11. Best Friends' Drama

RYLIE

"Come on, Olivia. I already said I'm sorry."

"Well sorry doesn't cut it, Rylie. You lied to me. You told me that there was nothing going on between you two and I believed you. Now you're dating!"

"I know but it's complicated, okay? If you would just let me explain..." I said, trying to hold her but she pulled away.

"Save it! I don't want to hear it!"

"But Olivia..."

"No, Rylie. I don't want to know. Goodbye!" she said, walking away.

I sighed as I leaned against the locker and slid to the floor. I leaned my head against my hands and closed my eyes.

"So, how'd it go?"

I looked up just in time to see Mason sit beside me.

"Not well," I sighed.

He smiled and placed his arm around my shoulder. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Sorry Ry. Olivia's just really hurt right now. She'll come around."

"I know. I just miss her so much," I muttered with a sniffle.

"I know. I know. So, do you mind telling me what's going on between you and Blake or is that information only available to Olivia?"

I smiled. "I really wish I could tell you Mason, I really wish I could but everything's just so complicated right now…"

"Don't say another word," he said, cutting me short. "I understand and I know you'll tell me when you're ready."

"You're the best, Mace and Olivia will come around," I said hugging him.

"Thanks Ry. We still up for our Rocky marathon on Saturday right?"

"You know it!"

"Nice! See you then, Ry," he said waving as he walked away.

I waved back. Glancing at my watch, I saw I still had enough time to get to class if I hurried.

···

"Hey honeybunch," I heard Blake say, grabbing my tray of food before I had a chalnce to react.

"Hi… Blake!" I answered, giving him a weird look.

I trailed behind him as he led me to a table and helped me to my seat.

"So, how's your food? Would you like me to feed you?" he asked as soon as I sat down.

"Uh, I haven't even started eating yet. What's gotten into you, Blake? Why are you acting so weird?"

He groaned and said, "I'm just trying to be romantic. Nothing wrong about that! Most girls would like that."

"I'm not against being romantic. You're just acting weird is all."

"Well if you haven't noticed, that's how boyfriends treat their girlfriend. Not like you'd know anything about that."

Just then, my mind flashed back to an experience I had with Asher, my first boyfriend.

I had come down with a fever while in school and he was trying to feed me even though I didn't feel like eating.

"Come on, Rylie. Open up," he said, waving a spoon of soup in my face.

"I don't wanna," I whined pouting.

"But Rylie, if you don't eat, you won't get any better and you want to get better, don't you?"

I nodded.

"Okay then. Open wide."

I did as he said and swallowed the soup he fed me.

"That's my girl," he said, kissing me on the nose.

"Rylie! Rylie! Rylie!" Blake called, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Yes? What were you saying?" I asked, acting as though I'd been listening.

"Now you remember I exist. What gives? You totally zoned out on me and you were blushing with your eyes closed."

"No, I wasn't…at least I think so," I muttered, more to me than to him.

Blake rolled his eyes and said, "Weirdo."

On hearing that, I cleared my throat, leaned in and whispered, "Rule number one, doofus!"

"Oops Rylie, I totally forgot. Won't happen again, I swear."

"I'm tired of hearing that. You broke two rules yesterday and now, you've broken the third one. There have to be consequences," I said with mock seriousness.

"What are the consequences?"

"I haven't thought of that yet. You can rest assured though it's gonna be sweet…for me that is, not for you."

"Can't wait!" he said, rolling his eyes. "So what were you thinking about when you zoned off? You seemed pretty far away."

"Oh, it's nothing," I answered, brushing it off.

"Really? Nothing?"

"It's just… My friend, Olivia is angry with me."

"Why is that?"

"She is angry because she says I'm a hypocrite for dating you after I ranted to her about how much I hate you when you first came."

"Oh! I'm sorry about that, Ry but you know you can't…"

"I know. I know. I can't tell her the truth. I just wish… You know what, don't worry about it."

"Why not? This is kinda my fault anyway."

"No, it's not your fault… Okay, it's kind of your fault but you don't have to worry about it. I'll handle it, okay?"

He didn't answer and instead, moved his attention back to his food. I did same with a sigh of relief.

I was lucky enough to come up with the thing about Olivia to cover up that I'd actually been thinking about Asher. I thought I was over him but sometimes, he manages to pop up in my head without warning. So annoying!

"I hope you have plans for our date today," I said to Blake just as I finished eating.

"Our what?" he asked with a quizzical look on his face.

"Blake! You didn't forget about it, did you?" I yelled a bit hysterically.

He burst into laughter and said, "Of course not, I just wanted to see you all hysterical like a real girlfriend. And it worked."

I rolled my eyes at him with a smile.

"What can I say? I like to say in character. Now you be a good boyfriend and help me take care of this," I said handing him my tray.

We walked together to dump the trays and then headed to my locker to take my books for the next class.

"What are you having next?"

"History," I answered. "You?"

"Algebra," he answered with a groan.

"Lemme guess, the big scary jock doesn't like Math?"

"It's not like I don't like it but yeah, I don't like it."

"I don't see why not. It's not that hard. Besides, if you don't understand anything, you can just ask the teacher or wait after class to ask him."

"Easy for you to say when you're such a ner… smart girl!" he added instead.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Nice save. Also being smart doesn't make me a nerd."

"You are kind of the N word."

"I am not."

"You are and that's all there is to it."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "You know what? I don't have time for this. I'm probably gonna have a migraine from always rolling my eyes whenever I'm around you. Let's go then?"

"Sure sure."

Blake's POV

"Are you sure you'll be fine without me?"

"Seriously Blake, I'll be fine. Won't Coach be offended that you're getting to practice so late?"

"He won't mind. I'm so good I basically don't need any practice."

"Geez, boastful much?"

"You should be happy your boyfriend's so good, Missy? That's what normal girlfriends do," I reminded her.

"I mean, wow Blake, you're so strong. I'm happy to be your girlfriend," she gushed like another one of my many fangirls. "Was that better?"

"It was but next time, try not to act so boastful," I said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes at me while I laughed. She turned to leave but I was quick to grab her wrist and pull her towards me. Before she could react, I planted my lips on her cheek.

As I let her go, she stumbled backwards as though in a daze.

"Geez Blake, you have got to stop doing that," she said rubbing her cheek.

"Doing what?" I asked cheekily.

"That. Springing a kiss on me like that."

"Most girls would find that romantic," I said simply.

"By most girls, you mean your horde of fangirls, don't you?"

I didn't respond.

She sighed and said, "I'm not “most girls”, Blake. I thought you'd know that by now. Just quit the surprise kiss and remind me, okay? See you at home."

She turned to leave then hesitated and turned and pecked me softly on the cheek.

"Bye Blake," she said, running away before I could say anything.

I stood rooted to the spot I was standing on for a while. Slowly, my hand went to the spot on my cheek where Rylie's lips had brushed and I smiled.

Then I remembered why I was still in school. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and ran back into the school.

I checked my wrist watch and was relieved to find that I still had some time. If I ran, I could still catch her.

You're probably wondering what I'm talking about? Well I told Rylie that I had football practice after school but that wasn't exactly the truth.

The truth is I'm actually meeting Olivia, Rylie's friend. Not in the way you're probably thinking. It's actually to talk about Rylie.

"Hey Olivia," I called, sighting her at her locker.

"Blake Weston! You're talking to me!?"

"Yes and just call me Blake, okay?"

"Okay Blake. I'm Olivia. Then again, you already knew that. How did you know my name?"

"You're Rylie's friend, right?"

"Yeah. Well kinda. We're sort of on a break right now," she muttered sadly but her eyes instantly lit up as she looked back at me.

"So, is there any particular reason why you're talking to me of all people?"

"Yes, there is. It's about Rylie."

She frowned. "What about her?"

"She's really sad that you guys aren't talking and since it's kind of my fault…"

"It's not your fault, Blake."

"It kinda is. She said you're angry because she lied to you about her and I."

"Well yeah."

"You really shouldn't be angry at her since I was the one who told her not to tell anyone about us."

She sighed. "It's not just that. I mean Rylie talked so much about hating you and it just surprises me that you've been dating all this while. I don't know how to handle that."

"That was all me. Rylie wanted to tell you from the beginning but I convinced her not to."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I wanted to see Rylie happy and if you forgiving her will make her happy, then I have to do my best to make that happen."

"You really like her, don't you?" she asked.

"I do."

"Okay then. I suppose I have been kinda hard on Rylie. I'll go talk to her."

"How about now? I'll take you there in my car. Shall we?"

"Sure."

Rylie's POV

I applied the last of my make-up which had consisted of lipgloss and powder and decided that I was ready to go.

I headed downstairs just as I heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it!" I yelled, walking towards the door. "It's probably Blake.

I opened the door and was surprised at who I saw there.

"Olivia! What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed.