When Everything Changed (Currently Rewriting)

3. We Promised More Play-dates!

 ~Visual of Brandon at the side~

CHAPTER 3 | We Promised More Play-dates!

"What was up with you yesterday, Emily?"

"What do you mean?"

"First, your memory with Brandon came back," Anthony starts, "Then, you shut him out? I thought you would be happy to see him?"

Well, you see, dinner was pretty awkward last night - well only between Brandon and me. Though I completely recall him, I still never had the intention to befriend him again. Maybe, after a few months or so, my family will move, and I will be leaving him again. I rather spare my heart from the ache of leaving some close one.

"You would never understand," I simply replied to Anthony.

I heard him sigh beside me. "I would never understand your mind because I never chose to take the way you are going in life," he says, and that is all. He continued to maneuver the vehicle down the road towards the school.

Once we arrived, I quickly stepped out of the car and walked towards the entrance, leaving Anthony at the driver seat. His words struck me hard, once again. I ignored all the people who tried to strike a conversation with me. At this moment, that is something you shouldn't do. I needed time to cool off, again.

I would never understand your mind because I never chose to take the way you are going in life.

What is Anthony trying to convey? He never chose the path that I took in life. The path I chose to take is the solitary one. I chose not to make friends seriously, and I shut out all, yet I wasn't to be blamed. I always hated the feeling of desertion or deserting. I felt it; I don't want others to. It's quite best if I spare my friends from ever being left behind. That is the best in life.

••••

"Hey."

"Why aren't you sitting with us?"

"Did we do anything wrong?"

I looked up from my book and faced the group. All five of them stared at me with wonder and concern. Maria walked forward and took a seat across from me. She quietly set her tray and gathered my hands. The other four took a seat somewhere at the table and surrounded me.

"Aren't we friends?" Maria asks quietly.

"Of course we are! What makes you say that?" I asked nervously.

Before Maria can respond, Angelica spoke up. "I have watched you, Emily. You label us as your friends, and nothing more closer than that. I could see by the first time you walked up to us at your first day that you were reluctant in our friendship, yet all I could ask is why? If you didn't want to befriend us, why didn't you just decline and walk away?"

The other four looked at Angelica in surprise and bewilderment. It wasn't long until they all had registered Angelica's words and turned to me.

"Is it true?" Maria asks, "You were hesitant in befriending me and them?"

I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. My shoulders were tense, and beads of sweat glistened on my forehead. Finally, I just told them the truth. "Yes, I never meant to befriend any of you or anyone in the school."

All at once, the group wanted to speak, but I cut them off by getting up from my seat. As bad as I wanted to tell them the whole story, I shouldn't, and I couldn't. An arm hooked at the crook of my elbow, pulling me back down to my seat.

"Why not?" Jackson asks.

"Yeah, why not, Emily?" Monet asks.

"B-because-"