I'm ready to forgive you but forgetting is a harder fight.
~Alex & Sierra.
.....
|Chapter: 66|
"Gosh Dummy take a break. I don't want your brain to explode and spill all the formulas on us", Sarah desperately begged getting on her knees. I took my glasses off and sighed at her drama. I was all hyped up since the calculus team of our school is having a competition with another school in next two days, plus I am the captain and I don't want to let my team down at any cost.
"What do you need?", I asked, sighing again.
She grinned like a litte kid in a candy store. "Details. Tell us how was your date with Ethan?"
"For the sake of hundred and forty-three time, it wasn't a date." I grabbed my hair in frustration.
"He brought you a cute pumpkin key chain, he calls you pumpkin, most importantly he makes you smile.. and that all counts", Mary added fuel to the fire Sarah started. They were again playing two against one. I need Kevin now because only he was against the idea of me going out with Ethan but the reason was total bullcrap, Nick won't be happy. Why does he care?
"We are just friends. We met in third grade and in fourth grade he left the town then we never met again until now.. so we are just trying to catch up, nothing more." I shrugged my shoulders. I never knew the reason why he left the town though but I kind of guessed he was living with his mom while Mr. Morish was still in town and very soon after that he got married with Ms. Mullins, our math teacher at that time.
"But why is he here and not with his father in Hemberly?", Sarah asked, suddenly going from her playful mode to serious one.
"I-I don't really know.. maybe he is staying with his mother here", I said, unsurely.
"And this is what you calling catching up. Tell me seriously what were you actually doing in your date?" Again Mary butted her butt in.
"For the hundred and forty-four time, it wasn't a date. We were just having fun with the kids, that's it."
"Are you really counting that dummy?", Sarah asked.
"Yes and I'm not stopping until you guys are."
"That's so annoying." They both said in unison.
"As if you both are not", I retorted back before putting my glasses on. I shouldn't have agreed to this girl time which was more like lets-ship-serena-with-ethan-time. Where as the boys were having a fortnite time probably in Zac's apartment, which also means Nick's there too. I swear, I feel my heart shink everytime I think about him and I wish there was some way to make this feeling go away.
"That jerk is not with Stella. He don't even look at her while she try everything just to grab his attention. Its hard sitting on the table with the witchy bitch and the number of times I roll my eyes at her can be scary", Sarah complaint grabbing some cheetos and then popped it in her mouth. How much did I miss of this conversation?
"Then why don't you just sit with Ser?", Mary asked, frowning.
"Serena, the saint lectures me how I should spent time with Zac more and pushes me away all the time." Sarah narrowed her eyes on me.
"Hey not my fault, it was actually scary when Zac was giving me his deathly glares for what I did to his best friend and then I thought he'd hate me more if I take you away from him", I defended myself. I wasn't lying, he really can be scary when he want to be.
"I want to punch his face." Mary seemed angry with the whole ordeal. "It's your damn life, he doesn't have the right to be angry when you're making a right decision by damping that loser of a dick Nick."
"I didn't really da..." I sighed rubbing my face and took a deep breathe "I never wanted what happened. I was just... tired of all the drama and I don't even know how I slapped him followed by the words I didn't mean to say. I was angry at how he beat up Sal who was innocent. I hate the way he gets mad at things, turns into a person he himself don't recognise and draws into conclusions without thinking about the consequences. But I hate myself even more because I can never hate him even with his greatest flaws... I-I... I m-miss him." I broke into sobs right there with all my guarded walls down showing how damaged I am actually from the insides.
"Hey hey it's okay. You can miss him, that's totally understandable. You can tell us everything, we will never judge you dummy", Sarah cooed rubbing my back.
Mary hugged me from the other side, both crushing me like we are a sandwich. "And we love you.. even though you're annoying."
I laughed rubbing my tears away. I may not have a great love life but I have bestfriends I can rely on, that's the best accomplishment. No denying.
"Who's up for 'the notebook'?" Sarah asked all excitedly.
"Not me."
"I am tired of crying."
Mary and I groaned at the same time falling back on my bed. Sarah slowly lay back too with us. We watched the ceiling silently.
Sometimes I wonder how did I manage only to get attached with the people who are so outgoing, confident and cooler than me. Sarah acts a bit stupid but she is beautiful with her brown wavy hair and matching eyes. Mary is as hot as fire in her rebellious way just like her red hair. They are fashionable whereas I'm an old boring sack. But they make me fit between them like a perfect puzzle piece.
"Uh guys... what about 'mean girls'?"
.
I pulled the covers over them, they looked like they haven't slept for days. I got up from the bed and decided to get some of my work done. Taking my calculus book out, I started going through it. Not after too long my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I thought who could possibly text me after midnight and it was no other, but Ethan.
Ethan: You awake pumpkin?
Another one came.
Ethan: I'm sorry if I disturbed you but I had something really important to ask.
Me: Yeah shoot.
I simply replied.
Ethan: Will it be alright if I don't join the team in the competition? I have some other important stuffs to do."
What could be more important than an annual competition of calculus? It's for our school's pride and plus, it will help a lot in our college applications if we win. How could he just bail out of the team all of a sudden? We cannot just pick any student in two days and he was really good even better than me in it. Honestly, I was mad at him and I wasn't going to reply so I kept my phone away.
Then of course he called and I dismissed it. It went like that for few times before he finally gave up. At last, I felt like a jerk when he stopped and I started thinking, what if it is really important?
Urg!! I was about to call him when my phone buzzed again. I picked it up in a heartbeat without looking at the caller Id.
"Ethan... I'm so..."
"Rena."
I felt my heart stop for a second before it started to beat crazily when I heard the unexpected voice on the other side of the phone. The way my name rolled out of his tongue was so perfect that it was enough to make me cry. Only he calls me Rena. The silence was growing and it was too much for me to take. Gosh! I didn't know till now how much I missed his voice.
"N-Nick?"
Seriously that's what I come up with, I thought.
"Yes Nick... not Ethan", he said, slowly in a torturous way.
"Sorry I thought it... anyways why d-did you call me?"
He laughed and even the sound of it drives me crazy. "From when do I need a reason to call you?"
From the time you started dating Stella maybe because she'd kill me if she finds out her boyfriend calling me after midnight even with the most reasonable reason, that what I wanted to say but I didn't want to sound like a jealous ex.
"Stop answering my question with a question."
"Black times up. Give me your phone back and you're staying here for a day with Mr. Black's strict orders", another man's voice boomed in.
"Calm your tits down Darren Porter. I'm talking with my girl", he said to the man. He was definitely drunk.
"One fucking more minute", the man warned and I heard him walk away.
"Where are you?", I asked, seriously. I was worried and the possible things going inside my mind was not good. I just wish he was safe.
"Where I belong after beating the crap out of a college pussy."
I felt my blood boiling with his egoism. He was proud he did that and how he shamelessly called me after that. The part of me that still worry about him was like a curse I couldn't get over from.
"Nick send me the location", I said trying my best to not shout at him. The way my heart cares for him is sick. I didn't wait for him to answer and took my car keys out.
"Alright Miss.. whoever you are times up. Goodbye", I heard the man speak to me this time.
"Wait Sir. Please tell me where is he?", I pleaded as I ran down the stairs grabbing a hoodie on my way.
"GIVE ME MY DAMN PHONE BACK YOU PIECE OF MOTHERFUCKING SHIT. DON'T TALK WITH HER PORTER."
Nick yelled from the back while the man ignored him and his cussing.
"I shouldn't really give out the information but if it may help you to sleep, he is at Maryle College Guardhouse. Goodnight." With that he hung up the phone.
The night was cold and slow snow drops made the place look beautiful. I drove down to the local college in Lockswood which was barely twenty minutes away from my house and since the road was empty I reached faster. Not waiting for a minute I went to the guardhouse which was located at the college campus. As I entered, few people gave me weird looks. Hiding my face with my short hair, I walked to the office. I knocked on the door.
"Come in", said the same voice I was talking to in the phone.
I entered and look around the small cabin like office then to man in late twenties in his plain shirt. "Yes Miss, is there any problem?"
"Hello Sir, I'm Serena", I extended my cold hand which he took before giving a firm shake. "Can I see Nick?"
He narrowed his eyes on me and thought for a while. "Ah you're the girl! I didn't really expect you to actually come. You may see him but he is not getting out of here for another 24 hours."
I nodded. He got up from his seat and walked out of the door as I followed him. "W-what did he do?", I asked. Even though I knew but I wanted to hear the full story.
"He barged into the college frat party and he is not even in college. Got drunk, got into a fight and beat up the basketball team captain almost to losing his life. Mr. Black gives half of the donation every year so we cannot take some other strict measures against him but only prison for a day. That guy is trouble", he explained.
I was bewildered at this point. Just beacuse he is rich doesn't give him the right to do whatever he wants and get away with it so easily. He is such a brat!
"Black, the lucky bastard. Your girl is here", Mr. Porter said. For the second time I am not his girl, I said to myself.
When I saw him behind the bars, my anger vanished. He had a cut on his left cheek and busted lips. His wounds were still fresh and not cleaned.
"Rena... what are you.."
"Mr. Porter do you have a first aid kit that I can use, please?" I asked ignoring Nick. He seemed to be surprised with my request for a second before he nodded, slowly and went back to his office.
"Rena I didn't start.."
I lifted my palm to stop him from further explaining. I am not his girlfriend anymore. I don't need his explanation for why he did all that. Mr. Porter handed me the kit and left.
I cupped his right cheek with one hand as I started cleaning his bruise on the left cheek, with the bars between us. That simple contact was enough to send a shiver up my spine making my knees weak. I didn't dare to look at his eyes as I cleaned. Then I ran the cotton softly under his lips, the lips I miss kissing. I really need a grip on myself, I thought.
Suddenly, he took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips before kissing my palm. I look up to see his eyes glimmering with tears that didn't fall out.
"I love you, Rena."
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