I Can't Get Up

Chapter Four: Once A Friend, Always A Friend

Chapter Four: Once A Friend, Always A Friend

"Hal! Give me my jacket back!" I yell after my best friend.

"Cel! We've been over this! It's not your jacket! It's mines!" Hal gives a generous smirk as she ties the lime green jacket around her waist.

I'm on the edge of sobbing, "Hallie! My mom gave me that jacket when I was seven and she told me that one day I'd be able to fit in it! On that day I will be officially a grown up woman. How am I supposed to find out when I am a grown up when I don't have my jacket!"

"You don't even like your mom because she's never home! Besides, I can already fit into my jacket," she emphasizes on the 'my'. She puts her arms into the sleeves of the jacket. On her, the jacket looks like an oversized dress with really long sleeves.

"No you can't! You look stupid," my vulnerability soon turns into anger.

"I am not stupid! You know what, Cel? I think you're a wimpy little creep who steals other people's jackets!" she pushes me away, making me fall to the ground.

My hand feel like they are on fire as they scrape across the rocky ground, "At least my parents are still alive!"

That did it for Hallie. She stomped off, with my jacket, and we never spoke again. I didn't even say goodbye to her when she moved.

I soon snap back to reality when Drew tugs on my arm, "Are you okay? You look a bit dazed."

"I'm just fine," I muster a smile.

"Tell me what's wrong," he crosses his arms across his chest, clearly not believing what I said.

My body reacts before my mind does and I run back into the club, looking for Hallie.

I spot her standing at the bar and run over as fast as possible, knocking some drunk people over in the process.

"Celeste!" she says in a surprised voice.

"Do you remember me?" I ask anxiously.

She gives me an obvious look, "Of course I do. We just met two hours ago."

"No!" I yell in frustration, "I'm Celeste Graham! I'm the girl who you played with ever since kindergarten. I'm the girl who was your best friend until grade four!"

Drew rushes up beside me, "Celeste! I heard you yell 'No' What's wrong?"

I ignore Drew and stare back at Hallie, who now is in deep thought. He eyes look up as if the answer is up on the ceiling. Then, she looks directly in my eyes, searching my soul for the answer. After that, her eyes wander around and land on Drew's green jacket. Her eyes light up as she sits straighter. She remembers the jacket, just like I did.

She keeps on staring at Drew's jacket, which for some reason makes me worried. I grab the beer out of her hand and chug it down to calm myself.

"Celeste!" Drew sounds appalled, "You already had one today!"

"You aren't the boss of me!" I snarl at him. I've completely lost my mind and I'm not even drunk yet.

Drew is clearly speechless because he makes multiple attempts to speak, but fails.

"I remember. My parents and your parents were acquaintances. We were best friends. I used to think I wasn't good enough and you always cheered me up," Hallie finally says.

"Then you moved off to somewhere and I regretted so deeply not continuing to be friends with you," I look down at my feet.

She takes a deep breath, "You're Cel."