○ TEN ○

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○ TEN ○

The weekend passed fast and soon my brother left to go back to school. It sucked to see him leave but waving to him as he left for another year of torture felt like another year of torture for me.
We had spent the rest of the weekend together and I had told him about everything that was going on.

I had come home from my meeting with Alana to see him on the couch and I had exploded.
He listened intently, getting quite mad about everything I was mad about but it still didn't help me.
As my mother's car pulled into the school parking lot, the weather matched my mood.

It was raining, not heavily but enough to leave puddles and flowing rivers down the drain. Enough for school not to be cancelled and enough for everyone to wear umbrellas and raincoats.

I grabbed my backpack and kissed mum on the cheek before opening the car door and making a run for it. I kept my head down as I walked to my locker,slipping my earphones in. Just wanted to drown the world out today.

Grabbing my books, I slammed my locker shut and headed for my first class. My combat boots walked through the hallways, dodging Nikes and scruffy converses. My ripped jeans didn't really blend in with the frilly high skirts or the tight jeans or even the leggings. Even as I was normally, I was out of place.

I had my blonde hair tied up into a loose bun, a plain black shirt with a tight jacket over the top. Several people glanced at me as I walked down the hall. Making it to my first class, I slid into my seat and waited for the teacher.

Students filed in about five minutes before our teacher did as he pushed his glasses up his nose, nervously.
I was staring at the board when the chair next to me mood. I glanced over to see Matt lean back in his seat.

Courtney glared at me from the front of the room. "You're looking dreary today" Matthew said as a way of hello.

"Thanks Matthew, how kind of you to say" I tried sarcastically.

Matt glanced at me weirdly. "Is everything alright?" He asked as I spotted Alana walk into the room.

She didn't meet my eyes but walked past me with her head held high. Matthew noticed my hands tighten on my notebook. "Perfect" I replied, through gritted teeth.

He let it go as our teacher started the lesson. He paired us off and Matt turned to look at me as Mr Chivers placed a notebook between us. "So trouble with Alana?" He asked as he flipped through the pages.

"I dont think it matters" I replied, sounding snappy.

He frowned and looked up from the words. "I thought we were going to try that thing called being friends?" He asked, closing the notebook.

I turned my head away. "Shelby, what's going on, I haven't seen you this depressed since fifth grade" he said worriedly.

"Courtney got to Alana and told her a bunch of lies about me and Alana had decided to be the backstabbing bitch she is and believe Courtney" I snapped quietly.

Matthew fell quiet. "So now I have no friends, and why's that? Because I got involved with you, I had a bad feeling about this so called friendship from the start and I should have listened to my instincts!" I whispered yelled.

"You're blaming me?" He asked incredulously.

"This only happened when Courtney got jealous of the relationship that's non-existent between us" I said, facing the front.

Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose. "Since when did you ever care what other people thought? You have never given into the idealism of society" he said, closing his eyes as if he was in pain.

"That girl, who you knew, she is dead, a long time ago, welcome to the new face of Shelby McGraw, full of anxiety and frustration" I said as I closed my notebook with a snap.

"Look Courtney's just jealous over our friendship, she's just that type of girl, why do you think I dumped her? And Alana? If she was truly your friend, she'd understand and stick by your side, it's when you're at your worst you find your true friends" he said, looking at me.

"Yeah well thanks to you, I have no friends, because you're the worst" I said before standing up.

I didn't even give the teacher time to ask me a question before I was storming out of the classroom. I was probably way out of line but my life came crashing down about me the moment Matthew Kane decided to walk back into it.
Hoping it had stopped raining, I walked towards the field that separated us from the rest of the town. The football field.

Walking along the undercover bleachers, I sat on the cold steel and shivered. He was right though, if Alana was truly my friend she would have backed me up. But she didn't. I put my head in my hands and pushed my hair back.
This was stupid. Why couldn't I just have a normal day at high school, without all the drama and shit. "I knew I'd find you here" his voice said.

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Than you would know that I wanted to be alone" I said before rubbing my arms.

I felt fabric press over me before I looked over to see Matt clamber down to sit next to me. I pulled his jacket tighter around my shoulders. "The teacher was a bit concerned, so he asked for a volunteer to see if you were okay" he said, shrugging one shoulder.

I glanced down at his hands. "I'm sorry for snapping at you" I said, looking away.

The green grass sparkled from the rain. "I'm not mad at you Shelby, I know what it's like to lose friends" he replied also looking at the field.

I blinked slowly. "Can I tell you something?" He asked, turning to look at me.

I watched him with a frown. "When we were younger and you broke your arm jumping off the trampoline, when your mother rushed you to the hospital, in the car you kept asking if I was okay because you knew I didn't like the thought of injuries" he said, his fingers tapping the cold steel seats quietly.

"I don't remember that" I said, tilting my head.

"The night after my parents died, do you remember what you said to me?" He asked, looking up with vulnerable eyes.

I cast my eyes down. "You said, it's okay Matt, you have me, Chris and mum, and we're going to be there for you for however long you need us, I'm your best friend and this pain won't last forever" he quoted, before taking my hand gently 

Surprised, I looked up. "You probably didn't think I was listening, probably thought that I was on my bed with my pillow over my head but no, I was at the door with my ear pressed against it as you spoke.." he trailed off.

"This won't last forever, and you do have friends, you have me and I know I'm a lot to work with but I promise... I'm worth it" he said, before squeezing my hand and placing it back in my lap.

He stood up and walked away.

A/N

A hard moment between Alana and Shelby.
Which led us to a soft moment between Matt and Shelby.

Is Shelby right to be mad at Alana?

I think she is, I've had friends do that to me and it's the worst feeling in the world.
Dont forget to vote and comment!
Lots of love, T xoxoxo

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