Stop Pretending. I Know You Really Love Me.

Since I got back from my date on Saturday, Phoenix has been acting really strange. It’s just like last week. He’s not talking to me and completely ignores me. I knew he was just messing with my mind when he told me he wanted to be friends.

“I am so stupid.” I mumbled slamming my locker shut. It was Friday and all week Phoenix hasn’t said one word to me.

“How?” I heard Brent ask from behind me. I turned around and attempted to smile but failed.

“It’s just Phoenix. Last week he had promised to stop annoying me. He wanted to be friends again. And this week he won’t even acknowlede me. I’m so stupid for even thinking that he changed.” I groaned leaning my back against my locker.

“Phoenix? Why do you even care?” He asked. I then remembered that I was talking to my boyfriend about another boy.

“I don’t care.” I lied. Inside it was driving me insane.

“It sounded like you did.”

“Well I don’t!” I snapped. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

“I don’t care.” I said calmly.

“Ok then. I was wondering, you know that the carnival is tomorrow right?” He asked.

“Yea.” I nodded my head.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?” As he said that I watched Phoenix walk by us with Misty hanging on him. Wait. When did they start going out again? I thought he said he liked someone else? He glanced at me before looking away again. I glared at him before looking back at Brent.

“I would love to.” I smiled wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. I opened one eye just in time to see Phoenix turn his head away and storm off leaving Misty behind. I smirked into the kiss before pulling away.

“I got to go to class. I’ll see you later.” I told him.

“See ya.” He said kissing my cheek and walking away. I walked in the opposite direction of him to my homeroom.

When I got there I saw Phoenix sitting at a desk. Misty was hanging on him trying to get him to talk. But Phoenix just ignored her and stared at me. I stared back at him. Misty continued to try to talk to him. Eventually he sighed, annoyed, and got up from his seat and away from Misty. He started walking towards me and sat right beside me.

“So, it’s ok to sit by me, but you don’t want to talk to me?” I asked in a low voice looking forward.

“I never said I didn’t want to talk to you.” He said as he kept looking forward too. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Stupid Phoenix. What’s his problem anyways? For the rest of the period we didn’t talk.

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The next day I woke up early to get ready for the carnival. You’re probably thinking: It’s just a carnival. Well you’re wrong. It’s not just a carnival. It’s mysecond date with Brent.

I just got done getting dressed when my phone went off.

“Hello?” I asked confused. Peyton, Summer, and Taylor all spent the night here last night. So who would be calling me?

“Hey Hazel. It’s Brent.” He coughed.

“Brent? What’s wrong with your voice?” I asked concerned. It was scratchy and he sounded like he had a cold.

“I’m not feeling well. I think I have the flu.” He coughed again.

“Oh no.” I said feeling sad.

“Yea. I’m not going to be able to go to the carnival today.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s ok. I don’t really like carnivals anyway.” I said even though I was looking forward to going to the carnival.

“Really?” He asked.

“Yea. Just stay in bed and get some rest.” I told him.

“Alright. I’ll see you in school on Monday.” He said.

“Ok. Bye.” I hung up the phone and sat on my bed. All this for nothing. It’s not his fault though. I mean it’s not like he got sick on purpous.

“Hey Haze!” Summer said walking into my room.

“Hi Summer.” I sighed.

“What’s wrong?” She asked concerned.

“Brent just called me-“

“Aww. Did he break up with you?” She interrupted me. I looked up and saw that she was trying to bite back a smile.

“No. He called to say that he has to cancel our date. He’s got the flu.” I glared at her.

“Sorry.” She mumbled.

“Somehow I doubt that.” I said.

“Hey! I got an idea!” She said suddenly.

“What?”

“Why don’t you go to the carnival with us?!”

“With who?”

“Me, Peyton, Taylor, Jay, and Phoenix.”

“I don’t know.”

“Yea. Come on. It’ll be fun.” She said. I thought this over. It would be fun.

“Fine. I’ll go.” I smiled.

“Good. We’re leaving in an hour.” We got up and walked down to the kitchen where everyone was at already.

“Hey sis.” Jay said.

“Hazel’s coming with us to the carnival.” Summer smiled sitting at the table. I sat beside her.

“What happened to your date?” Phoenix said bitterly. Jay started coughing wildly.

“Date?!” He managed to choke out.

“Brent asked me out on a date today.” I said rolling my eyes.

“You are NOT going out with him again!” Jay yelled.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going out with him today.” I said reasurring him.

“Good.”

“He got sick and cancelled.”

“Yea. Sick” Phoenix said sarcastically.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing at all.” Phoenix glared at me.

“You know what Phoenix-?!”

“That’s enough!” Jay yelled interrupting me.

“What happened to you guys being friends?” Peyton asked quietly.

“Ask him?” I pointed to Phoenix. Everyone looked at him but he just glared at the ground.

“Let’s just go already.” I sighed. I walked out of the kitchen and to Jay’s car. I got in the back, wanting to advoid another argument. Phoenix sat up in the front, which left Taylor, Summer, and Peyton in the back. Since there wasn’t enough room again, Summer sat on Taylor’s lap.

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“What ride next?” Jay asked as we got out of the bumper cars.

“I’m hungry. Let’s eat first before going on another ride.” Summer said. We all agreed to get something to eat before going on another ride.

“What do you guys want?” Jay asked.

“French fries for me.” I said.

“I’ll have french fries too!” Summer said.

“Do you want anything Peyton?” Jay asked.

“Just a funnel cake.” She said quietly.

“Oh Jay! Get me a coke too please!” I said. He nodded his head. The three boys went to go get the food.

“So Peyton, do you like my brother?” I asked. She started to blush.

“Wh-why would you ask that?” She stuttered.

“Just the way you look at him. I mean he likes you too.” I shrugged.

“He does?” She asked hopefully.

“Yea. You can see it in his eyes when he talks to you, about you, or even looks at you.” Summer said. Peyton started blushing again.

“It’s ok if you do. Lots of girls like him. But he only has eyes for you.” I said.

“No he doesn’t. He’s always hanging around with Crystal.” Peyton said quietly.

”Please girl. He hates Peyton.” Summer said.

“Really? He does?”

“Of course. But Peyton just doesn’t get it, even though he’s told her a million and one times.”

“Well Jay is kind of cute.”

“Aww!” Me and Summer said together. At that point I looked up and saw a guy walk behind a game booth. He looked a lot like Brent. I shook my head. It can’t be Brent. He’s sick.

“Hey? Are you ok?” Taylor asked sitting across from me.

“Huh? Oh yea. I’m ok. I just thought I saw someone.” I said. After we were done eating we decided to go on the ferris wheel.

“Come on Taylor!” Summer yelled pulling him towards it. They both got on and strapped in.

“Why don’t you and Peyton go by your self?” I asked Jay pushing them towards the seat. He looked back at me and glared at me. I just smiled at him.

“Have fun!” I waved as they started going up.

“Ok. Next!” The guy working the ferris wheel said. I looked beside me and noticed that Phoenix was the only one left.

“Great.” I mumbled getting on the ride. He sat beside me with his arms crossed glaring at the space ahead of him.

“Won’t your boyfriend get mad that your on the ferris wheel alone with me?” He asked not looking at me.

“Won’t your girlfriend get mad?” I asked looking at my feet.

“Girlfriend? I don’t have a girlfriend.” He said looking at me.

“Yea right. I saw Misty hanging all over you yesterday in the hallway and in homeroom.” I said.

“Misty and I are NOT going out. I hate her. She’s been trying to get me to go back out with her but I won’t.”

“Why not? She’s got everything you like in a girl.”

“What is your problem?!” He asked annoyed. I turned and glared at him.

“My problem?! My problem is you!”

“What the hell did I do to you?!”

“You mess with my head! You play your stupid games saying that you like me, or you want to be friends, and I fall for them every fucking time! I’m tired of it! I’m tired of you getting in my head and messing with my feelings! I’m tired of feeling so hopeful that you might actually like me but you never do! I’m tired of comparing how great kissing you feels to how I feel nothing when I kiss Brent! And I’m tired of how you act like you like me one day and the next day you treat me like crap but at the end of the day I’m still completely in love with you and you don’t even know it!”

“I’m tired too Hazel. I’m tired of acting like I don’t care when I really do. I’m tired of not being able to control my emotions when I’m around you. I’m tired of feeling like my heart is going to break when I see you kiss Brent. You get in my head too. You may not know it but you do. And I hate it. I hate everything about you. I hate your smile. I hate your big hazel eyes that I fall into whenever I look in them. And I hate that I love you. But I love everything about you too. Misty may have everything that a guy likes, but she isn’t you.” He said calmly. The Ferris wheel stopped at the top.

I looked at Phoenix. His eyes held the most sincerity I have ever seen them hold. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes trying to sort my thoughts. When I opened my eyes Phoenix was right in front of me. He slowly leaned in and kissed me. My arms wrapped them selves around his neck pulling him closer to me. He licked my bottom lip asking for entrance, which I gladly gave. His tongue started exploring my mouth. Eventually I had to pull away for air.

“I hate you.” I told him with my eyes still closed.

“No you don’t.” I could hear the smirk in his voice before he leaned in and kissed me again. As the ferris wheel started moving again I pulled away from him again.

“I can’t do this.” I told him trying to catch my breath.

“Why not?” He asked confused.

“I-I have a boyfriend, Phoenix. Even though I want to kiss you again, I have a boyfriend.” I said.

“Oh right. Brent.” He said bitterly looking away. I took his face in my hands and turned his head so he was looking at me.

“Just let me break up with him first.” I whispered. He smiled at me and nodded his head.