Remedy

Bad Habits

Jameson saw Scarlett and Matt fighting and went over to make sure everything was okay.
"What's going on over here?" Jameson asked with a worried look on his face.
Scarlett just kept staring at Matt with tears starting to fill her eyes and what hurt more was the fact that Matt didn't seem to care.
"Ready to go to work, Scar?" Jameson asked.
"Actually, I'm not feeling good. Could you drop me off at home please?" Scarlett asked with a defeated look on her face.

Jameson could tell something was off and nodded. The two walked back to Jameson's car and he knew better than to ask her what was wrong. The car ride to her house was silent, except for Scarlett's silent crying and sniffling every now and then. When Jameson pulled up to Scarlett's house, he said,
"If you need anything let me know. I hope you feel better," with a kind smile. She just nodded and got out of the car and walked to the house, intent on running to her room to really let it out.

Amelia was home from work early that day and she was in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher. She heard the door open and walked over to see Scarlett just as she closed the front door.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Amelia asked with a raised eyebrow.
Scarlett turned around with a red nose and puffy eyes. It was clear she had been crying.
"Are you okay?" Amelia asked as her face fell into a concerned mom look.
Scarlett just sniffled a little and felt her body start to shake.
"What's wrong?" Amelia asked as she tilted her head a little.

Once she saw Scarlett start to shake she walked closer. Scarlett instantly leaned into her mom for support. Shocked at first, Amelia furrowed her brow but then gave in and just hugged her daughter who clearly needed it.

Once Scarlett calmed down a little she pulled back and said,
"Matt ditched me for Alexa and Kayla at lunch and they were all shit talking me."
"Matt, the boy who was here like a week ago?" Amelia wanted to clarify.
Scarlett sniffled and nodded as she wiped away her tears even though they kept falling.
"Isn't he one of your best friends?" Amelia asked as she too wiped away one of her daughter's tears.
"Not anymore," Scarlett muttered.
"Did something happen?" Amelia wanted to know as she refocused on her daughter's eyes that seemed to get more blue the more she cried.
"He told me he liked me but I don't like him like that so he got angry," Scarlett explained as she furrowed her brow.
"Ahh gotcha," Amelia said with a slight nod of her head.
"Alexa also told him about Noah, so he probably really hates me now. He said that he knew he wasn't my type because I dated people like Noah," Scarlett went on to say.

Amelia still didn't know the whole story with Noah, but she knew it was the wrong time to ask.

"I'm sorry," Amelia said and pulled Scarlett in for another hug. This time Scarlett didn't pull away.
"High school is hard," Amelia told her.
"But you, my dear, are strong and you'll get through it. Friends come and go," she added.
"I know, but this really sucks right now," Scarlett told her.
Amelia kissed her head and then pulled back and said,
"If he was willing to believe those girls over you, he didn't deserve you. He wasn't a true friend and it's better you see that sooner than later."

For that last week of school before break, Scarlett had been having a really hard time. Everyday she'd see Matt with Kayla and Alexa and they made sure to make their presence noticed. In class they would move to sit near each other and make it obvious about who and what they were talking about. They'd make plans in front of Scarlett and never think to include her. It made her feel like shit and the worse part was that everyone knew Scarlett and Matt were close and now they were never together so people would ask Scarlett what happened and all she would say is that she didn't know.

Luckily winter break rolled around but Scarlett was so stuck in her head that she didn't even enjoy the snow and festivities and everyone in her household could tell something was different. Amelia told her sisters about what happened with Matt and everything with Alexa and Kayla and what she knew about Noah.