WE'RE JUST FRIENDS {C + EDITING}

Chapter 14 [EDITED]

The next morning I was aware of the fact that I had snoozed many of my alarms and was running late. Colton and I still hadn't talked since our small fight and though it wasn't helpful for the relationship, I didn't want to talk it out or even deal with it. Unfortunately that meant that I would be avoiding school until further notice.

However the door bell ringing on repeat ten minutes before school started meant that Jake disagreed with my decision.

Throwing a sweatshirt over my baggy sweatpants, I trudged down the stairs and opened the door to find Jake standing there, a red bull in hand and a pissed look on his face. "Sleeping Fugly, time for school."

A deadpanned stare aimed in his direction, I opened my mouth to tell him off, but he wordlessly objected, grabbing me and my bag and pushing me out the door. I barely had time to grab my shoes sitting on the porch. He pushed me into the truck, and I thanked some god out there that the brothers weren't waiting for me in the pickup.

I angrily put my shoes on the ride to school as Jake hummed to himself. We made it to school a few minutes before it started and Jake put the truck in park before turning to me.

"Listen, I know you guys had a fight. And I know you probably don't want to deal with it, but moping around all day and ignoring school isn't going to make it any better."

I sighed and leaned back into the seat. "It wasn't even that big of a fight, I just overacted and pushed boundaries where I shouldn't."

"He also pushed boundaries," Jake mended. "He shouldn't of yelled at you when you were just trying to be nice and be there for him. Try to be civilized and if he thinks this tiny fiasco is truly enough to break up with you over, then to hell with him."

A small, warm smile lit up my face. "You're a good friend."

He nodded and hopped out of the truck. "Yes, I am. And sexy, smart, capable, charismatic, we could go on all day, really, but we have class."

Not moving, I pleaded for a few more minutes alone. I would go into school, I just wanted to compose myself a little bit, pull my shit together before I had to listen to Carson's bullshit for the next hour. Rushing for class, Jake agreed and tossed me the keys to lock it up after making me promise to not drive away.

I listened to the radio as the sound of the school bell rang, trying to not let myself slip into old habits of self destruction. I ran my fingers through my hair as a makeshift comb and checked my reflection in the mirror to make sure I didn't look as messy as I felt.

Deciding it was time to head inside, I opened the door and climbed out, locking it as I went. I walked only a few steps towards the school before a man in a dark coat stepped out from behind a car.

"Hello." He said, and a strange feeling filled my legs.

"Hi?" I asked, eyeing the parking lot around me. I was alone as every kid in the small town was inside the school already. I tried stepping around him, but moved in front of me.

"You've gotten so big, Mia." The man said, an almost adoring look on his face. "Do you still play soccer?"

Panic flooded my entire system. I didn't know this man, there was no part of him that was familiar. I started trembling a bit. "Who are you?"

"Oh, nobody that you know or should concern yourself with." He waved his hands around in a matter that suggested I should be indifferent about identifying him. Like he was sure I wouldn't be able to. "I just figured I would stop and say hello since you and your mother are back in town."

I said nothing as he looked down at a phone in his hands. "Shame your father couldn't join you, but well," he met my eyes again. "You know how those things go."

"What things?" I asked, momentarily forgetting my anger. "What do you know about my dad?"

A smile overtook the man's face, almost like I was missing out on a joke only he understood. "Oh, nothing much. We just used to know him around these parts, heard something happened to him awhile back."

Squinting my eyes, I tried to tell if I could even believe half of the shit he was spewing. He had to know something.

"Did you do something to him? Why are you here now? How did you even know I would be running late?" I started firing off questions as soon as they came into my mind, but was cut off as he let out a chuckle.

"Oh, Amelia," my full name leaving his lips made me freeze. "It's just a small neighborhood, I mean you no harm."

Frustration bubbled up inside of me, and angry tears came to my eyes. "Don't lie, you know something."

Looking over his shoulder, he sighed heavily. My eyes followed as I saw Carson storming over to us. "Ah, this one I like. The other one seems too soft for you." I flashed my eyes back to the strange man. "Your father would've been happy to know you were dating and enjoying life even after his d-"

"Mia? Do you know him?" Carson interrupted.

"Be careful, Amelia, this town isn't as sound as it seems." He reached over quickly and shoved a piece of paper into my hoodie pocket, before turning away.

"Would've? What do you mean would've?" I asked the man as he started to hurriedly walk away. "After his what? Hey! Come back!"

I tried to follow, but he quickly climbed into an unmarked, dark car and sped out of the parking lot. The tears in my eyes started to spill over as the past tense of his words settled. My dad couldn't be gone, just last night I was relishing in the fact that me and mom still had hope.

Carson caught up to me and spun me around by my shoulder. "What are you thinking standing out here and conversing with a weird dude-"

I let out a sob that cut Carson's words off immediately. Without hesitation he pulled me into his chest as I cried, and ran a hand over my head a moment later. "It's okay." He soothed me. "It's alright."

But was it?