𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 | 𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢𝔰 𝔣𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔡

𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚜𝚒𝚡 : 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚠𝚎𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐

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Life was moving fast. So much happening at once. Joey came to me that next night distressed. His hair was a mess and his nose was pink like he'd been crying. I'd had no idea what it could've been about, he'd kept acting like everything was so normal. And for him to have come to me like that was out of character. We always helped each other through anything, that was a given, but never had he ever come to me looking like that and never had I ever not known something was wrong beforehand.

"What's going on?"

"I need help Mar. I don't know what to do."

"What are you talking about?"

"So you know how Cylia and I have been hanging out still?"

"Well yeah. What about it?"

When I'd taken the time to think about it, he had been out of the house a lot more than usual. He'd been acting a little off but for the most part I'd thought it was just a little phase. Maybe there'd been something to put him in an off mood over the time. Never though had anything too serious come to mind.

"We've been getting closer on a different level lately. We're still friends, yes, but there's something different there too."

"So have you guys said the way you feel?"
The way he talked to me was bizarre.

"I don't think either one of us really know how we feel. We've kissed a couple of times and I- well I never thought I would even be feeling the way that I do. I guess I don't know how I feel but I know it feels good."

"You've told me that you like her Joey, but now you don't know?Why not tell her the way you feel if it feels good? Surely she feels that way too."

"I don't know how she'll react."

"Well who enacted the kissing Joey?"

"The first time we just sort of fell into it, it felt right in the moment. But the second time it was him."

Him?
"Are we even talking about Cylia? Be honest with me."

"Yes of course we're talking about Cylia. What do you mean? What are you saying?"

"Well you just said him so I was-"

"I'm just tired. Sorry."

Tears quickly filled his eyes. I sat there, letting him have his moment, not knowing exactly what to say. All I could do was reach for a hug but he backed away. Never had he ever rejected one of my hugs before.

"Joey. Are you gonna be alright?"

"I really don't want to hurt anyone Margo."

"I can't help you if you don't talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

"I feel caught in between. I just-"

"Caught in between what?"
When he didn't answer with anything besides the shaking of his head, I'd asked again, but a little differently.
"Who?"

"It's Louis."

"Louis? I thought he-"

"I don't know. Neither of us are really too sure about any of it. And I think Cylia likes me but-"

"You think you like Louis."

He nods and another set of tears trickle down his face.
"I'm confused and I'm frustrated and.."

"I'll be here for you through anything Jo, you always know that. And I'll support you in whatever decision you make. Let me help you with whatever I can. I just want you to be able to be happy and have some piece of mind."

-

Olive and Miles were back together. Not that they were ever proven to be officially apart but it'd been confirmed when school was back in of course, when they'd strutted down the hall, hand in hand. They seemed more stable than before like they'd actually had a fine relationship. Like it'd been nothing like Olive had described previously. For him to have shown out doing that, like none of what had happened mattered, was so Miles of him. He'd messed me up and messed me over too much. Regardless of all the failed attempts I had at staying away from him, I was determined to keep the mindset of the night he came over. Like I didn't care, because I didn't. I didn't think about him long after he left, I didn't allow myself to. I just had to stay that way and I'd thought I was doing a pretty good job.

"And of course they're back together. Still together? Who knows. Though it may be stupid, it makes sense."

Sadie gave Millie a crooked look. Our friendship after that night had changed. Even though we didn't talk about it, we all felt it. It was more tense.
"It makes sense to continuously try and mend a toxic relationship?"

More times than not did I have to intervene.
"Okay you guys, enough. We're not talking about them."

"Margo, please. Just for a quick minute."

"Mills, I'd rather not."

"Can we at least agree, it will be one tragic wedding."

A wedding?
"Wedding? They'll never get married."

"Of course they will. See they're one of those toxic couples where even though they could kill each other at any time, they'll stay together because they're wrong for each other in all the right ways."

Why did my stomach hurt? Why did I feel so sick?
"Can you please just stop talking about it? Why do you have to make that sound like such a good thing?"

"I'm just sayin!"

"Woah Mar, are you okay? You don't look-"

"I'm fine. I just gotta get out of here."

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