The Choice (a Painful Past)

7

     "No, I'm gonna wear this, Katherine," Sherri replied. "Oh, come on, Sherri! That's exactly what you wore to school. And I'm sorry, but that button up man shirt isn't doing anything for you."

 Sherri always wore baggy clothes to try and hide her weight. I wasn't sure why she had this thing for button up man shirts, but it was her go to outfit. 

"I don't care, Kat. Let me wear what I want. I'm comfortable in this," Sherri responded, while she brushed something over my face. "Whatever," Kat sighed in annoyance. "You guys wonder why the guys never like you. This is why. You never put any effort in. 

I opened my eyes in time to see Sherri roll hers. When neither of us said anything to Kat, she turned back to her closet and started shoving hangers around angrily. Sherri caught my eye and smiled, then rolled her eyes again. I smiled in agreement. We didn't need to speak to know that both of us agreed that Katherine was being a bitch about something that didn't matter.

 We were going to hang out in a parking lot and then maybe a bonfire. The fuck did it matter what we wore? It was going to be a long night. I wanted to comfortable more than I wanted to try and be sexy. I thought about changing again, but with Kat and Sherri telling me that it looked good, I changed my mind. Maybe a little discomfort was okay. I knew that I was probably going to regret it before the night was over though. 

"What time is it?" I asked. "It's only around 7. We still have like 5 more hours before Mitch shows up," Kat replied. "So, why are we getting ready now?" Sherri asked. 

Kat sighed and turned back towards us. "Because we want to make sure that we have time to change our minds and make it perfect. Don't you guys ever go out anywhere?" Sherri caught my eye again and we laughed. 

"Yeah, to the Lot. Where it doesn't fucking matter what you wear," Sherri replied. "Well, if you don't want to draw some attention, then that's fine," Kat huffed out. "But I want to look good for Mitch. I want him eating out of the palm of my hand, and have his hands on my body, and his lips on mine, before this night is over." 

"What about Derek?" I asked. Derek was one of my best friends, a former crush, and Kat's recent ex. She and Sherri had gone to Florida over Spring Break, and things happened. She broke up with Derek two weeks after they got back home. 

Sherri had told me that Kat had went a little wild and slept with two different guys while they were there, leaving Sherri in a random hotel room with some guy and a little girl, while she did.

 "What about Derek?" she asked, turning to face me. "Well, he's probably going to be there. You know that. Are you really just going to make out with Mitch in front of him? That's not cool, Kat. He didn't do anything to hurt you. He was good to you," I said, standing my ground, even when she glared at me. 

She groaned and placed her palms on her cheeks then ran her hands up into her hair. "So what? We're broken up. He can't expect me to protect his feelings and not have fun, just because he isn't over me," she replied. "Katherine, it's only been two weeks," I said, quietly. "That's not a long time for someone to get over someone that they love." She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. 

"That's not really my problem, now is it? Whose friend are you, anyway?" I held her gaze. "Both of you are my friends. I'm not choosing sides. He's just as much a part of my life, as you are. And he stayed by my side, when I had no one," I answered. I regretted saying that last part, but it just slipped out. She knew exactly what I was talking about. 

I watched her golden-brown eyes turn hard, as she glared at me. "Yeah, well, I guess some of us actually do choose sides," she spat out. 

"Kat, that's enough," Sherri said, standing up with the eyeshadow applicator still in her hand. "Can we please just have a good time tonight, without all of the past bullshit. What happened with Callie and me is over. It's done and we're good. She will always be my family and my best friend. Now, you both need apologize and let it go." 

Kat and I just stared at each other for a minute, me still sitting on the bed, and her standing at the closet door. "Fine," she replied, waving her hand. "Whatever. I'm sorry I said anything." She looked at me expectantly, so I choked out the words that I didn't mean. 

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," I replied, then looked down before anyone could see the truth behind my eyes. I wasn't sorry. It had hurt me beyond words when Kat had chosen Sherri over me, without even hearing my side. I knew I had been in the wrong, but she was supposed to be my best friend. 

Instead, she dropped me like a bad habit, took Sherri to the One Direction concert that she had promised to take me too, then also took her on the Florida trip that I was supposed to go on. Of course, it sounded like I missed a bullet with that one. 

"Okay, great, now that that's over with, can we concentrate on tonight?" Sherri asked, sitting back down beside me and giving me an apologetic smile. I still wasn't sure why she didn't hate me. Maybe she would after she heard that I was actually going to go out with Will. 

"Hey Sher," I said quietly, after I closed my eyes for her to finish my eyeshadow. "Yeah?" she asked. "I need to talk to you later. When we're alone," I whispered, praying that Katherine didn't overhear me. The last thing I needed now, was for her to think that I was keeping secrets from her. 

"Is everything okay?" she whispered back. "Yeah, I just need to ask you something. Everything is fine though. I promise," I replied. At least, I hoped that everything would be fine. I was sure that she was over Will, but I didn't want to hurt her again or break girl code. So, I was just going to be direct with her. If she had a problem with me dating him, then I would put an end to it immediately. 

"Okay. We'll talk tonight," she replied. I stayed silent and let her finish my makeup.