finally, after three days, i felt like i could breathe again. i had things still going on but at the moment, they were all pushed aside.

but maybe i spoke too fast, because the second i stepped back in school...

"malani!"

i sighed, feeling my shoulders being grabbed harshly, and my body turned.

"hi, anna." i smiled, and she rolled her eyes.

"where was you?" she asked, just as hazel walked up.

and for a second, i was waiting for that third person. sage. until i remembered we aren't friends.. anymore. so i looked up at both of them.

"are you okay? you look..." hazel paused, pointing to me.

i furrowed my eyebrows, looking down at my outfit and then back up to her. "what?"

she chuckled, "no.. you just look.. uh tired?"

i playfully rolled my eyes, moving to my locker. "yeah, i am."

they stood on both sides of my locker, like they've always done, just before.. well, sage was there too.

"did something happen?.." hazel asked, hesitantly.

i closed my locker with a huff, i had hoped she would drop it after i told her i was tired, but of course, she didn't do that. "yeah.. but i'm fine, hazel. cmon."

i pointed down the hall, we didn't have the same first hour, but i didn't want to stand there and give them time to ask me a bunch of questions.

i walked ahead of them, picking at my fingers as i heard them come from behind me, to my side. "malani, what happened?"

fucking hell.

i knew they weren't gonna stop asking until i told them, so i sighed. "okay. well, my mom came and then-."

"what!" they both shouted, causing peoples heads to turn and me to get embarrassed.

"your mom?!" they lowered their voices, now walking very close to me.

"yeah.. i met her, and then she tried getting me to go with her." i told them, and they stood there, shocked.

"oh, and then miles came to the store yesterday." i added, continuing to walk.

"the fuck did he go there for?" anna raised an eyebrow, looking around the hall.

"don't know, he's an asshole though." i shrugged.

"i told you!" she pointed at me, jumping a little.

i rolled my eyes, smiling, just as the bell rung.

"well, i'll see y'all later." hazel waved at us both, walking off first.

"beat amelia's ass if she says anything.. again." anna laughed, punching my shoulder and then walking off.

i shook my head, laughing a little, making my way to first hour which i was really dreading.

i plopped down in my seat, amelia already there, her arms crossed and her body tense.

i chuckled a little, someone's angry.

this caused her head to turn, "something funny, malani?"

i turned my head to her, in the same way. "well.. i laughed, did i? that's what you do when you find something funny."

she rolled her eyes, "shut up." and turned back around.

i smirked, leaning closer to her. "make me, amelia."

her head turned to me again, her mouth opened like she was about to talk but once she saw how close i was, she paused. her eyes went from mine, to my lips, and then back up to my eyes.

"there gonna problems here.. again, lady's?" made me back up.

"maybe not." i shrugged, and sat straight.

the teacher sighed, shaking her head, and going up to front of the class. while amelia didn't say a word, just turned straight, her face now a little red.

i cant lie, i enjoy our little petty arguments a little bit. but i definitely don't want to deal with them the rest of freshman year.

———————————————————————————

"look at them! god.. what is sage doing?" sage shook her head, us across the hall from her and amelia.

"let her do what she wants. she chose amelia." she shrugged, as if it didn't bother her one bit. but it was clear we all cared, and it bothered us that our friend of years chose someone over us.

"i can't wait to bear amelia's ass." anna shook her head, still staring at them.

i took my eyes off them for a split second as miles passed, a smirk on his face, purposely hitting my shoulder as he walked by.

"him too." anna added, making me laugh.

"alright, anna." i shook my head, a smile still on my face as ashtray walked up to me.

"oh, yeah! ashtray!" hazel gasped, making me turn to her in confusion.

"sorry.. i just forgot you two actually got together." she smiled, pushing me a little.

"a dream come true." anna put her hands together like a proud mom, making me roll my eyes.

as ashtray reached me, he eyed anna and hazel, before looking at me. "hey."

"hi." i responded, fiddling with the ring i had on my hand.

somehow, even after living with ashtray all my life, i get nervous talking to him. maybe it's the hard core eye contact he makes?

"are you going-." my eyes trailed over to the reason his sentence ended, and i rolled my eyes. jesus christ.

"what's up guys!" miles practically shouted, throwing his arm around ashtrays shoulder and smiling.

soon his two friends, the ones from the store. trailer along behind him. "malani! nice to see you, again." once of them smirked, making me roll my eyes.

"go away." anna shook her head, and the other one smirked at her.

"annalise." he spoke, taking a step closer to her, making her back up.

"so, what are you guys doing? planning a date, maybe? gonna go get ice cream?" miles smiled, and i knew why he said that, because we got ice cream.

"miles, please go away." i smiled sarcastically.

"hey, i'm just wondering. that's what couples do, right?" he looked at ashtray, who seemed unbothered by him.

at anna started trying to get him to go away, mt eyes left them, traveling over to amelia, who was now closer to us, still with sage, eyeing me.

i turned my body to them, and she copied me, now looking stern. sage was trying to tell her not to do something, i could tell by the way she kept glancing over at me, and this made me curious.

surely, if amelia wanted to fight me, she would just do it.. right? let's go see.

"i'll be.. right back." i slipped between miles and anna, who were now standing close to each other.

"oh shit, are they about to fight?"
"girl fight!"
"malani!"
"miles, move and shut up."
"i wanna see this."

i heard behind me, but kept walking.

"hey guys." i smiled, acting happy to see them both.

"amelia-." sage started, but amelia moved her arm from sages grasp.

"malani." she acted like she was trying to intimidate me, which only made me chuckle.

"amelia." i mocked, and she took a step closer.

once she just stood there, it got awkward. so i looked at sage, "hey sage, how's it going with your new friend?"

she shook her head, "malani, go.. please?"

"why?" i asked, and then turned to look at amelia. "amelia gonna fight me if i don't?"

i heard her sigh, but i kept my eyes on amelia the whole time. "i just might."

i smiled, nodding, in a way of telling her to do it without actually saying it.

"miles, move!" i heard again, but still kept my eyes on amelia in case she caught me off guard.

"alright.. malani, she isn't gonna go it." i heard hazels voice, so i took a step back.

"hazel, shut up!" sage said, shocking me a little.

"god, you guys never stop. i'm friends with amelia, okay? it's not your business.. so leave, and stop trying to fucking mess with her." she continued, making me turn away from amelia.

my heart broke a little, she's serious... wow.

"you tell em, babe!" i heard miles friend behind us, and if it was any other situation, i would've laughed.

and just before i could process all of her words, her body was roughly pushed against the lockers, and then a fist collided with her jaw. my mouth opened a little, i took a step closer, debating on if i should stop them or not, but before i could choose, my waist was grabbed and pulled me back.

"hazel.." i mumbled, watching her and sage fight.

i didn't not except this to ever happen.

AUTHORS NOTES:

running out of ideas lmao

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