Three O'Clock :
the Aftermath

-

“Isa, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made you kiss me,” Andrew confessed.

“You didn’t make me…” Isabelle mumbled, dejected.

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Isa, there’s something else.”

“What?” she asked, suddenly hopeful.

“I liked kissing you. A lot. I like you. No, that’s a lie. I think I love you,” he confessed, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.

“Liar,” she whispered…

And then she woke up.

--

“Leah, I don’t think I can do it today,” Isabelle said as her friend ran a flat iron through her hair. They were in the locker room, sitting on a table by the door. Skipping math was a weekly ritual for the friends.

“Come on, Iz. You had a fight. Friends fight all the time,” she said, setting down the straightener.

“Yeah, but it was a big fight. You weren’t there. He was so mad,” Isa confessed, jumping down and going to look in the mirror.

“Trust me, the minute he sees you after I’m done here he wont remember he was ever mad. Now come back here so I can do your makeup.”

“Leah, does it even matter? He still loves Laurie. And who wouldn’t? She’s beautiful. And smart. And athletic. And everything I’m not.”

“Seriously Iz, you have the lowest guy-esteem of anyone ever. Everything you described her as anyone else would say the same about you.”

“It still doesn’t matter,” Isabelle said, slightly resigned as the bell started to ring.

“It’s now or never babe. Go get ‘em, girl.”

“I’d say wish me luck but I don’t think even that would help,” she stated blankly, pushing open the door. She walked determinedly down the hall, towards the cafeteria where she knew, or rather hoped he’d be waiting. She didn’t know what she would have done if he wasn’t there, but then again, she wasn’t quite sure what to do if he was.

“Is-bee!” someone called from behind her, using her cross-country nickname. She turned around to see Jordan racing to catch up. “Iz, what time is practice today?”

“Three forty-five to six Jor,” replied Isabelle hurriedly, trying to see over the group of people jumbled in front of the lunchroom. “Listen I’ve got to go talk to someone, so I’ll see you at practice.”

“Oh, you mean Andrew, yeah I heard you guys had a fight. Let me know if you need to talk about it hon.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you later,” she said, walking away, worried that news of their fight had spread. She finally wove her way through the mass of people to where she usually met him, but didn’t see him. She silently chided herself for expecting him to be there after yesterday, but was still hurt. She turned to leave when she saw him sauntering over towards her. His cocky attitude didn’t surprise her; he was always like that, no matter what.

“Hey,” he said, his voice not supporting his usual arrogance.

“Hi,” she muttered. Then finding her voice, she continued. “I’m mad at you, you know that, right? I don’t want to be used.”

“I know.”

“I can’t believe you would abuse our friendship like that, to use me. If you want her back, tell her, because she getting mixed signals from you doesn’t help. She wants you back.”

“What if she’s not the one I want?”

“Wait, what?”

”Iz. Isa. I love you. I wanted you to kiss me, not because she was there. Because you know what, she wasn’t even there.”

“Andrew,” she whispered, and she kissed him. And she was flying again. And it was the feeling she loved best in the word.

“Does that mean you love me back?” he asked, smiling.

“Yes, you idiot. I love you.”