Throughout the remainder of the week, I hung out with Alex and Jane at school and made sure to avoid Ryan as much as possible. Whenever I had a class with him, I noticed he liked to sit in the back row. So I always sat at the front row and hoped for it to quickly come to an end so I could escape his intense gaze at my back.
During lunch, I convinced Alex and Jane to let us sit at a table further from his. And whenever I spot him walking down the hallway, I would dash into the nearest classroom and wait till he passed.
Why do I do this? Because I was a coward and couldn't face him and mend the past. Because I was also stupid and I didn't know why my heart flutters in my chest whenever I see him. And it also squeezes in pain whenever I see Jenny clinging to him like he would disappear if she doesn't. And for some reason of sort, whenever Jenny saw me, she would throw warning glares at me. I honestly wasn't sure what her problem with me.
Anyway, it was Friday, and I couldn't wait for the day to be over and for my weekend to start with me in bed all day. I heard Alex mention a party, but I hated parties. It all ends up with you waking up with a hangover, throwing up everywhere, and little memory of what happened the night before. So, no. I would rather be in my bed all day.
I swear I almost screamed in joy when I heard the last bell go off. I packed up my stuff and was ready to meet Alex at the school parking lot. I had told Jaxon to stop dropping me off or picking me up since Alex offered to help me out with that, and I could also use the bus.
Walking down the hallway, I saw Ryan heading my direction, and just like every other time, my heart skipped a beat. I panicked and dashed into the closest classroom, which right now, was empty. I counted to ten and hoped he was gone already, before creaking the door open a little bit. I peeped to see if he was still there, but my eyes met a broad chest instead, putting on a football jacket. My curious eyes followed it up and clashed with a pair of brown eyes.
I hurried to shut the door back, but he was quicker and stopped it with his foot before backing me into the empty classroom, and closing the door shut behind him.
"R... Ryan..." I went to say, but he interrupted me while folding his arms across his chest.
"So that's it? You come back to town, avoid me like the plague, and pretend like you don't know me." He cocked an eyebrow at me, and I found that action sexy. What the hell!
"What? Me?! You're the one who didn't even attempt to contact me throughout these past four years. And when I called, what did you do, huh? You hung up! You hung up on me and didn't even care to call back!" I burst out in anger. He was acting like I'm the only one at fault.
He was silent for a few seconds after my outburst. Then all of a sudden, he had this vulnerable look on his face that took me by surprise.
"You left, even though I begged you not to," He whispered, and my heart broke seeing him like that.
"I had no choice, Ryan. My granny was sick and needed someone to take care of her..." But he interrupted me again with a look of frustration plastered on his face.
"Yes, you had a choice, Samantha!" That was the first time I heard him say my name in a long time. "Your parents didn't force you to go over, and I'm sure of that. No matter how stubborn your grandma is, they wouldn't force you to go stay with her!" He was yelling now, and I hoped people outside couldn't hear us. He calmed down a bit, then, his blank expression was back on. "You had a choice...it just wasn't me." He stormed past me and out of the classroom, leaving me all by myself.
I felt like balling my eyes out in tears at that moment. Were we ever going to go back to how things were? Was I ever going to get my best friend back?
Speaking of friends, Alex and Jane were still waiting at the parking lot! Shit.
I bolted out the classroom, past the school double doors, and apologizing to anyone I bumped into. I made it there to see Alex waiting in her red car with no sign of Jane.
"Where have you been? Jane left, saying she had some stuff to do at home." Alex didn't even let me fully get in before scolding me.
"Sorry, I was..." I remembered all that happened in the classroom earlier and couldn't complete the sentence, as my throat tightened up, and tears pooled in my eyes.
"Oh, shit! Sam, are you okay?" Alex stared at me with worry-filled eyes. I tried to nod and tell her all was okay, but she wouldn't have it and decided to take us to her house instead.
Her parents weren't at home when we got there. It was just both of us since she was an only child.
We both went to her room and perched comfortably on her bed. I could feel her eyes inspecting me, and I had my legs crossed in the bed, fiddling with my fingers as I didn't know where to start.
"Sam?" I looked up then and decided to pour everything out to her. I told her about how Ryan and I came to know each other, how we always followed each other around, how I was his only friend, about our pinky swear, how I broke it, how he ignored me throughout those four years, and how I've been avoiding him ever since I came back. And lastly, how I missed him so much without knowing why?
Alex kept quiet the whole time, listening attentively, and offering me sympathetic smiles, trying to console me.
"He's just so childish, and arrogant, and self-centered and...and.."
"Hey, it's okay." Alex came over to hug me by her side, and I felt so relieved, finally able to get it out.
"Look, from what you've said, I see Ryan as someone who was very attached to you and was just hurt when you left. I mean, from what you said, he didn't have many friends, and I guess that was because he thought he needed no one else since he got you." She said.
"You think so?" I asked while wiping my tears.
"I'm sure of it." She offered me a smile and helped wipe the remaining of my tears. "And I think you also got really attached to him. I mean, look at you, you're a mess. Yeah, you got it real bad, don't you?" I let out a little laugh at that.
"Look, he's just hurting, and so are you. And if you don't talk it out, it'll only get worse. Stop avoiding him. Go up to him and tell him you're sorry. Sorry fixes a lot of things you know."
"How are you so wise?" I asked, looking at her in awe.
"My aunt Maya says I'm wise beyond my years, which makes me the perfect best friend." She gloated before flopping her hair.
Later, she drove me home, and I kept thanking her for the advice and ride.
I asked her to come in, but she said she had to be home before her parents, or else they'd be worried.
I was walking down the driveway home when I suddenly heard my phone ring. I looked down at the screen to see an unknown number. I hated picking up unknown numbers, but I decided to pick this one.
"Hello?" I was the first to talk.
"Samantha? It's me, Lauren." I recognized her voice before she mentioned her name.
"Oh. Hi, Mrs. Adams." I quickly replied.
"Just call me Lauren, dear. I called to see if you're free this weekend. Are you?"
"Uh...yes, I am." I reluctantly answered. I didn't want anything to spoil my already 'sleep planned' weekend.
"That's great! Joseph has some business associates coming over tomorrow for dinner, so I have a lot to cook. And since you're around, I wanted you to come over and help. Normally I would do it myself since I'm off work for now, but I would like to do some catching up with you. I hope that's okay?" Well, there goes my 'sleep planned' weekend.
"No problem, Mrs. Adams. I'll be there." I couldn't say no.
"I already told you to call me Lauren. I'll ask Ryan to pick you up. Bye." Before I could protest, she hung up.
I didn't want to be in the same breathing space as him. Ugh... Could this weekend get any worse?