Best Friends With The Bad Boy ✓

6 - Fix Friendships With Hugs

I stared at John.

He stared at me.

I started laughing.

He carried on staring.

I slowly sobered up, slightly surprised.

He just carried on staring.

"Wait, are you serious?" I asked, the smile still not leaving my face. He just crossed his arms, making his biceps budge out.

"I'm Chloe." No reaction.

"Chloe Woods?" Nothing.

"The girl who laughed at you when you vomited on your favourite shirt in middle school?" Nada.

"We were best friends for around ten years?" Is this guy a statue?

I fumbled around in my bag, looking for my phone. "I have a picture of us somewhere, don't worry." I chirped, bringing out my phone and scrolling through my photos.

"Okay... This one is a bit old but-"

"I think you should leave, now."

I trailed off, looking up to see Maisie standing beside John with an unreadable expression on her face. My eyes narrowed slightly and the smile on my face turned sour.

"And why should I do that, Maisie?" I asked cheerfully, but with an undertone of a warning.

"We need to get to class." She responded flatly.

"I'll speak to you later." She added when I didn't reply, smiling slightly. I just glared at her. Her smile faltered slightly and she turned away with John who went on silently without a word.

I turned around, sighing. "Tobi, you can come out now." I said. Tobi appeared from a corner with a sheepish smile on her face.

"I'm guessing you heard all of that?" I asked. She nodded.

"I did warn you, Clo. John has changed." She told me as we walked to our class.

"Is he mute?" I asked, slightly concerned. What would make him turn mute?

She snorted. "No. The opposite, actually. I think he was just in shock to see you after a long time." She replied and I shrugged.

"I was only gone for two years." I reminded her. She gave me an incredulous look.

"If your best friend, since you were a child, suddenly disappeared with their family without a trace or warning, wouldn't you think of the worst case scenario?" She questioned, giving me a pointed look.

I winced. "Well, if you put it that way..."

"Exactly! You have to give him time and try to regain his trust." Ashe explained, smiling in satisfaction when I nodded.

I was definitely going to regain his trust.

But I wasn't sure about giving him time.

*****

"Johnny boy!" I called out, skipping to where he and his friends were boisterously laughing at something on a phone. They paused when they all went silent and looked at me, then at him, then me again.

"Um, hi?" I said, but it came out more as a question.

Suddenly, someone from the table abruptly stood up. He was massive, standing around 6'3 and had more muscles than a boy his age was supposed to. He was black with his curly hair in a low cut and a slit in it.

His piercing brown eyes that bored into mine. I forced myself to keep eye contact with him instead of running away when he took three, big bounding steps to stand directly in front of me.