Goodbye

Chances

Chapter Two

It's been a week since the breakfast with Aron and I haven't given him an answer yet. I think he's anxious for me to answer him. Every time I run into him I want to say 'I would love to', although somehow Mark and the guys always seem to show up. Speaking of Aron I can see him at his locker, alone, being his cute self, so I make my way over to him.

"Hey." I tap his shoulder and smile once he turns to me.

"Uh hey..." He looked nervous and I couldn't help but find it cute. "So uhm have you thought about... did you want to-"

"Yes." His eyes widen as I cut him off and I laughed a bit. I found Aron to be cute. I've never really given myself the chance to date anyone because of Mark. I was always fearing he wouldn't like the idea, but Aron was his friend meaning they were cool. This way I wouldn't have to worry about him feeling awkward with me bringing someone knew around and Aron would understand Marks friendship with me.

"Wow ok uhh so I was thinking we could go to the drive in movies Friday or we could go to the... regular movie theatre?"

"The Drive in sounds fun, I've never been to one so I would really like that." The guys show up out of nowhere and immediately start playing around.

"Can I get your number?" He holds out his phone and I immediately put my number in before the guys pull him away.

Once they drag him away I turn to walk to my locker before lunch when I realize Mark was standing by the lockers. "You gave Aron your number? Are you guys planning something for my birthday or something?"

"Your Birthday! It's on Friday... this Friday." I clearly forgot it was his birthday. "Actually he asked me on a date and I said," Mark responds before I could and says 'No', "I said yes." I stop to look at him and he bites his lip. "You don't think I should go out with Aron? I thought you would have liked the idea since you two are close and it won't feel awkward when we hang out."

"You're going to go out with one of my best friends Gracie, what if he does something to you or you guys fight? I don't want to be caught in the middle."

"That's what you're worried about? It's just one date Mark and I don't even know if they'll be a second one yet. If things don't work out I wouldn't expect you guys to stop talking."

He looks at me in silence before turning towards the parking lot instead of the cafeteria. "I have open period next so I'm gonna go home."

I knew this was his way of saying he didn't want to talk about it. He's always been the type to walk away whenever things don't go his way. "Fine. I'm going to lunch. I'll text you." I go to the cafeteria, looking around to see where to sit I notice Aron laughing and smiling like always.

He is a great guy to be around, yet Mark was getting to me. I won't be the cause of them not being friends, I can't be the cause. Maybe the date was a bad idea after all. Aron's been the only guy Mark has trusted in a while maybe I should call things off.

"Grace!" Heather calls out from a table away. "Come sit!" Heather has been the nicest person anyone has ever met since freshman year. I guess you could say she's also the most popular in our class, she talks to most of the lower classmates and keeps in touch with some that graduated three years ago.

"Hey girls."

"Hey! What's been up with you? I saw you the first day of school but it looked like you, Mark, and Aron were heading out, so I didn't get to talk to you."

"Yea we went out for breakfast and we came back for third period. I really wish we could have had a class together this year."

"Oh I know, but this means we have to make plans to hang out. A lot of us want to do trips and stuff as a class. It would be great if you would join us?"

As she talked I got the shivers and the feeling of someone watching me. I look around with my hand on the back of my neck when I realize it was Aron staring at me. He was two tables down and straight ahead from me. I formed a small smile once I saw him.

"So would you be interested in some of those ideas we have planned, Grace?"

"Uhhh yea I would love to join you guys." I get a text from an unknown number. 'Sorry for the staring, I just caught you and I couldn't look away.' I could feel my face turn red as a tomato so I cover it with my hand. 'I'll admit you don't look so bad yourself :)' I reply.

After school Mark texted me he had something to turn in to a teacher and that I should just wait for him in the parking lot.I figured he was still upset about the whole Aron thing because usually he would ask me to accompany him. While I waited for him I ran into the guys going to practice.

"Hey!" Aron jogs towards me, "I'll be right there guys." He tells them before turning towards me. "So how was your day?"

"It was good. Are you guys going to practice?"

"Yea we like to stay and practice our shots when other sports aren't using the field."

"Even when soccer season isn't in session?" I say with a giggle. "How come Marks never told me about this?"

"He usually doesn't come unless you're out of town with your mom. He says you get crazy without him for too many hours." He looks at me with his teeth clenched and we can't help but laugh. "So uhm the drive in on Friday, I still have to pick a movie unless you want to pick a movie—"

"Actually Aron I think it'll be best if we just cancel."

"Oh... did something come up? I mean not to be overstepping but I thought we could have had fun."

"I wa— I was excited but I just... its Marks birthday and we have a tradition on birthdays."

"I totally forgot, but it makes sense. Maybe we can go out on Sunday or next week?"

"Actually I think it would be best if we just stay friends." I say with hesitation.

"Oh... so it's not just because of his birthday."

"I don't want to complicate things between you two is all. You've been close for so long and if anything happens between us you guys-"

"Mark and me? Did I do something? This is really coming out of nowhere and I- " He says confused, but before he could finish Mark shows up.

"Hey dude." He does his handshake with Aron and avoids looking at me. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Aron tells him in a monotone voice. "I guess I'll see you around school Grace. Ill catch you later man."

I could tell Aron was hurt at my sudden change of interest. Mark wasn't really talking to me and I just wanted to end the day. When we get home I walk to my house from his driveway without a word.

I burry myself in my sheets and make sure to lock my room door. I take a nap for an hour then get to my homework. I do two assignments before I get distracted and go on my social media. I get a notification from Heather telling me she was going to go get yogurt with some friends who had stayed after school and asked if I wanted to come. I look at the time and decide to go. I grab my keys from the kitchen and go to the frozen yogurt shop.

When I get there they're all bunched up between two tables and the only seat available was next to Aron. When he notices I walked in he immediately comes over to me.

"You came." He says enthusiastically. "I wasn't sure if I texted you would of come, so Heather said she would. She said you hadn't answered and I thought maybe you weren't up for it."

"You told her to text me?" I grab a bowl and walk over to the yogurts.

"Was that a weird thing to admit? I just wanted to hang out with you. Even if it's just as friends." He walks with me the whole time I decided on what to get and once we got to the tables he talked to me the whole time. It was cute all the things he was telling me about his family. Next thing we knew everyone had left and it was three hours later. The yogurt shop was about to close, so we had to get going.