Only Fools

Chapter Thirty Four

Alex: You feeling any better today?

"Who is it?" Tori asks me as she leans closer to the mirror in order to apply mascara.

"Alex," I respond as my eyes scan over the message.

"Ooh," Tori says while wiggling her eyebrows. I glare at my friend, before turning my attention back to my phone to formulate a response, tuning Tori out as she laughs softly beside me.

Me: Wow, you care!!

Alex: No.

Me: So you took time out of your day to send that text because you don't care??

Alex: I'm being held at gunpoint. No choice.

Me: Mhm.

Alex: Just answer the fucking question.

Me: I'm fine.

Alex: Oh shit how bad is it?

Me: No, I think I'm seriously fine.

Alex: Girls are never actually fine when they say they're fine.

Alex: Had to learn that the hard way.

Me: Would it be better if I said I was doing ok??

Alex: Slightly....

Me: Whatever. Believe me or not. I don't care. I gotta go help Naomi and Tori get ready for the dance.

Alex: Wow I take time out of my day to care for you and this is the thanks I get.

Me: I thought you were being held at gunpoint.

Alex: I still stand by that story.

Me: I see. Bye, Alex.

Alex: Bye. Have fun looking for Gracey.

Me: I actually found her the day you left. You're not very good at hiding her.

Alex: Bitch.

Me: Asshole.

As I lock my phone and tuck it back into my pocket, I can't help but think back to what I told Alex. I'm fine. I'm ok. Am I really?

I shouldn't be. Ivy's my best friend and such an amazing person. I shouldn't be able to get over her quickly. I should be crying right now. I should be locked in my room, not wanting to come down until Ivy comes back. And yet here I am standing in my room with my other two best friends, helping them get ready for a dance that I used to believe I would be going to with her.

As I hear Naomi call my name, I cast the thoughts out of my mind, not wanting them to consume me. And yet one thought still travels through my mind on repeat: why the fuck aren't you crying right now?

Yet it does nothing to actually make me cry.

"Are you sure you don't want to come? You could probably get a ticket last minute," Naomi offers, clearly worried about me.

"Don't worry about me, Nao," I try to reassure her as Tori is busy speed-walking around my room, seemingly on the search for something she misplaced while she's been getting ready for the dance.

"It's my job to worry about you," Naomi tells me, cracking a smile.

"No, I think you just make it your job,"

"Same difference," Naomi dismisses my comment.

"I just miss her. That's all," I reveal to Naomi. It's been a week since Ivy left me the note and Naomi almost beat her up when she found out. Since then, I've been hanging out with Naomi and Tori a lot. Tori still doesn't know exactly what's wrong, but I have a feeling that she can sense that something's off.