Fractured Fairytales

Chapter 9: The Few Things I Don't Hate

Ashley:

So I guess most peopled assumed that I hated everything. And that fact was almost entirely true. There were a few things in life I didn't totally dispise. I mean, I liked volleyball, and boys. I liked my boyfriend, mostly. And I loved my best friends. And brownies. I have always loved brownies. But the reason most people didn't think of those things was probably because I didn't either. It just seemed much more fun to hate things than love them. Like Christina James. Right now, I particularly disliked Christina James, and her overly obnoxious best friend, Alyssa.

"He's taking me to that really nice restaurant right off campus Friday night," Christina told Alyssa, smirking. She was talking extra loud, obviously making sure that I heard her, so I could tell Eliza.

I just rolled my eyes.

"That sounds super romantic," Alyssa replied happily, and just as loud.

I rolled my eyes again. "Christina seems to be threatened by Eliza, for some odd reason," I told Mark, rather loudly.

Both Tina and Alyssa turned their heads and looked at me. Mark raised one eyebrow, obviously confused. Up until then we'd been talking about football, but I'd had enough of Tina and Aly talking about how wonderful Alex was.

They both stood up and walked over to me and Mark, looking furious.

"I am not threatened by that stupid little goth chick."

I rolled my eyes, yet again. Tina was the type of person who couldn't lie to save her life, and by lying it only proved exactly how threatened she felt by Eliza.

I stood up, shoving Mark slightly in my anger. He just sat there, staring at us. "That 'stupid little goth chick' has a name. And she happens to be my best friend"

Tina rolled her eyes, and Aly said, "She's crazy if she thinks she has any chance with Alex. He doesn't even know who she is."

I laughed my mean laugh. I hated these girls so much. More than most things. But I usually tolerated them. But this was too much, their usually annoying antics were tough enough for me to deal with. But insulting one of my friends? Not going to happen.

"Alex didn't tell you?" I asked, faking shock.

Tina's smirk fell slightly, but she recovered quickly. "Alex tells me everything," she laughed.

"Alex and Eliza used to be a thing," I informed her, smirking.

Her eyes widened.

"That's a lie," Aly said. "Tina and Alex have been together since Alex came here."

I grabbed my phone from my bag and started flipping through some pictures I'd stolen off of Eliza's phone. Finally, I got to one of her and Alex. They were sitting on a couch, Eliza's legs stretched out across Alex's lap. And they were holding hands. I showed the picture to Tina and Aly.

Tina's lip started to quiver.

I grabbed my bag and Mark's hand and pulled him away. I didn't want to deal with Christina James crying. It was pathetic.



"Jake Thomas," I said, entering Room 17. He was standing, all tall and tan, and smiley, over Eliza at her desk trying to explain some Trig thing to her.

"It's really simple," he was telling her.

"No, it's not," she responded. "Hey Ash,"

"Why do you feel the need to say everyone's last names?" Nikki asked me, clearly annoyed. "Jake Thomas, Adam Roy, Alex Larsen."

"Yuck," Jake said, sitting down on Eliza's bed. "Alex Larsen. I hate that guy."

Eliza rolled her eyes. "Do you even remember why you hate him?"

"No, I just know I do."

"I thought you didn't hate anybody," I said, raising my eyebrows. Jake was one of those super nice people who loved Jesus and his parents. He spent his freetime reading his Bible and doing math. And it's not that I don't like the Bible, it's one of those few things I don't hate. It was just that Jake was so Christian, it was scary.

"I hate that guy."

"You know that Eliza likes him right?" I asked. Jake and Eliza were really close. Make that, Jake, Eliza and Nikki were really close. I could only figure Jake would know if Eliza had a crush on someone for eleven years.

"Yeah," he said, clearly annoyed.

I turned to Nikki, who had been strangely quiet this whole time. She just shrugged and looked back to whatever book she was reading that week.