The Popular Project

~Ch 6~

     Three days.

It has been three days since Coleman has talked to me. I wish I could say it isn't my fault. However, it is like 73% my fault that he is ignoring me. The other 27% is because my best friend is pretty dang dramatic.

Three days ago at my favorite child in the world aka Coles little brother Aiden's birthday party I may have said a few things I regret. Well, many many things I regret.

The plan going in to the party was to pretend I didn't know my best friend had a huge crush on me. I was just saying we needed to talk to mess with him. Unfortunately, this is not how it worked out.

Basically, I told Coleman I knew he liked me. He admitted to it. All was good momentarily until Cole asked me a question.

"Do you feel the same way, Evie?"

Are you freaking kidding me? No I don't feel the same way. But way to make it a million times harder to say that when you are staring at me with Coleman eyes. And he even called me my nickname. How do you reject someone that adorable?

So you are probably thinking I was pressured into saying yes. But no. That would have been better. Instead I'm a genius and I say:

"No. Of course I don't feel the same way!"

Nice, Hope. That was really great. Just crush your best friends little heart in one word. No is a powerful thing. When he proceeded to ask me more questions that were impossible to answer, I made it worse.

"What? Why?" Coleman asked me understandably upset.

"You are like my brother, Cole! You could not have actually thought it could work out between us, right?"

Once again, Hope. Way to be super sensitive to your fragile friends feelings. Wow alliteration. Of course I didn't mean that at all. In my head I was going to tell him that delicately to avoid hurting his feelings. That went well.

"I don't get it, Hope. Did I do something wrong?"

Even when I am being a complete witch he is blaming himself. If only I could control my freaking mouth I would not hurt his stupid feelings.

"No you didn't do anything wrong. I just can't do that."

Smooth. The conversation continued and he made me mad. As nice of a person that I am, when you tick me off I am not someone you want to be around. My temper can be represented by a daisy suddenly transformed into a giant, flaming cobra every time the wind blew.

Essentially, I told him that he needed to quit following me around and staring at me because I love him like a brother nothing more. I basically level Barry Allen friend zoned him. I feel awful.

That brings us too this lovely, not awkward at all day. My whole school can sense there is something off when I walk in without immediately meeting Coleman or having him with me to begin with.

This is rare. We talk together everyday. And since my whole school watches us constantly, they notice. I wouldn't be surprised if at least 5 boys asked me out today thinking I'm open now that Cole is out of the picture. Yeah right. Coleman is totally the reason I reject you every time.

The issue with this situation is that I can't even talk to him without at least 25 kids listening in. It's hard enough for me to get Cole to talk to me with this whole silent treatment thing he is doing. I don't need the lack of privacy as well.

I know I have math with Coleman so I wait patiently for my guaranteed chance to talk. I walk into class looking like a 5 year old in Christmas morning. And then I see that Cole has done the unthinkable. That jerk sat by someone else.