The Departed

"Mirabel if you do not hurry up, so help me God, I will leave you here!" Ansley's head was thrown back in exasperation and her hands and arms flailed around expressing those emotions.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Hearing her heavy footsteps coming down the flight of stairs she slowly stood from her perched position on the bottom step and turned around, cocking an eyebrow.

"Are you finally done?" Mirabel proceeded to roll her eyes and stomp out of the side door with Ansley trudging behind the young girl, keys in hand. As she locked the house door behind her she felt an abnormally cold breeze. Even though it was cold and snowing outside, never had she felt a breeze like that. It was more like a gentle caress. She turned her head to see if her sister had noticed anything but she was already buckled into the passenger seat, bobbing her head to the hard bass of the latest rock song. With further investigation to her surroundings, she took note that the branches on the nearby trees nor the leaves that adorned each branch were moving with the breeze that had just touched her skin. Everything was quiet and still.

She made her way to the driver's side of the car with haste and pealed out of the driveway towards town and towards their local public high school, Lost Valley High. Mirabel turned the music up until the bass shook their bodies but Ansley didn't mind. That is one of the few things her and her sister had in common. They were distant like any pair of sisters but music brought them together like nothing ever had before. Music had always been a big part of their lives and seeing as it was their Dad's favorite pass time it was practically bread into each of them. If they weren't harmonizing their own rendition of some of their favorite songs they were writing their own and bouncing ideas off each other like sound boards.

They pulled into the parking lot, snagging the one of the last spaces. Ansley peered at the small, run down school through her dampened windshield with dread clear on her face. This had been the third time that year that they were late and it was only the middle of January.

Mira sent a wave towards her sister and ran ahead greeting her best friend, Macy, at the door. Her thick, naturally wavy, hair, that any girl would kill for, was hidden by a black slouch beanie that she insisted on wearing almost every day. Her black band tee was long, stopping right before the start of her long legs, which were covered with khaki skinny jeans. A pair of worn down Toms brought the look together nicely. Her make-up was dark but not overbearing and her arms were adorned with many different color band bracelets. Macy's attire was very similar except her hair had been dyed black and she was wearing bright colored skinny jeans and a pair of wore down Converse.

They walked into the school and disappeared as Ansley exited the car slowly gathering her belongings dreading the impending tongue lashing she would no doubt receive from her teachers as well as her principal. She walked up the front steps and entered the school at a leisurely pace observing the unkempt property with disdain. She walked some ways down the hall before catching a glimpse at her sister and Macy as they took a right down another hall but she continued walking straight until she came to a flight of stairs which she climbed effortlessly and headed for the senior lockers.

The senior hall was empty as per usual. She would be surprised if there were other people at their lockers considering most were either in their classes or skipping class at the old dugout. Unlike most teenagers her age, she saw the silence as a blessing. A time to relax. A time to think. But just as she was spinning in her combination two arms wrapped around her mid- section, making her jump in fear.

"Calm down Ans, it's just me." She relaxed into his hold immediately but jerked away. Turning around she took him in. His golden blonde locks were long and un-kept and his sea green eyes that hid underneath were shining with amusement. He wore a regular white t-shirt with his favorite jean jacket hanging loosely on his broad shoulders. Jeans, which hung low on his hips, covered his plain black high top converse which he was no doubt wearing today as he did every day. His six two form towering over her own five six. She smacked his chest playfully and he placed a hand over the spot feigning hurt, mostly for her benefit no doubt.

"Kellam, don't sneak up on me like that!" His laugh was hearty as it filled the empty space.

"You're late again." He pointed out with a mock disapproving stare as he leaned one shoulder on the neighboring locker.

"And so are you." She retorted quickly while finishing retrieving her books. She slammed her locker and set off in the direction of the stairs once more but this time Kellam was on her heals.

"Touché. I was waiting for my best friend though. How would we entertain our fellow students while our teachers boringly carried on if we weren't together?"

"You have Cassandra and Jayson."

"You know they don't have first period with us."

"You could've gone without me you know?"

"Do you recall what happened last time I tried that?" Ansley couldn't hold in the laughter as she remembered walking into the class a few months ago and being greeted with a yelling teacher, a crying junior, and a pouting Kellam.

"You should be ashamed of yourself for picking on that poor girl. She was so upset."

"I couldn't help it! I was so bored and her hair was just so distracting. It literally caught everything that I threw at it." Ansley turned to raise her eyebrow at him giving him the most disapproving look that she could muster. "Oh come on! I didn't pick on her that bad. No worse than I do you when we are in class together." He defended.

"She transferred classes."

"So?"

"She transferred to Mr. Carson's class." With that he scrunched up his nose in distaste upon hearing the name of one of the most unpleasant teachers in the entire school.

"Maybe I should apologize?" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. She simply shook her head at her naïve best friend. They stopped outside of the class and she turned a stern look on Kellam.

"Now you need to behave. Be good and pay attention."

"Ans, I am always good." He smiled brightly and wrapped his long arm carelessly around her shoulder leading her into their first class, American Government. The teacher raised her eyebrows at the two and snickers emanated from their classmates as Kellam gave a cocky smile and began to waggle his eyebrows suggestively. Pushing his arm off her shoulder she stormed angrily to their normal table that they shared in the back and sat down glaring daggers at him as he strode over and pulled a chair up right beside her.

"Mister Larson, Miss Porter, late again I see." Her teachers disapproving stare went from her to Kellam before shaking her head and writing something on her notepad. Ansley sighing in relief that her teacher was deciding to let her tardiness go.

"Sorry Mrs. Summers, I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again." The old grey haired women looked disbelieving of the statement but nonetheless dropped the subject just as Ansley suspected she would and kept teaching the ins and outs of our government system and how it works.

Kellam was becoming restless toward the end of the hour and began to shuffle through his bag to find anything he could to throw at her head. She was becoming agitated but knew better than to acknowledge his childish behavior. Ansley wanted to pay attention finding that she needed a somewhat good mark for the class since she had already been marked as tardy but was having trouble when objects were getting stuck in her hair just as Kellam had said about the other girl. The only difference between the two was that she was used to this abuse and knew how to handle it without ending up in tears.

She successfully ignored him and once he ran out of things to throw he gave a loud huff before turning his gaze back to the clock. Time went by slowly but once a loud, shrill, sound filled the air he was the first one out of his seat and grabbing her hand to pull her along with him. She didn't think twice about their intertwined hands as this had happened many times before. They were best friends. No complicated feelings getting in the way just two friends who often held hands, hugged, etcetera. Everyone knew that that's how the two of them were and always would be. Most people picked and always made suggestive comments and the two of them even encouraged it sometimes but it didn't mean anything. They really were like siblings and the thought of them being something more made her stomach turn.

*****

"So are you coming to the party tonight?" Kellam gave her a hopeful look as they headed in the direction of the cafeteria for lunch.

"You know that's not really my thing."

"I know, your thing is being boring." He griped. "You promised you would come last Friday remember? Come on! It's the biggest party of the year and it's just down the road from you." She gave him a bored look intending on skipping out on her desperate promise. He stopped her in front of the doors giving her his best impression of a sad little kid. "And it happens to be hosted by the most amazing, awesome, best friend in the world who would do anything for his friends who he knows will always return the same kindness." She groaned loudly caving underneath the pressure of the guilt that he had been laying on thick.

"I'll go but I can't promise how long I'll stay." He wrapped her into a huge bear hug, picking her up off the ground causing her to struggle for air. He released his hold on her but intertwined their hands and dragged her into the lunch room. He led her to their table in the back corner where all the 'drifters' were normally located and sat her down only to run away towards the line.

She knew he didn't mind buying her lunch considering his family was well off but she always repaid him by buying him candy and other treats when he came over to hang out. She sat in silence thinking and waiting when she heard Cassandra's laugh resound through the small, packed room.

Ansley turned to look for her best girl friend, needing some girl time considering that they hadn't seen each other all day, but her smile faltered when she saw her and Jay walking in. His mouth was at her ear whispering something that made her blush a deep scarlet and his hand was intertwined with hers as they waited in the line. Now this might've been normal for herself and Kellam but it wasn't for the other two members in their quartet.

Ansley and Jay had once been very close, too close. Closer than even her and Kellam even. Feelings that arose in her were one sided. This split them. Destroying the two musketeers, or so they once called themselves. Now they were friends but it was nothing like it once was.

Kellam walked over smiling happily at her and sat a tray down in front of her, completely oblivious to what was happening. He opened his mouth to speak but followed her intense gaze to the two and his expression was a mixture of shock, hurt, and anger.

The other half of the tale was that while Jay and Ansley were close, Kellam and Cassandra were even closer. They had been openly dating for two year but soon after Jay and Ansley parted ways, Kellam and Cassandra split as well. That is when Jay started confiding in Cassy and Kellam in herself. The two sat and stared at the others as they openly flirted and made occasional physical contact. They knew that this would soon happen but the shock and pain resulting from this budding relationship could not be eased in any way.

She turned around in her seat and began to pick at the food in her tray as he continued to stare. Something soon clicked in his eyes and he looked down at her, where she was hunched over her food looking like a lost puppy. He was shocked and yes hurt but he knew she loved Jay too even if she wouldn't admit it and right now she was wearing her heart on her sleeve. He touched her hand lightly and she looked up at him with one of the most pitiful smiles he had ever seen.

"It will be okay. You've got me. I've got you. That's all we need." He walked around the table and sat down next to his friend and intertwined their hands underneath the table. She squeezed his hand lightly letting him know how much he meant to her and he simply stared back nodding slightly. He released her hand and dug into his plate as she sat pushing her sandwich pieces around in circles, no longer hungry.

Jay and Cassandra walked up to the table in silence still holding hands. They looked wary of the other two and were inching towards the table as if they had been thrown to the lions.

"What's up guys?" Jay asked, nerves evident in his voice.

"Nothing much. Have a seat man." Kellam did the guy hand shake with Jay and gestured towards the other side of the table trying to convey that they weren't mad. "So you two finally get together? It's about time! Congrats man!" Jay looked taken aback for a moment it quickly recovered excepting the praise.

"Thanks." Ansley remained quiet and so did Cassy. They were having a silent conversation across the table. She gave Ansley a questioning look in which Ansley returned with a soft smile. Cassy beamed at her clearly happy with Ans's approval and started taking small bites of her salad. Lunch ended quickly and Ansley never once made eye contact with Jay. Anytime he would speak to her she would look at her tray or find something that looked much more intriguing. She tried but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not just yet at least.

Kellam and Ansley separated to head to class when a hand shot out of a closet she was passing and pulled her in. It was dark but even in the darkness she could tell the space was cramped. Her and her captor stood close, her nose coming to his chest.

Just by the smell of his cologne she could tell who it was. She felt him move slightly and soon a dull yellow light flickered on illuminating him.

"What do you want Jay?" She crossed her arms and took to looking at the many shelves of cleaning product that held her and Jay so close together with disgust.

"I want you to look at me!" He snapped pulling her chin up so she could look at him. She saw the frustration that lay there but also she saw the sadness. She knew how he felt all too well. "I want us to be okay."

"We are okay."

"You know that's not what I mean." Ansley sighed heavily leaning against the prickly wood of one of the shelves.

"It's going to take some time Jay. I can't just be okay with this. I can lie and say I am but I'm not, at least not yet."

"I know. I just wish there was something I could do to fix us. I want our friendship back. I want the two musketeers." She cracked a smile at him upon hearing this.

"We will get there someday."

"Are you really okay with this?"

"Okay as I'll ever be. If you are happy, then I am happy." Ansley turned the nob to leave but stopped. "Don't hurt Cassandra. She is a good girl and I don't know what would happen to her if she had her heart broken. Promise me if it ever does end it will be on good terms. Okay?" He nodded with his lips pressed tightly together. "I'll see you at the party Jay." And with that Ansley walked out of the janitors closet leaving Jay behind and her love for him, which she left behind, was the only thing keeping him company.