Rollercoaster Ride

That night, the boys already got home and I was on my bed reading Teen Vogue when my brother walked in and sat across me. I brought up my head to look at him eyeing at me.

“What?” I muttered as I flipped into the next page. He didn’t answer and kept on staring at me. “Kennedy, you’re starting to freak me out.”

He sighed loudly and scratched his head awkwardly. He was going to start a serious conversation. He always did that.

I put away my magazine and waited for him to start.

“You know I’m dating Neyla—“

“Everyone knows that,” I said, slightly pissed. What was he trying to say?

He sighed again. “I’m not saying this because I’m her boyfriend, okay—“

“Point?”

“The point is,” he finally started the point. He got used to my bitchiness during serious conversations, especially if the topic was about something I wasn’t really fond of. He knew that I was the straight-to-the-point kind of person, I hated going around around and around to get to the point.

“I want you to be friends again with her.” His similar brown eyes stared into mine.

“Are you fucking serious?”

“You think I’m joking?”

“Why?”

“I miss you when you’re around her. You were really yourself whenever she was around. Each of us knows that, but you were just… blind. I see it in yourself that you want to be with her again, but you just deny it.”

“She betrayed me.”

“So what?”

I wanted to smack his face with the magazine beside me when he said that.

“Just think about this, okay? I know you want her to be your friend again.” He leaned closer to me and kissed my forehead before messing up my hair and walked out from my room.

Neyla and me… best friends again?

- - -

I had a class with Neyla during English Literature.

I was sharing a computer with her in the library.

Mrs. Foster paired us up.

We were researching about classic novels by William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and all those shit.

I had a feeling my brother and his friends begged Mrs. Foster to pair us up if there was any paired assignment. Not really.

So I was clicking on a random link that the famous Mr. Google showed us.

Neyla cleared her throat, feeling awkward. Not that I wasn’t feeling awkward too.

“How have you been?” she asked.

I shrugged, my eyes were focusing on the screen. “Fine, I guess,” I muttered

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?” My eyes were still set on the screen.

“Can you at least look at me when I’m talking?” she whispered a little bit too harshly.

I sighed and turned my head to look at her. I cracked a grin into my ice-like face and giggled, “Gosh, you never change.”

She smiled back. “You too. Still the same stubborn young Brock.”

I led out a small giggle.

“So… I’m sorry. I really, really do. I’m really really sorry for fucking up our friendship back then.”

“I’m sorry too, Ney,” I smiled a little. “I mean, yeah you did date my crush back that but I shouldn’t be all too emotional. But what could I do? I was like 13 when we had our very first real fight and I was clueless. I shouldn’t be ignoring you and stuff; besides you broke up already with him when you confessed. I should be a more understanding person.” I sighed.

She smiled back, again.

“So, lunch together?” I offered.

“Hell yes,” she laughed.

I heard Mrs. Foster coughed behind us. “Research, Ms. Brock, Ms. Smiths.”

We both apologized and tried to concentrate back on researching, which was no use. We were too busy talking about what was happening with our lives lately. And I told her that I still liked John.

Ah, feels good to have a girl best friend.

- - -

I waswalking skipping to the cafeteria with my arm linked with Neyla’s. Some people gave us a ‘WTF’ or ‘retards’ kind of look when they saw us, but we didn’t care.

After talking to her again, I would admit that I did miss her.

So we were finally walking toward the table. When we approached closer I saw Jared noticed us and then he started to grin. The other boys seemed to notice that he was grinning and they all turned their heads to see what he was grinning at, and when they saw us, they all grinned at the same time. It was sort of creepy.

When we got there I sat next to Pat and Neyla sat next to her boyfriend/my brother, or to make it shorter, Kennedy.

Kennedy smiled as he put an arm around Neyla. “Lemme guess, things are fine between you two now?”

“Are you that stupid to figure it out?” I snapped.

“Heeey, I thought them being friends again would knock out her bitchiness!” Pat said. “John, be responsible! You were the one who assured me that Daphne would stop being bitchy if she’s friends with Neyla again!”

“I never told you to trust me,” John said innocently from next to him.

Pat pouted and started poking his lasagna with his fork. “Ass,” he muttered.

And then John slapped the back of his head.

It’s not nice saying John is an ass. You don’t want to get slapped by him – his muscles really do something when he slaps. If you want, you can call him dickhead. Usually he will just give you a ‘fuck-you’ kind of stare, and then you're safe. For a few hours, at least.