Highest rank on the hot list since the last update - #272 in Chick Lit
________________
© 2016 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.
The Buddies Rule
Chapter 9
....................................................................
Silence. That was one aspect of life I had always dreaded the most. With every passing second, the air seemed to grow thicker between me and whoever else refused to speak. At times, I was able to find the courage to speak up, start a conversation. But lately, I wasn't able to do just that. I'd lived in the silence for far too long at this point.
This very silence had consumed my time with Chase. With our every encounter, came awkward stares and unspoken words. Neither of us had the gumption to say what we really wanted to, and it was starting to get on my nerves.
After our encounter on Friday, I had tried my absolute best to avoid him. Any time I came near him, I could feel a change in the air. So much had gone on in such a short time between the two of us. And why, you may ask? Chase wanted something, and he was evidently willing to compromise our current friendship for it.
But of course, the compromised relationship between Chase and me, only strengthened my bond with Alan and Lewis.
"Come on, Bree," Alan whined. "We need to have this done by third period tomorrow!"
"I know," I hissed back at Alan. His eyes went wide with fear as I sent a glare his way. "I've had writer's block all weekend. It's not like it's easy to crank out an article for this stupid newspaper every week." My heart was beating so loud that I could barely hear the words coming out of my mouth. I was nervous, to say the least. I was nervous that I wouldn't have this article done by tomorrow, that I would fail and get kicked off the paper.
With my luck, I'd probably get Alan kicked off as well.
"That's the problem, then," Alan announced cryptically as I pushed my laptop aside. I was currently sprawled out on the living room floor of my apartment, while Alan had sat himself up on the couch. With one quick movement, he was down on the ground next to me. "You don't care about it. You think that it's stupid, and not worth your time, so you don't really care if you get it done."
I rolled my eyes with his words. "Yeah, right," I scoffed. "I care that I get this done. I just think the paper is stupid."
"Exactly," he sighed. "You don't care! Not about the paper's success, anyways. You're only worried that you'll get in trouble for not getting it done, that there'll be some sort of repercussion for it." I pursed my lips together as I finally allowed myself to think over Alan's words.
I hated to admit it, but he was right. Everything he had said to me, was true. I didn't care about the paper, not one bit. So much so, that I was willing to fail just so I wouldn't have to worry about it any more than I already had. My heart just wasn't in it, and I was starting to think that it has never been.
"Okay," I whispered. "Maybe I don't care about the paper anymore."
"And why is that?" Alan asked as he slid down closer to me. His face was mere inches from mine as we both had our stomachs pressed down against the ground. "Why don't you care anymore? I know for a fact you did before."
"It just seems like a waste of time," I admitted. "I'm starting to think that this stupid paper, isn't going to help me be a published author one day. Just because I'm published in a college editorial, doesn't mean that any higher rank novel publishers will take me any more seriously than they would if I wasn't."
Alan nodded as he reached out for my hand. "I get it, Bree." He whispered before he began to rub his thumb over my hand. "But if your heart's not in it, then quit. Your time could be better spent elsewhere, and I know your talent would be just as appreciated." A small laugh escaped my lips with his words.
"Okay," I breathed. "I'll quit tomorrow. But not until I finish this article. Not only are you counting on me, but the rest of the class is too. We are partners, after all." I teased before I bumped my shoulder against his.
"Awesome." Alan laughed as he got up off the ground. "Then let's get back to work. I think you can cover the hook of the article while I'll just throw in the facts. This is about college relationships, anyways," Alan reminded.
I nodded before letting out a huff. Although there was a lot of pressure to get this thing done, it felt a lot better having Alan by my side. I didn't know why, but his presence usually had that effect on me. Despite the fact that we'd only been friends for just over a year, he gave me the feeling the everything would be okay. "College relationships, huh?" I sighed as I pulled my laptop back over.
Alan nodded, the man hopping up onto the couch. "Yeah," he called. "We just have to list some specifics and statistics. When the relationships start, how long they last if there's any hope for all those campus lovers out there." Alan listed, gaining a laugh from me.
"Speaking of college relationships," I paused before I glanced back at Alan. "How are you and Zoey? Zac made it seem pretty clear that he didn't want you around her." Alan's smile dropped off his face as my words loomed around in the air.
"Haven't seen her," Alan replied before he reached down and picked up a piece of paper off the ground. "She seemed like she wanted nothing to do with me, either." Alan's voice was soft, almost making it look like he was hurt by all of this. I didn't want to remind him of this, but he was the one who made the problem in the first place.
"Well, have you talked with her?" I prided once more.
"I told you," Alan said sternly. "I haven't even seen her."
"Well, that doesn't mean that you haven't spoken to her," I countered.
"And I haven't. I haven't said one word to her, and she hasn't said a word to me. Happy?" Alan snapped. I rolled my eyes as I turned back to my computer. Alan and Zoey were a lost cause. I was merely trying to see if Zac had followed through and beaten up Alan in some way. I hadn't seen Zac since the fight, so I wouldn't know how he was doing.
"I'm sorry, Alan," I muttered before pulling up a blank document. "I didn't mean to-"
"I know," Alan interrupted. "I just made a mess of things. By sleeping with her, anyways. She had actual feelings for me, and I was too clouded by my feelings for someone else to even know if I felt the same way about her." My heart stopped as he finished speaking, my mind falling instantly to the girl he was speaking of.
"Who could have possibly distracted you from Zoey at a time like that?" I asked, making sure to keep my body turned towards my computer. My face was turning a dark shade of red. I knew exactly who it was, I just wanted to hear him say it.
"She's just," Alan stopped abruptly. I could hear the hesitancy in his voice. I could also make out the sounds of his mouth opening and closing as he contemplated what to tell me and what to hold back. "She's too good for me, that's all. I would never live up to her expectations. It doesn't matter."
"Well, maybe it does to me," I said before I turned back around to look at Alan. That look in his eyes, it was the same one from the first day of school. Weirdly enough, it was the same look I had seen on Chase that night beforehand. It drew me in, it made Alan look vulnerable. That was one light I had never seen Alan in. "It matters who you have feelings for, Alan. You'll never know if she feels the same if you never tell her."
I could see an internal shift in Alan as he moved to sit on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees. I could see the love resonating in his eyes as he held my stare. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to freak out, or push me away. I need you now more than ever."
"I promise," I whispered. "I won't ever push you away, Alan."
"Okay," Alan started. "The girl, that I can't quit thinking about. The one that hasn't left my mind since the day that we met. The girl that I think I'm in-"
"Bree?" Chase called as he opened the door. My heart dropped down to my stomach as I spun around to meet Chase's glance. I could feel my nerves rise once more at the mere sight of him. Alan and I had been having a moment. One that I had never had with anyone ever before.
"I didn't think you'd be home until later," I said. "Alan and I were just working on the article that we have due tomorrow," I explained as I waved my hand off in Alan's direction.
"Oh," Chase sighed. "Well, I'm sure Alan needs to get going. It is pretty late." Chase dropped his keys on the table at his side, giving me a knowing look when he did.
"We're still working-"
"Actually," Alan started. "Chase is right. I should get going. I think we've made some real progress tonight, Bree. You'll be okay for your half tomorrow?" Alan questioned. I nodded without thinking, forgetting for a single second that Alan and I had been in the middle of something.
"Sure," I said as I rose to my feet. Part of me still wanted Alan to stay, but another part of me felt the need to talk with Chase. Something seemed off about him as he stood silently by the door. "I'll see you tomorrow." I issued before handing Alan his half of the research.
Alan nodded and gave me a short hug. "See you then." Before I knew it, Alan had left, and Chase had closed the door behind him. Alan's exit left Chase and me all alone in our apartment once again. These kinds of moments had been the ones I had dreaded all week. But now, I was looking to face it head on.
"Looked like things were getting pretty heavy in here." Chase insinuated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't mean to intrude."
"Yeah you did," I said, the anger evident in my voice. "You walked in knowing exactly what was going on. I was in the middle of an important assignment with-"
"You were in the middle of a pointless heart to heart with our friend," Chase hissed. My best friend took a single step forward before continuing. "You weren't doing homework, whatsoever. So why was it so bad that I just so happened to interrupt? What was he telling you that you just had to know?"
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. Chase was sitting on my last nerve. "Why should I have to tell you?" I said, my words finally coming out calmly. "You wouldn't even care, anyway. Just like you don't care enough to tell me why you've been so mad at me, or why you keep harassing me the way that you've been."
"I'm not harassing you, Bree!" Chase yelled back, the fire returning to his eyes once more. I could see him shaking, both with nervousness and with anger. "And I'm not hiding anything from you, either."
"But you are mad at me," I said. "Why? Why in the world are you mad at me? I've done nothing wrong!"
"Sure you have!" Chase yelled before he closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself down. "You're in here, telling Alan things that you're afraid to tell me. At the same time, you're starting to trust Zac more than you'll ever trust me. Why the hell is it such a problem to be upset about something like that?"
"It's a problem when you don't tell me that there's a problem," I yelled, taking a single step forward. "It's also a problem when you feel that the only way to stop the buddies rule, is to become a violation of it. There's no need for that-"
"Isn't there?!" Chase yelled, the man throwing his hands out to his sides. "Isn't there a problem?! There was enough of a problem that you and Lewis felt the need to create that mockery of a contract in the first place. I'm just trying to figure out if it was me all along. If you're for some reason scared that I'll make a move on you and ruin everything that we've ever had."
"It's not you I'm scared of." I groaned before throwing my head back.
"Then who! Alan! Lewis! Me-"
"It's me I'm scared of!" I yelled back, my voice booming through the apartment. "I can't trust myself! Which means that I sure as hell can't trust you at a time like this!" I could feel the tears welling in my eyes as I turned on my heel and stormed off towards my room.
I was shaking as I slammed the door behind me, finally realizing what I'd done. I could never take back what I said, and now Chase had some idea as to why I had stopped trusting him with even the littlest of things. Why I had stopped coming to him when I needed him the most. But there was still one problem that the two of us hadn't dealt with yet.
Why had he stopped coming to me?
....................................................................
Chase and Bree fighting again? And Alan almost confessing to Bree?!!
How will all of this end up?!
Thank you all for voting/reading/commenting! I'm in love with the comments so far 😜
The next update should be on...
September 15th!
See you guys then!
Remember to:
Vote/Comment/Follow 🤗
{Sneak peeks at upcoming chapters will be featured on my website!}
A sneak peek at Chapter 10 will be up on the site tomorrow along with The Featured Author for September!
{Remember to check my profile as well for any and all updating information}
Thanks guys!