𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎

Chapter 15 ~ Call

Reece

"Hey." I finally speak out. I'm nervous, but when I saw her name on my phone I freaked. She still has my number. I swallow hard as I wait for her to speak up. I can't tell her how I'm feeling, but I have a feeling that if we stay on the phone, I might blurt something out.

On the other hand, it could be a good thing. If I admit my feelings, she can admit hers, if she has any. Wait, what about Bree? I can't admit my feelings for her until Bree is out of the picture. Bree's family is planning to move in March, she won't be here when we graduate. It will give me a chance to get closer to Mayella.

"Uh- hi. I just wanted to say, thank you. For last night." I can't help but smile at the shyness in her voice. She has never been shy. Since we were always a duo, I was the shy one and she was the one that always wanted an adventure.

"You're welcome." I don't know what else to say. All of a sudden, my voice disappears hearing her voice and I can't help it. The smile I'm wearing won't fade. The fact that I'm on the phone with Mayella, and she was the one who called me, makes me all tingly.

"So yeah, that's it." She rushes out but doesn't hang up. Once again, we are on the phone, not talking. And honestly? I'm okay with it. I would prefer to be on the phone with her in silence than her hating me and not giving me a second thought.

I can hear her breathing, it's not a heavy breath, but it's that quiet to where the only sounds are our breathing. I'm scared to say anything that will make her hang up, I feel like if I just stay quiet, we can talk a little longer.

"Reece?" Her voice finally manages to make a sound. My heartbeat gets faster and faster. "Yes?" I ask and I can hear her take a deep sigh. "I miss you." And with that... she hangs up. I dont move from my spot for a while and stay in this position.

I finally bring my phone away from my face and lay it down. Does she miss me?

She misses me.

And I was too much of an idiot to let her go.

🎀

"All hockey captains, please report to drink for a mandatory meeting." The intercom of the school goes off as I stand up. I grab my things and start heading to the rink, waiting for my friend Dave who is the other team captain.

I go to my locker to put my stuff in there when I hear a couple voices coming from down the hall. I turn the corner but see Bree is talking to someone so I back up and hide behind a wall. "Why would you call him?" An unfamiliar voice says.

"Look I might hate the chick, but what kind of person would I be if I let a teenager go off to a party alone, by herself." I now recognize that voice as Bree. Are they talking about Bree calling me about Mayella?

No duh idiot.

"I thought you wanted to get rid of her!" The other person says. "I don't know what I want! I don't like Reece anymore! At this point I don't care about them. This was all your fault anyways. You told me you would pay me to date Reece, and get rid of May. I tried! And I still haven't gotten paid. So I'm done, good luck." I bring my head around and see Bree is walking away. "And by the way..." Bree turns to look at the girl again. "I hope Reece and Mayella do end up together, just to get back at you."

She then walks away, leaving the girl alone in the hallway. I scramble away and rush to the hockey rink. Taking everything in, processing Bree's words. She was manipulated? I don't even know who this other girl is.

🎀

I sit in the diner by myself as I sip on my milkshake. I called Bree here to talk with her about what I heard. I bet if I tell her I know now, there is a better chance that she will not be as mad?

I rub my hands over my head as the bell rings above the door. I look up and see Bree walking to me. She doesn't greet me with a kiss, or even a hug which I'm grateful for. "Hi." She says avoid eye contact with me.

"Let me just cut to the chase, I heard you in the hall this morning." Her head snaps up and looks at me. "What?" I nod my head taking another sip of my shake. She sighs and rubs her face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I went along with her plan. She promised me a good amount of money that would solve my family's problems." She looks ashamed.

This is the first time I feel something for her. I feel bad for her, I didn't know her family struggled. If I knew, it would have been different. "I'm sorry." I say and she raises a brow. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I'm not in love with you, never have been. And I felt like you loved me so much that I didn't want to let you go. Hoping that I would love you eventually." Something in her face changes, her whole face softens.

"I'm sorry again for playing with you."

"No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings."

We get up and hug, this would be the last time I see Bree on these occasions. I hope that one day, I will be able to be friends with her.

This brings me back to a fight we had last summer. We had been fighting about my love for her and I told her I was far too young to understand what love was. She got upset saying that she knew what love was because that's how she felt for me.

That was the night that I realized that I love Mayella. Everything that Bree said as a reason why she loved me, was exactly how I felt about Mayella. So that was the night I determined that, yes, maybe I was too young to understand what love was.

But what I knew for sure, was that I was in love with my best friend. I still am.