Together at Last

No one should go through this.

The thought ran through my head as I sprinted down the empty hall. Such a stupid mistake, and it made my heart break to know that she was somewhere crying, hurt and alone.

Idiot! I kept screaming at myself in my head. How could I have betrayed her? My best friend, just for fame and popularity. Where could she be? My eyes ran through the classrooms. It would be hours to check each one. But I deserved it. Then, a flash of black hair caught me eye. I ran after it.

“Dude!” I exclaimed. He glared at me. Obviously he’d heard about my crime.

“What do you want?” he snapped. Ouch.

“Where is she?” It was a demand, not a question.

“Why should I tell you? Do you know what she looks like right now, Mark? A wreck, that’s what. And all because of you.” Chad shook his head, his normally friendly brown eyes filled with anger.

“I want to apologize.” I tried to put the most sincere look on my face. It didn’t convince him.

“I should punch you in the face right now, you know. You’re lucky you’re my friend. You’ve dissed my little sister. Saying she doesn’t mean anything to you on national television? I don’t think so. Even if I let you go, it’s not like Sam will forgive you anyway.”

“I love her.” The words were muffled, as I looked at the floor.

“What?” Chad’s tone was softer now.

“I love Samantha.” I spoke with more confidence. It was true. “Believe me, it’s true,” I said. “I don’t take phrases like these lightly, and I promise something like what happened today won’t happen again.”

Chad looked at me doubtfully, and I gave him a weak smile. “You’re my friend, man. Why would I lie to you?”

“She’s on the third floor. Library.” I grinned.

“Thanks, man.”

“One more chance, Cross. One more chance!” he yelled as I continued my run, but this time for the stairs. Chad’s voice echoed through the empty hall. One more chance. One more chance.

Then I heard. The broken sobs resounding through the third floor. I raced past the stacks of books and saw her, as beautiful as ever, even when crying. Jane Austen books were scattered at her feet, and I almost smiled. She always read them when she was sad, saying that the romance cheered her up.

I accidentally knocked Pride and Prejudice onto the ground, and she looked up.

“I never should’ve told Chad,” she muttered under her breath.

“Hey, Sam.”

“Don’t call me that,” she snarled.

“I’ve always called you that. In fact, I made it up.” My sad attempt to make her smile backfired. Instead she looked even more murderous than before.

“Go back to your stupid popular friends. Wasn’t that what you made the announcement for? So they would know that your GIRL best friend doesn’t control your life? And don’t call me that because only my friends do,” she emphasized.

It hurt, that was for sure. But I knew it didn’t hurt as much as what was hurting her. Being rejected was horrible. I’d experienced it before, and I knew.

I took Pride and Prejudice and placed it on her lap. She looked at me with swollen red eyes, tearstains on her cheeks.

“Hey, be like Elizabeth. Strong, even when Darcy hurts her.”

“Yeah well, Darcy isn’t a jerk like you,” she said.

I winced. “I’m sorry, Samantha. But I’ve made my choice. I’m sticking with my friends from now on, not jackasses who make me diss them.”

“Friends?” I caught a ring of disappointment in her tone.

“No, not friends.” A flash of sadness flitted through her blue eyes.

“Girlfriend.” I took a moment to see her shocked expression before pulling her into a deep kiss, trying to convey my feelings. When we pulled apart, I knew that she had understood.

“You so owe me.” The voice came from the doorway, and I saw Chad, standing there with folded arms.

“That I do.” I laughed.

“Have fun with him, sis. Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do!” Sam laughed, and with those parting words, he left us to enjoy the marvel of being able to be together at last.