We Could Make It Right

I sat there at the plastic cafeteria table with that last fork-full of salad, over-dressed with mayonnaise – I couldn’t eat another bite. The lunch period is far from over, and the cafeteria is as loud as shit. I’m sitting with Kenny &Halvo – they’re the only ones that have a free at the moment; out of all people in the group.

“..And that’s why I told her ‘if the band can’t be a part of my life, then there’s no point in going out with you’ ” Halvo relived the experience of his past breakup, Christy Tyler from study-hall.

“Tough break,”

“Tell me about it, and then she just decides that it’s cool to rub in my face her latest boy-toy”

“Chicks” he scoffed straight after saying so. Christy’s one of Rachael’s other friends in this year group. They’re far from best friend’s, but close enough. Back when we went out, at band practices, she often came along. Then Halvo takes an interest in her and well, the rest is history. In other words ‘the blooming of secret relationship’.

“Sorr-”

“I mean.. it’s like she doesn’t mind when were all together as a group but like, when it’s one-on-one ..it’s like I don’t even know her”

“Maybe it was for the best, y’know – plenty of fish in the sea” I said, finally achieving that last bite of food. “You’ve just gotta let it go”

“Sounds like John’s words have finally gotten to you” he chuckled.

“When you’re surrounded by it all the time it eventually does”

“So Garrett, how’s your love-life going,”

“The same way it’s been for month’s man”

“Shittier than the food you get here?”

“I guess you could say—”

Kennedy started to give me a strange look. The look he only gave when he knew that there was another type of answer to this question. “Bullshit” he coughed, intending for that word to come out as clear as it did.

“What?”

“Bullshit,” his voice gently rose “Bullshit Garrett and you know it!”

“Am I missing something?” Halvo finally said.

“Garrett here, may or may not have feelings for Katie. He’s really indecisive”

“Dude, say swear”

“Look I - I don’t know alright”

“Shall we go over evidence?”

“There’s no need for that, Kennedy-”

“Oh but there is,” he provoked. “The ‘having your arm around her waist, that one time at their place’; the ‘going out with her’ when we were supposed to keep her company the other day...”

“Okay you proved your point”

“Dude, you totally like her!” Halvo said, interrupting the little outbreak. “It’s as obvious as—”. He went quiet. A little too quiet in the cafeteria that became somewhat noiseless.

“Did I just hear what I thought I heard?” that girly tone questioned from behind. Fearing for the worst, I didn’t turn around. “Answer me Nickelsen”

Fucking great.

“Hey Vee, take a seat” Kennedy said with a justified type of smirk. “I didn’t know you were free this period ?”

“I had study-hall with Rach and she had to go meet up with someone and I saw Halvo’s head and yeah, here I am”

“But seriously, Gare? Answer me!”

“He’s indecisive” Halvo quoted Kenny’s words from a few minutes ago.

“You either like her or you don’t”

“Guys! Will you shut the fuck up?” I said feeling the anger rise up in me.“I like her! You happy now?”

There was silence. Complete silence that ruined the shit out of me. Come to think of it, it was probably a stupid thing to get mad about, but instinct got the better of me. They all looked at me, amongst the silence – staring.

“What now? You’re gonna tell me she’s right behind me?.” Through force of habit, I turned around to face the demon that awaits.

Only it wasn’t who I was expecting, no, the last person I was expecting.

“Uh, yeah Vee , you left your chemistry notebook and– I-I’ll just go” she said giving back the cheap spiral notebook from Staples, then turning around. A few metres after she left, looking back our way. “Eric, Kennedy, Nice seeing you guys”

Can this day..possibly get any worst?

“Rachael!” I yelled straight at her, Halvo trying to hold me back from probably potential disaster. “Let her go man” he said, just before I broke out of his hold."Rachael, wait!" Disregarding the fact my stuff was still on the cafeteria table, I bolted until I reached her.

“Rachael, please just stop!” I shouted as we got to the hallways. Fortunately, empty. But not good for the records. “Please, Rach – the further you go, I’ll have more unfinished business”

“Unfinished business ? that’s what I am to you?” she said not turning around, leaving me only looking at the back of her newly dyed-chestnut hair. Hearing the heartbreak in her voice, only left me shattered. This isn’t what I intended on doing, nor did I even want in the first place.

“Rachael don’t do this to me,”

“Do what?” she started to look me in the eye.

“Make a scene of it? make me underestimate myself? You don’t know, how much it pains me to be in this type of situation”

“Well you should’ve thought of that before you told 4 people that you like one of the closest people to me. The fourth being your ex”

“You’re right..”

That’s why I’m killing Kennedy as soon as I’m over with this predicament.

“W-What?”

“You’re right... You remember , all those months ago, you girls had your ‘girls night’ shit? I was convinced that I wasn’t over you. You broke up with me just after I built up the courage to tell you I loved you, and I thought it was a bitch-move for both you and Katie to befriend each other..”

“Now look who’s making a scene—”

“Shut up and let me finish Rachael”

“Then, it’s like I don’t even know you and for fucks sake – myself! I tried, and I tried to forget about you. But it was like you two were attached to the hip, whenever I saw Katie, it automatically reminded me of you. Every single fucking thing she did, I’ve never told anyone this. The only reason I was so sour for so long, was because of the way you made me feel about thinking any other girl could replace you. And it’s hard, Rach…It’s hard when you’re convinced that you’re making the right decisions, but you’re scared of who it’s gonna affect. I loved you, so fucking much you have no idea. And y’know what… I don’t love you anymore, and I'm willing to move on."

“I’m sorry it had to be said this way in a public place.. But God-dammit it felt so good”

There was only minutes to the bell by now. I really couldn’t believe what I just did, it was just felt like a giant weight was lifted and disintegrated, never to be seen again. For what felt like forever, we stared at each other like our lives depended on it. She stayed quiet, I stayed quiet – and it wasn’t a tension-filled quiet.

They say the silence can kill, but I think it just saved me.

**

“Hey bro” Kenny’s voice beamed through the little vents on my locker door. I managed to survive the day, mainly core classes and P.E so I didn’t exactly see a lot of either Rachael or Katie.

“Sup Kennedy?”

“Listen, I’m real sorry about earlier…I didn’t mean for it to go out order like that and—”

“No, don’t be Ken…if anything, thank you!” I said, firmly shutting the metal door. Latching the out-dated backpack over my shoulder, we walked over to meet up with Vee by her locker.

“Thank you!?”

“Yea—It gave me the courage to take care of something. So uh, thanks bro”

“And as for you Violetta, I’ve got a name…a first name as well as my last name”

Her face turning slightly pink due to embarrassment, she then started to speak again. “I’m really sorry, Garrett” she said giving me a hug.

“Don’t be, it’s cool … it actually helped me in a way”

“That’s awesome , glad I could help” she finished, finally letting go of the hug.

“I mean, I don’t see why you couldn’t of told me in the beginning, it’s honestly adorable Gare”

“Well Vee, we all know that you are the biggest blabbermouth in the whole group” Kennedy jokingly snickered. She gave a little grimace, and left it at that. It looked like he wasn’t disagreeing with him, at all.

“Now that this is sorted out. I’m gonna need your help, well both of you guys”

“For what ?” they said simultaneously .

“Katie’s birthday..”