone. That's like going against my nature.
"You like tattoos?" he asked like he was surprised.
"Yeah?"
"Sorry," he blinked standing up to properly sit in his seat. The liberian glared at us as she passed us and I gave her my best innocent smile. "I-I didn't know you liked tattoos I just thought that someone like you wouldn't." he explained when the old woman disappeared behind a stack of books.
"Someone like me?" I raised my eyebrow.
Ezra smiled and ran his hand through his blonde hair. In the process he flexed his tattoo and I shook my head seeing that he was deliberately showing off now. "You know a girl that cheers and loves school spirit and shit. A pom pom girl if you will." he elaborated.
I groaned and rolled my eyes, "Do I really give off that vibe?"
Ezra looked at me flatly and gestured to my outfit, "You're wearing a pink sundress and high heels to school. What vibe were you going for?"
"Marina and the Diamonds homewrecker look." I said in a duh tone.
"Needless to say I'm quite shocked you're into that kind of stuff. A good girl who loves the bad boys." he smirked leaning closer. I pushed him away with my hand and glared at him.
"I am not, nor will I ever be a good girl. That's an insult to my lifestyle Ryder." I tsked him.
Ezra shrugged and sat comfortably in his seat and propped his feet up. "Now enough of this small talk, I want to know what's up with you and that pretty boy."
I blinked a couple times confused, "Huh?"
"You have been going into your inner monologues a lot lately. I know you and Nate had a lovers quarrel and you two aren't exactly on talking terms." he said looking at me with a mischievous grin when I openly gaped at him.
We werr not lovers or whatever! Nate was a friend, a friend that currently wasn't taking to me. A friend that is going through something and he won't let me be their for him.
A friend that is frustrating me!
"Whoa calm down there Matey, you look ready to punch someone." Ezra chuckled. It was only then that I realized I had my fists balled up and my teeth in a fine grind.
"I don't want to talk about him." I muttered ignoring Ezra's calculating gaze.
"You should, we're friends and friends talk to each other." he offered softly.
"Not now Ryder-" I said, when I caught sight of Nate walking outside the library.
He looked weary as he only wore a pair of sweats and a college hoody. His usually neat hair was now disheveled but he still managed to look good. Then as if he felt watched he turned his head to meet my gaze.
I turned up a small smile and timidly waved at him. His lip twitched in a small smile then looked between Ezra and I and stormed off. It happened so quickly it was hard to comprehend.
"He's jealous." Ezra said snapping me out of my daze.
"What?"
"He thinks we have something going on and he's jealous." Ezra shrugged.
"But we don't have anything going on. We're just friends." I frowned.
"I know that, you know that, but he doesn't think that. He's jelly of me, but then again who wouldn't be." he smirked arrogantly. I kicked his leg and watched amused as he whimpered in pain.
"Arrogance is an ugly look." I told him, "Why would Nate be jealous?" I asked after a beat.
"Because he likes you?" Ezra replied sarcastically.
"Stop being sarcastic-"
"I wasn't being sarcastic, I honestly believe he likes you." Ezra argued.
"No he doesn't, we're just friends." I retorted but even to my own ears I sounded unsure.
"Friends? Maybe you should think that over some more sweetheart." Ezra said before the bell rung announcing the end of study hall.
Nate and I were just friends. But why did that not seem enough?
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This is the last chapter...2015! What a milestone year for me, and I want to thank everyone for being a part of it.
Next chapter is coming soon but I'm working through writers block, wish me luck!
If you have time, I have a book named Forgetting Asher Nash that is now complete. You can go and read it now under my works.
It's one of my favorite books, so please go read it.
Also this chapter is dedicated to @percyjasonleo478 because they are amazingly nice. Thank you for reading my stories:)
See you in 2016
-R H E A