Tear Best Friends Apart

It was early December. My sixteenth birthday had come and gone without much of a celebration. Well, I can’t exactly say that. Jack, Marla, and Alex had thrown a huge party at my house, taking advantage of my mom’s annual visit to her sisters’. The party was a hit. Most of the school was in attendance. It was somewhat an odd mix of partygoers-seniors like Jack and Alex mixed in with underclassmen from all grades seeing as I was only a sophomore. I hadn’t expected many people to show up-I wasn’t exactly popular, you know the one friend that I have and all-but I guess everyone just used my birthday as an excuse to party. I wasn’t one to stop them.

Today was the last day of school before winter break. Everyone was antsy, counting down the seconds until the clock hit two and they could run off in their various directions away from the hellhole we called school. The day seemed to be dragging on, as did any amount of time when you wanted it to do the opposite. I was currently sitting in my Geometry class listening to Ms. Foley go on about writing proofs-definitely my least favorite activity.

As I attempted to tune out the remaining fifteen minutes of class, my mind wandered, as it so often did, to Alex. Jack, Alex, Marla and I were planning on heading to a show downtown that night. A local band that the boys were interested in was playing. I agreed to go only because I always did. Somehow I could never say no to my brother. Damn those puppy-dog eyes and childish pout. But I wasn’t dreading going, Alex was going too after all.

I felt my phone vibrate in my rear pocket. With a glance to the front of the classroom, making sure Ms. Foley didn’t notice I retrieved the device to see I had one new text. Curious, I opened the message. It was from Alex. I hadn’t gotten used to Alex texting me, it was something new that we had begun doing when we started hanging out alone. I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever get used to any time soon. I discreetly read the text and smiled to myself.

‘Jack + Marla made ‘other’ plans. Just u and me 2nite, that okay?’

I replied back quickly, just before the bell rang. I was excited to spend some more alone time with Alex. Why wouldn’t it be okay?

I met up with Marla at our lockers. She seemed really distracted, hadn’t even noticed I was leaning against the locker next to hers, waiting. She exchanged her books and notebooks before turning in the direction of the closest exit. Realizing she was leaving without me, I ran to catch up with her.

“What was that?” I asked when I fell into step beside her.

She looked at me bewildered for a moment before shaking her head and apologizing. “I must have zoned out, sorry.” That was it. No explanation. That wasn’t like Marla. Usually she would dive into what was on her mind, wanting me to help her make sense out of whatever was running through her head.

I knocked on her head lightly with my knuckles. “What’s up, up there?” I voiced the question in my head.

“Uh. Uh, nothing. Nothing.” She stumbled over the two words leading me to believe the exact opposite. Something was up, and she was hiding it from me.

“M’kay.” I let it go for the time being, knowing full well that it would be hell trying to pry information out of her before she was ready to tell-all.

Alex came with Jack and I to our house like usual while Marla went home to get ready for her date with my brother later that night. She was acting strange. Normally she would beg me to help her get ready for dates, but lately I couldn’t help but feel like she was pushing me away. I was so deep in my thoughts about Marla that I hadn’t noticed the lack of conversation going on around me.

“Lee?” Alex said from my left, poking my cheek. We were in my basement again, the boys playing Xbox while I watched the screen.

“Huh?” I asked, temporarily pulled out of my thoughts. I hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation at hand, or lack thereof apparently.

“You okay?” he questioned. I just nodded my head, biting the inside of my cheek as I looked up into his soft brown eyes. “You sure?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” I attempted to sound sure but knew I probably sounded anything but.

“Well, I need to go get ready for tonight,” Jack said, standing up from his seat on the dingy couch. He rubbed his hands together as if in anticipation as he smirked at Alex, who just shook his head. I shrugged off the odd exchange; I’d never understand the two of them.

“Have fun,” I said as wholeheartedly as possible as he made his way up the stairs.

Alex and I sat in silence for a few moments. Truthfully I forgot he was even there until he spoke, I was once again caught up in my thoughts.

“Seriously, Lee. What’s up?” he asked turning to fully face me. I didn’t answer for a few seconds, internally debating whether or not I should voice my concerns about Marla and me. Just as I was about to say something Alex cut in. “Sorry, you don’t have to tell me. I should probably go home and get ready for the show. I’ll be back in a half hour to pick you up. Okay?”

I couldn’t help but to notice the slight nervousness in Alex’s voice, as if he was unsure about something. Shaking off the thought, I nodded before walking Alex upstairs and waving goodbye as I made my way to my bedroom.