Miles Apart

26|Broken Bonds

Miles' POV

"We need to talk."

I stood in front of the booth Isabella and Mia were sitting. Initially, the awardees invited me for lunch so I figured I'd see Troy here but he didn't show up. I'd felt like shit for the past couple of days. I had given both Isabella and Troy some space to calm down but seeing Isabella here only made me want to talk to her more. I didn't like the way we left things. She needed an explanation.

"Go away Miles. She doesn't want to talk to you." Mia said, completely gatekeeping Isabella away from me.

"Isabella can speak for herself."

We both turned to Isabella and waited for response.

She thought for a while then finally spoke up. "Five minutes then I leave."

"That's all I need."

Mia shook her head disapprovingly then got up. I quickly slid into her spot.

"I don't know where to start." I said.

"How about you start at the part where you slept with my bestfriend or the part where you used me to get back at her because you loved her."

"What?"

"You were going to tell her you loved her back."

"No, no, no you have it all wrong. I never liked Tessa. I want going to say love you gosh dammit!" I shouted.

We both froze as we processed what I had just said.

"You what?"

I didn't even realized I loved her until the words came out my mouth.

"Forget it."

She looked at me questionably for a while but let it go. I let out a small breath I'd been holding inside.

"What about the sleeping with Tessa part?"

"It was months ago. Before I even knew you. I would never hurt you intentionally. As I always told you, I don't play with feelings."

"Oh yeah? Why did you admit to her you were using me then?"

"I only used you when we kissed. I wanted to get back at her. I was wrong for that and I'm sorry. She was the reason why I was so bitter to you when we first met."

"How?"

"She told me if I ever dated anyone she would tell Troy everything. I'd lose my bestfriend but gradually I stopped caring so much if she would expose me after I met you."

A smile slowly appeared on her first but a frown quickly killed it.

"So all that time I thought you hated me was because of Tessa?"

I nodded.

"I'm sorry Tessa did all of that but I want us to work this out and put this behind of us." I said then held her hand. She pulled back.

"Your five minutes is up." she said then walked away with tears forming in her eyes. Not taking a second glance at me.

I sat there and looked at the empty space she was sitting on. I recalled those days when she would randomly give me a hug to put a smile on my face but now when it was my turn to put a smile on her face, I failed. I had messed up big time. I missed her. I missed us.

I took a deep breath and stood up. Next stop, Troy's house.

...

I pulled my keys out of the ignition and watched on the pathway. Once again Troy's mom was flirting with the gardener.

I rolled my eyes then she saw me and walked over.

"Miles, where the heck were you these last days. I think Troy is depressed. He won't talk to me or eat anything. He really needs his bestfriend."

"Oh yeah? I think I'm the last person he would want to see."

"Why is that?"

"Because I'm the reason he was like that." she raised an eyebrow so I elaborated further. "I made a mistake and I'm here to fix it."

She smiled then hugged me. "I'm proud of you. You are maturing. Troy's in his room."

I nodded then went to Troy's room.

"Jeez man in here smells like death." I said trying to crack our routine joke to lighten the mood but he didn't budge.

Troy didn't even look at me. He was laying down on his stomach with a blanket over him. His room was dark and in there actually smelt like death. The only time I'd ever seen him like this is when his grandmother died. This is what I'd been trying to avoid. It took him months to get back to his cheerfully, bubbly, always cracking jokes self.

"Hey. It's me Miles."

He lifted his hand and pointed his middle finger to me. I deserved it and I also deserved every punch he gave me that night.

"It was a mistake Troy."

It seemed to put him in the talking mood because he instantly jumped up.

"No, it wasn't just a 'mistake'. You slept with my girlfriend. When was it? After you were tired of banging all the other hundredths girls at school?"

I stayed quiet then looked down, not wanting to actually tell him when.

"Answer me you coward!" he shouted loudly. I could hear his voice crack at the end.

"Your birthday party."

He slapped me hard across my face, probably leaving a mark.

He shook his head.

"You always take everything that I want."

"That's not true Troy."

"You know frustrating it is being 'Miles Norman's Bestfriend'? Always have to be second best at everything. You took team captain away from me and now my girlfriend? AT MY OWN BIRTHDAY PARTY?"

I looked down. I had no idea Troy felt like that. "You told me you didn't want team captain."

"Well, I lied."

A moment of silence passed before Troy spoke again.

"Did you and Tessa mean anything?"

"No. I swear I was just drunk, sad and lonely. That was the old Miles."

"So why'd you try to hide it?"

"To prevent you from acting like this." I said then ran a hand down my face.

He sat on his bed and looked down. "It sucks."

"Yeah it does." I said then looked at him with a smug smirk.

Troy looked at me. "You're a dick you know that?"

"Yeah."

He shook his head. "Bring it in you idiot."

We hugged. Troy and I didn't really have that 'affectionate' friendship. The rare times we did I cherished it. I know I still have a lot of work to do in terms of earning back Troy and Isabella's trust but I'm willing to put the effort in.

"I'm really sorry Troy."

"Yeah, I know you are."

I wanted to tell him everything about Isabella but I couldn't put him through anymore pain. I'd fixed my broken bond with Troy but I didn't feel complete yet. I still had to win over the tougher one, Isabella.