Stained

Chapter 4

Jerk.

I look to the side mirror, and what do you know, his gaze is already on me, a challenge marring his expression. He's probably trying to see if I will take it or not.

I was. But after his snarky comment, I'm most definitely going to take it.

In high school you had to secretly grab chewing gum because if anyone caught you with a packet they would hold out their hand for you to pass them one. As if it was a signal, everyone in your vicinity would be alerted, creating a ripple-effect, raising hand after hand.

Im not even joking when I say once an entire class demanded a chewing gum from me.

Even if you didn't have enough for all of the expectant hands before you. The amount of people that suddenly made us seem like the closest of friends boggled my mind. Some were so good that they even fooled me for a moment.

Whenever I saw someone I wasn't close to grabbing a chewing gum, I never participated in the ripple-effect. Even if one of them happened to have previously asked me for one. But with those I was close to I neither shied away from asking nor did I hide my own.

Damien isn't a close friend. Kenzie is. And since she already obtained the gum, it basically makes it hers — Thus making it okay for me to accept it.

At least that's what I try to convince myself.

I make eye contact with the jerk, and not once do I shift my gaze away from his as I take one out of Kenzie's palm and place it between my front teeth. I bite it in half then use my tongue to pull it into my mouth. I lightly cock my head and chew with a tight-lipped smile.

The corner of his lip twitches as if he's about to smile, and I hate myself for wanting to see it. But he doesn't.

I purse my lips and look to Kenzie who's smiling from ear to ear. I tell myself it's because of her boyfriend and ignore the fact that her phone isn't out.

In the blink of an eye her smile turns upside down. I blink once, twice, three times, disbelieving. But the frown stays intact. "Not once have you hung out with me in the two years since we left high school."

As I'm trying to wrap my head around her 360 mood change, she continues on. "I know. I know. College can be hectic. But, like, I didn't see you for a whole ass two years. I mean we could've hung out in one of the two summer holidays

Guilt prickles my insides.

I don't want her to think I avoided her on purpose, because I didn't. So averting my gaze from hers, I lie, "I was really busy with all the wedding preparations for my cousin's wedding, and then after that, I was in a college all the way in Huddersfield, and then every other holiday after that, me and my family went on a trip. It was all very hectic, I'm sorry." Not giving her a chance to read into my lie, I clasp her hands in mine and hope I'm not lying to both of us as I say, "I'm here now though, so I'll make up for lost time, okay?"

"Good, I can't wait." A happy, eager smile stretches her face. The sight causes anxiety to prickle my skin as what exactly realize extremity

"This includes answering your phone and messages the night before and not making up excuses on why you can not on the day."

My mouth falls open. She knows me better than I thought. Although, I suppose with the amount of times I have done exactly that in the past, it is pretty obvious. I guess I was kidding myself into thinking I could get away with it for so long. Still it lasted pretty long.

"You're not the only introvert friend I have."

I wish the only reason was because I'm an introvert.