Chapter 19 - I Got You Always

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"You look like hell" Shantele comments.

"I feel like hell" I say and rub my eyes tiredly, "I kept waking up repeatedly and each time it just got harder for me to fall asleep" I admit and stifle a yawn that wants to escape.

"Then why didn't you just sleep in?" Shantele asks and passes me a cup of iced tea that makes my heart warm.

"I'm already behind on so much school work" I say and hang my head in shame, "The school session ends in about a month and I don't want to carry failed grades over into the next year"

"True" Shantele says and passes me a sandwich and I am tempted to cuddle her right here and now in the school hallway, I just love this girl so much, she completes me.

"Thank you for this Shanty" I say and give her a side hug.

"Hey" Renae says and I take in a silent breath before I turn my attention away from Shantele.

"Hey" I reply and take a sip from the tea in order to cool down the hot feeling in my throat that makes me want to reach out and slap Renae across the face.

"You've been ignoring my calls" Renae says

"You noticed" I say and take another sip from the tea.

"Not all blondes are airheads" Renae scoffs and I let out a small chuckle.

"True but the vast majority I have met are bimbos instead" I say and my expression freezes when Jordan walks up to us and gives Renae a kiss on her cheek, "Jordan" I say as a curt greeting.

"Josephine" He replies back.

"Did something happen between you two?" Renae asks.

"Why? So you can needle your way in and create a bigger disaster?" I taunt.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" Renae says under her breath.

"Let's go Shanty" I say and Shantele who zoned out of our battle nods her head and we begin to walk past Renae and Jordan when I lean in closer to Renae and whisper, "it seems your boyfriend is keeping secrets from you, I guess it's not all rosy on that side"

Feeling satisfied with myself I take another sip of my tea and stride alongside Shantele to our first class of the day.

"Why don't you ever say anything?" I ask Shantele who is offloading her needed textbooks from her bag to her desk

"Excuse me?" she asks confused

"When Renae and I are having our egotistical battle, you never say anything"

"Oh that" she says and takes her seat, "I don't see any need to because it's not my fight"

"Does that mean you find what we're doing unnecessary?" I ask feeling confused and the need to find out who my real allies are.

"It's not that, it's just that you have everything figured out" she says and smiles, "besides if you ever needed help, I would spring in immediately and make your opponent eat dust"

I laugh at her use of words and rest my head on my friends shoulder and enjoy the warmth that it gives me, the security that it gives me and the feeling that I have an unbreakable shield around me. This is what friendship is supposed to feel like and not like it's a battle for who is better.

"I've known you for two years Jossie" Shantele says and I tilt my head a little to get a good view of her face, "and during that time you have been everything I have always dreamed of a friend being"

"How so?" I ask

"You were always attentive to me, always had a word of advice and you were always on my side not minding if I was the one at fault" Shantele says and runs her hand through my hair, "now it's my turn to return all that you have done by being that person that sits in your corner"

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