Close As Enemies

Seventeen.

Now Playing... Jar of Hearts 

    "Let's address the problem at hand. We know these texts came from the school message board, but we don't know the exact sources. Is there a way we can find out?"

Mom and I sat in front of the principal's desk as he looked over the printed copies of the things people had said about me over the past two years on the school's message board. Apparently after Wes had seen them on my phone, he showed my parents while I was asleep, and they printed them out and gave them to the principal. I'm not saying he's my best friend again, but it was probably one of the nicest things he had done for me in a while.

"Well, since the board is connected to the school, we can track the message's back to the place they came from, even if the posts were made anonymously. Right now, we have tracked almost all of them back to their original sources."

Mom leaned forward, her hands folded in her lap. "Are you able to tell us who?"

"From what I can see, there are numerous students, but the most prominent is Katie Baker."

I internally groaned. Of course she would be one of them. Ever since I moved to California, Katie disliked me, but that dislike grew into hate with a passion when I started dating Andy Bassem a year after I arrived. She had always liked him, and when she found out I was his girlfriend, she made it her mission to destroy me. Even though she didn't directly do it, I always suspected she had a part in what happened after Andy and I broke up. I would explain, but my mind tried it's best to hide that memory away.

"What can you do about it in the school?" Mom questioned, placing her hand on mine, and I mentally thanked her for that piece of comfort. The principal faced us, sighing.

"I'm going to take down the message board. As for the students, there will be major consequences since they threatened Molly directly. I will not tolerate the comments they've made." He faced me, shooting me a sad smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through this, Miss. Clarke. I wish I could've done something about it sooner."

"Thank you for all of your help, Mr. Gardiner." Mom smiled, standing and shaking his hand, and then I stood as well. He led us out of his room, and mom went home, while I walked to my locker. Nikki was standing beside it, blowing a bubble with her gum.

"How did it go?" She asked, and I sighed, spinning my lock.

"A majority of the messages were from Katie. Mr. Gardiner said everyone who sent a message is gonna have major consequences."

"Good." She scoffed. "It's about time the assholes in this school got some repercussions for their actions."

"Nothing but facts there."

As we started walking to lunch, she glanced around "By the way, where's lover boy? Wasn't he supposed to be there with you?"

"Yeah, he was, but I haven't seen him since last period." I had almost reached the cafeteria doors when I noticed Nikki was no longer beside me. Glancing around, I found her a few steps behind me, staring at something down the hall. "Nik, are you coming?"

She swallowed hard. "Listen to me, Molls. Whatever you do, don't come over here. It's only going to hurt you."

Rolling my eyes, I made my way towards her. "It can't be that bad after what I just--"

But she was right. In front of the first row of lockers, Wes was making out with Katie, his arms wrapped tightly around her. I staggered to a stop beside Nikki, a lump forming in my throat. Seeing him with her went through me like a knife. He was the one who told me all the posts on the message board weren't true. He was the one who comforted me when I broke down over the messages, and the one who told me he cared. Yet here he was, kissing the girl who caused all of my agony. I realized that those lies were truths that failed to appear in light, and even though his lies might have been truths at first sight, he allowed them to twist into lies.

"It's always too good to be true." I muttered, running down the corridor, and people shot me weird looks. If only they knew.

"Molls!" Nikki hollered, but I ignored her, my heart pounding against my chest as I took a break around the corner where none of them could see me. When I glanced around to see if anyone was following, I saw Nikki march over to Wes and grabbed his shirt, slamming him against the lockers. Her eyes burned with rage. "How dare you! You damn well knew Katie sent those messages, and now you're here with her!?"

"It's not--"

"Shut up, asshole." Nikki growled, slamming him against the locker again. "You messed up big time. Instead of caring about the girl who told your best friend to kill herself, why don't you focus a little more on the girl who forgives you, even after you do shit like this!?"

Wes' eyes looked towards where I was standing, and I ran before he could notice me, but it was too late. "Molly, wait!"

He ran after me, but I had reached the front doors of the school before he could reach me. Hopping in my truck, I sped out of the parking lot, recklessly driving towards my house. Once there, I dashed inside, taking a couple deep breaths in the hall, but then the front door opened, and his eyes locked with mine. I froze for a second, but then I ran upstairs, only for him to follow me.

"Molly!" He yelled, and I ran inside my room, slamming the door in his face before locking it. His fists pounded against the door. "Open the door, please!"

Ignoring his begs, I opened my nightstand drawer, grabbed the metal, and sat against the door, breathing heavily. A small gasp mixed with a sob escaped my mouth as the silver tongued devil slid across my wrist, the warm sensation of blood spilling from the wound. I sobbed harder, the razor clattering to the ground, and regret teased me like it was my worst enemy. I couldn't help myself. The pain had become too much to bear. Throwing it against the wall, I quickly covered my wrist with my sweater and angrily wiped away my tears. When I opened the door, Wes was leaning his head against the wall.

"Molly, listen--"

"No, Wes." I growled, shoving his chest. "You kissed her. You knew what she did and you kissed her anyway."

"Is that what this is about? Me kissing her?" He glared. "Don't be mad because it wasn't you."

My jaw dropped, and I punched his chest repeatedly, more tears streaming down my face. "She tortured me for the past two freaking years! You weren't there! You don't know the things she did!"

"It's not my fault you're so naive." He hissed as he grabbed my hands to stop me from hitting him.

"Naive? You have no idea what you're talking about!" I screamed, trying to wiggle my hands out of his grip, but he wouldn't budge. I glared at him. "Tell me, did you actually mean the things you said when you saw the messages? Did you actually care, or was it all just a lie to make me vulnerable?"

He huffed. "Not this again."

"Tell me the truth."

His eyes locked with mine as they narrowed into slits, and his chest heaved with deep, angry breaths. Bitterly laughing, I ripped my hands out of his grip. "I should've known. I hate you, Wes."

His eyes flashed red. "Isn't that the whole point, Molly!? We're enemies for a reason!" He moved closer, and I flinched, scared he would do something he couldn't take back. "We can never agree, we can never have a normal conversation, we can't be friends, and we definitely won't be the same. If you want to believe the things they said, be my guest. Let them get inside your head because that's what they're waiting for! All of them are waiting for you to break!"

"Don't act like you're doing me a favor by telling me this. You're right there with them, agreeing with everything they say, hurting me like they do!"

His whole posture grew stiff, and his jaw ticked as he closed his eyes, his hands clenched into fists. When he opened his eyes again, he was devoid of emotion. "If you want to label me like them, fine. Two can play that game."