The Art of Falling in Love

Chapter Nine

❝There are a few great souls in my life. They are not many. They are few. You are one.❞ -Anne Sexton, A Self-Portrait in Letters

"So first you wreck my dress and then my relationship?" Mackenzie slams my locker shut and leans against it.

"It's eight am," I sigh in exasperation. "Please take your bullshit elsewhere."

Mackenzie's eyes slip into a glower. "Don't try to act innocent."

I look at her for a second, gathering my thoughts. "I'm sorry about your dress?"

"Would you forget about the stupid dress?" Mackenzie suddenly snaps. "You're ruining my relationship with Noah!"

I almost scoff. "What relationship?"

"There would be one if you weren't always being a desperate slut around him!"

"It's a good think you're pretty, Mackenzie," a voice behind me states. Damon approaches, a smirk on his lips. "Makes it easy to forget you're mean as hell."

To say the least, Mackenzie looks pissed. Mackenzie turns to me, completely ignoring Damon. "Keep your bitch on a leash, Diana."

"He's a free spirit."

"And I'm free tonight," Damon says to her with a wink. "I do like a challenge."

Mackenzie scowls in annoyance. "As if, Damon."

"So you do remember me. Glad to know I made an impression." Damon muses, unaffected by her attitude.

There is an unreadable expression on her face as she grimaces. Instead of responding to Damon, she turns back to me, "Quit being a fucking home wrecker."

"I will when you quit being overdramatic and sensitive." I respond, growing tired of our exchange.

But Mackenzie had stormed off before I could say anything more, and all Damon and I could do was watch her as she disappears down the hall.

"You should have called her a bitch." Damon observed.

"I don't call other girls bitches," I pause for a moment. "At least not to their faces."

"She called you a slut."

"But at least I know it's not true. Not that it would matter, anyway. But when you call a girl a bitch, she starts to believe it more and more."

Damon grins down at me. "You're pretty sweet, Diana."

"I know. It's a fault at this point," I turn to him curiously. "Do you two know each other? You guys seem pretty familiar."

Damon hesitates, "she was good friends with Noah. It wasn't uncommon to have her around a few years ago."

It seems like he isn't saying something else, but I decide not to push the subject. If he wants to talk about her, he will eventually.

After school, we head over to Katia's place, Jasper being the only guy present. He never seems to mind, especially since our friend group includes his girlfriend.

For as long as I can remember, these four have been my closest friends. We grew up together, watched each other as we fell in and out of love and supported each other through everything. There is not a group of people I would rather have by my side.