"Sumo attack!"
My eyes crack open when I hear a loud screaming coming down the hallway and into my room.
"What the-" I'm cut off by Michael's body slamming down on top of mine.
"Time to wake up sleepy head. You've got school!" He chirps, poking me in the face repeatedly.
"Can't breathe." I choke, gasping for air underneath him.
I pretend to roll my eyes back into my head and stop moving.
"Oh, sorry." My lungs fill with air again as he scrambles off of me.
Instead of crawling out of bed to get ready, I snuggle down further under the covers. Everything is going to be super awkward between Braiden and I. It would have been better if I just acted like I never heard anything in the first place.
"I'm an idiot." I groan, then realize Mike is still in my room.
"And why might that be?" He asks, lifting up my covers and sliding in next to me.
No, this isn't weird. He's my best friend so it's just normal for us. If Mike were a girl no one would think anything of it.
"I might have heard your conversation with Braiden last night." I mumble, avoiding eye contact with him.
A smirk makes its way onto his lips. "You eavesdropped?"
"I wouldn't say eavesdropped, more like listening in secret."
"That's what eavesdropping is."
Crap he's right.
"I know. I'm such an idiot for thinking he ever liked me!" I bury my head into his shoulder and he wraps his arms around me.
I let myself relax a little bit, glad that I have such an awesome best friend.
"Don't worry Ryan, maybe he just doesn't want to admit his true feelings. If he doesn't like you than he's an asshole."
"Thanks Mike." I hug him tightly and he returns it.
He places a quick kiss on my forehead which is a little weird, but I brush it off. We both crawl out of bed and my eyes meet Braiden's. He's standing in my doorway with one of the most pissed off faces I've ever seen. Must be jealousy.
Quickly, I turn my head away and walk into the bathroom to take a shower. Since I don't have much time it only takes me five minutes. When I walk out, Marsha is sitting on my bed holding a pair of skinny jeans and a white, fitted T-shirt that says Nerd. It's definitely better than yesterday's outfit.
"Alright, we've got to make this quick, there's only twenty minutes until you have to leave." She pats the spot next to me with makeup brushes in her hand. "Put this on first."
I grab the clothes and slip them on then sit down so she can beautify my face. It doesn't take as long today because she's letting my hair fall into its natural waves and my eyebrows don't need plucking. Thank goodness because that stuff hurts!
Ten minutes later she's done and shoving me down the stairs. Not in a violent way or anything, just because we're in a rush.
"Do I have to go?" I whine, planting my feet in the ground. "If I do, won't people wonder about my hand?"
I wave it in front of her face, but she just raises an eyebrow at me.
"You're going. Now go meet Braiden outside, he's waiting for you." She sternly orders and I groan.
"That's the reason I don't want to go." I mumble, keeping my eyes trained on the ground.
A curious look makes its way onto her face and I realize that now I'm going to have to explain myself.
"Did something happen between you two?"
"I'll tell you tonight, okay? That way we'll have more time." I assure her, swinging open the door.
"You better!" She shouts after me and I throw her a wave over my shoulder.
Braiden is already in the car with his eyes closed and head resting against the seat. I'm about to change my mind and go back inside when his eyes pop open and land right on me. I internally groan as I trudge to the car and yank open the door.
When I climb in the smell of a lemon cleaner wafts up my nose. He must have cleaned out the soda from yesterday. Just as I'm about to bring it up I remember everything that went down and clamp my mouth shut. There's no way I'm talking to this jerk.
The silence is deafening and extremely awkward. There's thirty minutes to go until we get to school, and I'm not sitting here in the quiet. I turn up the radio until it fills my ears and I can feel the beat of the music. It calms me down and I immediately feel better. That is, until someone turns it off.
Big mistake, Braiden, big mistake.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" I snap, spinning around to face him.
The car halts to an immediate stop, causing me to fly forward in my seat. A yelp leaves my mouth as the seatbelt digs into my neck.
"I think I could ask you the same question." His voice is sharp and cold, causing a shiver to run down my spine.
"What do you mean by that." I spit, crossing my arms across my chest, not breaking eye contact.
"Why don't you ask your boyfriend." He harshly replies, starting the car.
We begin driving again, much faster than before.
"Really, this again? I thought we've been over it already, and honestly, it shouldn't matter to you. If we're just friends then I'm allowed to be with whoever I want, that's not for you to decide." I can feel his anger from where I'm sitting, but I just keep focusing on the road in front of me.
"Who said I can't." He retorts, pulling into the parking lot.
"I think you did just last night." I bitterly say, meeting his eyes with my own cold ones. "We're just friends remember? And I can't believe I was stupid enough to think that maybe, just maybe, we had something more."
The car rolls into a parking spot and he shuts it off. Immediately, I grab my things and leave, slamming the door as hard as I can behind me. Braiden's stare burns into my back, but I keep on walking.
When I enter the school I head straight to my locker and grab the supplies for AP Literature. It's my favorite academic class that I have and the teacher is really nice. Plus, Alice has the class with me. The only downside is the fact that Riley and Steven are in this class, or should I say Beevus and Butthead.
I sit down in my seat just as the bell rings and the teacher starts to take attendance.
"Pst." Alice whispers, jabbing me in the arm. "Where were you yesterday? After lunch you just disappeared."
"Oh, I wasn't feeling very well so I went home." I explain, hoping she won't see through my lie.
She gives me a suspicious look but doesn't push and turns her attention back to her computer. Today she's playing Agar.io and actually winning! I never even get close to being on the leaderboard.
With a smirk I turn my attention back to the board, but the only thing running through my mind is Braiden. I can't believe he thinks Mike and are dating. I've told him before that he's my best friend, but I guess that's not enough. Why does it matter anyways? He said he doesn't like me in that way. Ugh, boys are so confusing!
A hand waving in front of my face snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Say Gerard Manley Hopkins." Alice coughs into her sleeve.
"Ah, Gerard Manley Hopkins?" I say aloud but it comes out as more of a question.
"That's correct!" Mrs. Chaplin claps her hands together and sends me a wide smile.
She starts talking again about some other poem when I turn to Alice.
"Thanks." I tell her with a small smile.
"You're welcome." She pauses for a second like she's contemplating whether or not she wants to ask me something. "Um, I know we don't know each other that we'll, but is there something bothering you?"
Am I really that obvious?
"Honestly, I don't really know." I sigh and turn to face her.
"Is it boy troubles? Ooo," she squeals, "I bet it is. Spill."
I chuckle at her enthusiasm towards the subject. Something tells me she's a bit on the boy crazy side.
"Yes, it's boy troubles. I liked this guy but he doesn't like me back sooo." I explain, leaving out the fact that it's Braiden- I mean Aiden.
She probably would find it odd that I like my "cousin.'"
"What?" She screeches, causing kids to turn to her. "Ah, I just found that really interesting."
The class looks at her like she grew another head, but Alice doesn't seem to care.
"What?" She whispers this time. "Well he's an idiot, Bailey."
"Who's Bailey- I mean, thank you." I give her a smile then focus on the lesson.
Phew, I saved myself there. That would have been awkward.
Someone taps me on the shoulder and when I turn around I'm face to face with Riley.
"What?" I ask, clearly annoyed.
"I was wondering if you want to come to my party tonight?" He asks, catching me slightly off guard.
There's no way Braiden would want me to go. All the more reason to!
"Sure, why not." I reply and shoot him a grin.
He looks surprised and if I were him, I would be he same way.
"Oh, really? Great! By the way, you can bring your friend there, Steven wants her to come." He points to Alice and my grin grows wider.
I mean I was going to bring her anyways, but still.
"Hey, can I bring a couple more people too?" I ask, thinking of the twins.
"Ah, I guess." He hesitantly tells me.
I nod my head and turn back towards Alice.
"Hey," I pluck an earbud from her ear, "get ready because tonight, we're going to a party."
Her eyes brighten as soon as the words leave my mouth.
Tonight, I'm going to let loose and just think about myself for once. It's something I rarely do, but we all need to let go every once and awhile.