Page 46 of The Comeback

"Well you thought wrong. I don't hang with losers."

My back slams into the smooth surface of a locker. I wince at the eyes burning into me at the metallic bang. Tears well over, but I can still see clearly enough to recognize the people he's with. I was so excited to see him that I didn't notice his company before. He's hanging with a few of the cheerleaders and a handful of assorted jocks. The hotshots of the school, and they're laughing at me.

I rush off pushing through the crowd to get to the bathroom. Get away from the prying eyes and jeers. My hands are shaking as I fumble the door to the stall shut. How could he do that to me? My best friend.

"Abby." The voice slices through the memory bringing me back to the presence. "Hey, I'm here."

A warm hand lands on my shoulder. I don't turn around, not wanting Dax to see the tears streaming down my face. Humiliation is eating away at me.

"Oh, Abby. I'm sorry. Can we talk?" He tugs on my elbow.

"I've got class." So much for sounding strong. My words come at all trembly through the tears.

"You've got half an hour until vocal. Come on."

This time I let my friend pull me away from the tree. I swipe at the tears. There's a small sense of relief when I don't find a crowd of people standing around ogling me in my despair. I kind of thought I'd end up in the same place as I was on that day. Exposed and vulnerable, split open in front of what felt like the entire school. This is not high school I remind myself. You're not the same person you were then.

Dax doesn't say another word as he leads me into the Hall where we take a lot of our music classes. The familiar beige speckled carpets and portraits of former grads that line the walls don't provide the same comfort they usually do.

"Not the lounge." I pull back against the gentle hold on my elbow as we near the senior's lounge. I don't want anyone else to see me like this.

Dax lets go and peeks through the swinging door. "It's ok. Come on."

Doubt clouds my mind. This is Dax, though. He's never hurt me like that. Not like... don't even want to think his name. Why couldn't I have fallen for him. Dating Dax would be easy, comfortable. He asked me out in first year, but I wasn't ready for a relationship and there was no spark, so I turned him down. Three years later we're way past that and firmly entrenched in the friend zone and if there's on thing I've learned it's that you don't fall for your friends. That never ends well.

Relief washes over me. Only a handful of students are gathered here at the moment, all too engrossed in their work or conversations to even look up at us. The comfy corner with the overstuffed brown leather armchairs is surprisingly unoccupied. The chair lets out a loud squeak and a puff of dust that I'm sure contains a decade's worth of student angst. Might as well add to the imprint.

The large window behind Dax illuminates him in a soft glow as he leans forward propping his elbows on his knees.

"I've got a few things to say and I don't want you running for the hills. Can you listen before you freak out?"

Not ominous at all. "Okaaayyyy."

"So I talked to Sebastian." His mouth twists as he sort of spits outs the name.

"You shouldn't have."

His hand flies up to halt my protest. "Yes. I should have. I'm your friend and I kind of wanted to punch that guy in the face, but he's pretty big so..."

A laugh sneaks out against my will.

"Sorry, Abs. Wasn't willing to risk my pretty face for you. Although maybe a broken nose would give me that extra bad boy edge.” His lips purse as he contemplates. “Something to think about. Anyway. I talked to him, and as much as I hate to admit it I think you need to talk to him."

I'm shaking my head before he's even finished. "No. He doesn't deserve that. He's had more than enough chances, and he blew them." Even though I swore to myself I could keep this thing between us as some kind of sex only thing I've realized that my feelings are far too tangled up with the past for that to be a remote possibility.

"I don't like it any more than you. I'd love nothing more than for you to punch this guy yourself and move on with your life, but I don't think you can. I know what it's like to care about someone so deeply you can't shake them from your system. You need to talk to him and figure out what's going on. Then you can make the choice. Either ditch him for good or maybe you'll understand him a little better." Dax has a pained look in his blue eyes and I don't want to encourage him to clarify. He has that look in his eyes. Like he's on the edge of jumping off a cliff and he's going to take our friendship with it.

"He doesn't deserve my time." I repeat myself.

"Maybe not, but you deserve it. The closure or whatever. I still want to punch the guy for being an idiot, but I think he has some genuine reasons for his actions, and I think it'll help you out to hear them. I can't stand seeing you so upset. If only..." He trails off, turning to look out the window.

"I guess." He's probably right. I should talk to Sebastian. "He's been avoiding me though. How do I even know he'll talk to me?”

He takes a long pause without turning to face me, and the words slip out on a whisper. “Because I can see it in his eyes, his mouth, every single feature says he’s fighting his feelings for you.”

“But…”

His eyes meet mine as he cuts off my protest. “He’s the one you never got over, Abby. Don’t waste your chance.”

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