Words Unravelled

Chapter 5

After seeing that rose, we decided that we were going to stay a little late that night and read more. I was curious as to how the rose that appeared in my hair had gotten there. After we noticed the rose in my hair, I look down at Grey's hands. Upon his hands, were dirt flakes and the piercing smell of the rose petals.

"Shae, I was beside you the whole time. Where would I have gotten that rose?" This was the 4th time he had asked me the same question today. I still didn't know the answer to it either.

"Grey, maybe we should close early and get a jump on this book. We are both obviously confused and I want to know what will happen next." He just gives me a look I can not describe, but I know that curiosity was strung in his eyes.

"Shae, I'm not sure continuing this story is a good idea. I mean," he pauses and ran his hands down his face, "what if something bad happens. The rose appeared in your hair, I had some thoughts and I-" I didn't let him finish. I cut him off.

"What thoughts? You didn't tell me you had thoughts. What do you mean you had thoughts?" He smiled at me softly. He walked over to the chair beside me from earlier this morning. He looked down at the ground, his smile still upon his lips. I look down on him, patiently waiting for him to tell me.

"Do you remember our 3rd grade field trip?" I giggle lightly and nod. That field trip was by far the absolute best, but also the worst. "I remember you saying 'Come on, Grey. It'll be fun.' It was definitely fun until you slipped and fell into my legs causing me to fall and break a statue." I blush slightly remembering the most embarrassing moment of my life. "Do you even realize that you pulled me along on all your adventures and I would just follow you without even thinking about the trouble we were going to be in?" I smile at the nostalgic feeling inside me.

"It's hard to believe that we used to be best friends. I still remember our parents swearing we were in love. Yeah, like that would ever happen. " I look over at Grey and see an almost hurt expression cross his face but it's gone without a trace in an instant.

"I remember you trying to crawl under the hole in the bottom of my fence and getting stuck so mom came and pulled you out. I laughed so hard when your mom yelled at you for getting your dress all dirty so you took my hose and sprayed the mud off and I was still laughing so you soaked me and then we got into a mud war and our parents got super mad at us. What happened to us Shae?" I enjoying hearing one of my favorite memories from his point of view until he asked me that question.

Instantly, my mind floated to the first day of middle school, also known as the beginning of a very long life of being bullied. Grey and I were walking to school together just like we had in elementary, but he was asking different then normal. He had his hands in his pockets and was hunched over. That was the summer I discovered how much I loved reading so I was carrying a few books to get me through today. As we approached the school, Grey slowed down a little and said he dropped something and for me to keep going without him. I was confused but listened to my command and kept walking. When I got through the front doors, I felt a person walking up behind me. I turned and saw Grey. He was laughing with the popular guys of my class and as they came closer, Grey wouldn't make eye contact. When they were right there in front of me, Grey bumped into me and hit my books out of my hands. What came after began all my torture. He said 'Hey Nerd, why don't you stay out of our way? I would hate to get the book bug.' It was a stupid insult, but coming from my best friend mad it hurt 10 times worse.

Grey became a popular that day and I was pushed down to the bottom of the social hierarchy. I began to feel my eyes sting. I couldn't cry, not in front of him.

"Um, Grey. I have a stomach ache. We can come in an hour early tomorrow but I'm not up to staying anymore. See you tomorrow." And with that I ran out of the library and towards my street. I don't know why, but I still had a crush on him even after everything he's done to me. Maybe that's why they call it a crush, because it slowly tears away at your heart until you're broken.