Falling for my Best Friend

Face the Music

Wren

The warm fresh air hit my face as I ran outside, as soon as I felt the air change the tears started to fall. I had managed to get away from the party before I succumbed, but the dam broke and there was nothing I could do anymore to keep them from flowing. I walked aimlessly, shuddering in the dark, trying to get as far away from my high school as possible. Once I reached the end of the sidewalk, I sat down and took my shoes off. No sense wearing these uncomfortable skyscrapers with no one to impress anymore. Why did I think that tonight was going to be different?

The sound of footsteps shuffling up behind me stops me in my tracks. I try to compose myself before I turn to the side just in time to meet eyes with Kilian.

He sits down beside me without hesitation and asks, "What happened, Wrenny?"

His warm thumbs come up to my cheeks and start to wipe away tears. Too embarrassed to tell him the real story, I just sigh.

"No one should ever make you cry, you're too sweet," he says.

I look into his eyes searching for what I wanted to see, that all my feelings for him are reciprocated but before I can make up my mind he locks eyes with me and leans in. Is this really happening? 

I close my eyes waiting to accept the kiss that I have been waiting for since sixth grade, but just then I am startled by a loud noise... My alarm?

I sit up and wipe the sleep out of my eyes. Well, guess that answers that, of course this isn't happening but unfortunately last night actually did happen and now I have to face the music.

I roll out of bed and wriggle into my favorite jeans. A quick dig through my closet produces my favorite hoodie and if I have to go to school today, I am at least going to be comfortable. I drag my feet on my way to the bathroom and as I brush my teeth I try to avoid looking at myself in the mirror. I lean into the sink to wash my face but mistakenly meet my own eyes in the mirror while I dry off and suddenly all the feelings, all the hurt from last night come washing back. Tears start to prick my eyes.

I sulk back to my room, hiding from my family because I have no desire to explain my tears. I start to blast my favorite 'Bang Out of Order' song and I crank it as loud as possible. While I listen to my fantasy man Liam LaGrange belt out his anger, I meet his screams with my own. It is the best way to get myself grounded again. After a few rounds in my own personal mosh pit, I collapse back onto my bed, catching my breath. Now, I am ready to face the day, more or less. As long as I don't see Gael, everything will be fine. That is going to be hard to achieve though because I always see Gael. I take a deep breath as I tie my old black chucks. I kiss my family goodbye, very successfully hiding my emotional turmoil, and head out to my car.

My car is by no means a luxury vehicle but I love my old beat up Jetta. I feel lucky to have a car at all, but especially this car, with the plaid seats and little silver skulls on the door locks. I always feel most myself when I am in my car. It is the perfect time for my favorite coping mechanism; windows down, music up, it feels like flying most of the time. 

I arrive at school on time, although I am later than usual, maybe it was on purpose because I don't want to have our normal morning hang out at the coffee cart. Gael doesn't know why I left last night, but he knows I left without saying goodbye, considering we went to Homecoming together, he probably wasn't very happy that I just disappeared.

Gael

I woke up this morning still pretty confused and honestly a little pissed about what happened last night. Wren is one of my best friends, how could she just disappear on me without saying anything? Sure, I danced with Riley while Wren was in the bathroom, but only because I felt bad for her. She had asked me to Homecoming after I already decided to take Wren. I don't think I would have gone with her anyway so I was lucky it worked out that way. Did Wren see that and get upset? That's not like her. Did something crazy happen, what if someone took her? Now I'm starting to spiral out of control. I planted my feet firmly on the ground in an attempt to center myself.

Wren hasn't answered any of my text messages yet. What if something had happened to her? My gut pinches at the thought. I hope nothing like my crazy kidnapping theory actually happened. I hope she is safe somewhere. It's hard to be mad when I think about the idea of her not being okay. I pick up my phone and quickly fire off a text to our group chat, hoping she will say something or at the very least give me a read receipt so I know she is alive.

My mind wanders back to the night I found her sitting on a bench outside the grocery store, bare foot and raccoon eyed. I drove her home to eventually find out her own mother had thrown her across the kitchen and hurt her, then called her a bitch.

I shuffled into the bathroom and decided to just get dressed for school early and head out. While I worked out my plan for the day, I mindlessly cleaned myself up. Maybe I can catch Wren early at the coffee cart and get the answers I need. I need to see her pretty blue eyes and sweet smile. I need to know she is alright and if she is what the hell happened last night?! I stepped into my shoes and headed out the door.

On my way, to school I went by Declan's house to grab him, maybe he has some idea what the hell happened last night.

"Browski," he said before jumping into my truck and closing the door.

"Did you talk to Wrenny last night?" I asked.

"I didn't see her after she left for the bathroom, I figured you caught up to her and dragged her into a closet or something," he chuckled, "Galy and Wrenny sitting in a tree," he continues in a sing-song voice.

"Okay asshole, I'm being serious, I didn't see her after that at all and she isn't answering my texts," I growl.

He steels his face as if deep in thought, "Did you ask Kilian?"

Why did that question make my stomach flip? "Why would he know?" I try to ask with no inflection in my tone.

"Bro, you know they are tight, they've been friends for almost seven years, I know we're all tight, but they are thick as thieves, they've grown up together," he tries to reason with me.

Fuck, if I don't already know that, that's why I felt the need to ask permission to take her to the damned dance in the first place. If Kilian can't see what is right in front of him, there is no reason to count myself out. I wasn't even sure if I had real feelings for Wren, but when you spend as much time around a beautiful girl as I do with Wren, you start to wonder, what if?

I was supposed to figure this out last night, and in a way I guess I did because when I realized she was gone I felt like the world ended right there. Shit, leave it to me to catch feelings for my best friend. Fuck, Gael, you did it this time.

We rolled up to school and Wren's parking spot was empty. Without thinking, I slammed my fist into the dash, "FUCK!"

Declan looked at me startled, "What's up?"

I don't really have the words to answer him, I'm not sure if I can let any of this out yet, I have to know what the deal is before I figure out how I feel so I just reply, "Caffeine, let's go".