Long Rides

I sat there on the snowy ground, staring at the sun that was setting while I was stirring the cup of hot chocolate with my spoon. I sighed as I carefully sipped it.

We were eating microwave dinner in their bus, when Vincent barged in.

“I need to buy a new tire; someone freaking flattened our tire,” he said.

“Again?” Arne replied and Vincent nodded.

“Anyone wanna come?” Vincent offered.

A few minutes later, everyone left, except me, Jonathan, Austin, and Jack. Everyone beside Vincent, Caleb, Alex and Arne went to buy Christmas presents. Actually, Verion already bought the presents but she didn’t want to be separated with Kyle, so she went along.

Newly couples.

I leaned my head against the tree beside me. I held the cup as the hot liquid inside warmed me – at least, warming my hands. The snow beside me ruffled and Jonathan sat beside me.

“Aren’t you feeling cold here?” he asked. I shook my head as I took another sip. “Your teeth are clattering.”

“T- They are not!” I lied. He was true. My teeth were clattering against each other.

“You’re one of the worst liars ever.”

“I know,” I sighed.

“Let’s get back to the bus? It’s like way warmer than here.”

“You can go back first if you want.”

“And leave you freeze in here? No way.”

“Fine,” I sighed, blowing my bangs.

We were silent for a while.

“So, um,” he started, “How are you feeling?”

I chuckled. “Of what?”

“With… Caleb and all that…”

“Oh. Well… I don’t know where to start.”

“As usual, over exaggerating,” he muttered.

“Sorry?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m really sad, though. I don’t talk to him for almost a week now, and it’s killing me! An important part of my life is gone, and I know if I want to go back friends with him, he’ll be all angry again.” I sighed. “I’m afraid…”

“I don’t want to tell you this, but Caleb has been… not Caleb since the fight.”

“What do you mean by not Caleb?” I asked, confused.

“He’s… rude. He snaps a lot. I barely even see him smile now.”

Guilt rushed through me. “It’s all my fault. If only I didn’t lie there alone, you guys wouldn’t see me. Caleb won’t be like this.”

“It’s not true!”

My head snapped up.

“If we didn’t see you, we wouldn’t know who you are. Who you and your friends are. And I’m not happy with that,” he murmured the last sentence.

“Because?”

He gulped.

“Wait – I think I know. Is it because you’ll never know about Arne, ‘cos he’s like one of the coolest friends you have?”

He sighed and looked deeply into my eyes. Oh shit.

He slowly leaned forward, looking into my eyes again. He leaned forward again veeery slowly, until there was only an inch of distance between our lips. He was like hesitating; he didn’t do anything. Me being one of the impatient people you know, got carried away and kissed him.

Right on the lips.

He kissed back but pulled away immediately.

Like, 2 seconds after he kissed back.

“I – I shouldn’t be doing this,” he said.

“Why not?”

“My best friend likes you and – and –“

He got up.

And left.