Best Friends Forever

by Dawn Pendleton

  And then he’s gone, out of the restaurant, and possibly, my life. As the tears fall, I get up from the empty table and walk out, ignoring the looks I get from several patrons. My life is falling apart, and it feels like a big snowball, rolling downward and getting larger and larger.

  Andre doesn’t understand. He’s in love with me, yes, but my feelings for Nolan are still running rampant, no matter how ridiculous they are. And I’m not exactly ready to jump into another relationship so soon after losing my virginity to someone I thought I could trust.

  Okay, so it’s been like three months. Technically, I should be over that sorry piece of shit. But it’s just not that easy. Maybe breaking him and Hazel up will cure me of this stupid love disease. Maybe I’ll be able to move on, finally, and get my life back to where it’s supposed to be. I should be concentrating on my schoolwork, but my grades are good enough, so I’m not too worried.

  I leave the restaurant, embarrassed that so many people witness our altercation, but I manage to walk out with my head held high, a feat I consider a great success. In the cab back to class, I think about Nolan.

  We were happy. I mean, the first week of school, he and I started dating and it was perfect. He was cute and funny, a star athlete with a hot body, but I managed to keep myself in check. I didn’t sleep with him right away, choosing instead to hold myself back, as long as I could. I only last a couple weeks, of course, but it was better than giving it up right away, like some slut. Like Hazel.

  I thought she and I were friends. We hung out a lot first semester, going to the movies and beach parties, pretty much just having a great time all around. Unfortunately, she was playing me. I always was too trusting.

  But not anymore.

  In fact, my current friends, Cheyanne and Lexi, make me nervous. They are playing along with my need to be avenged, and they seem happy enough to do it, but I don’t doubt for a second that they’ll throw me under the bus, first chance they get. Everyone, I’ve found in college, is out for number one. No one watches each other’s backs, not like what I’m used to.

  In high school, my friends were actually trust-worthy and honest. They wouldn’t dream of being my friend and then sleeping with my boyfriend behind my back. I guess I’m just from too small a town.

  The drama in college is overwhelming. There were new rumors from some random phone number every week during the first semester, but since we’ve been back, it’s been radio-silent. Maybe I’m on edge, wondering what the next rumor will be and who it’s going to be about. Whoever is ruining everyone’s lives has serious mental health issues, in my opinion.

  I arrive at school, pay the cabbie and make my way to my dorm room. The girl I’m rooming with is very sweet and much more naïve than I am, which is actually hard to believe.

  “Hey, Claire,” I say, tossing my purse in my chair and dropping onto my bed.

  Claire is young. She only graduated high school last semester, which was a semester early. She’s smart as hell, but again, she’s naïve.

  “How was lunch?” she asks.

  “A nightmare. Andre wants to date me,” I say, realizing immediately how dramatic and conceited I sound.

  “Oh, yeah, all those guys chasing you – sounds like trouble to me,” she laughs.

  I shake my head. “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, I know. So Andre didn’t like that you aren’t ready yet, huh?”

  “Not one bit,” I mutter.

  “Well, you did kind of make out with him last semester and then leave him in the lurch,” she gives me a hard look.

  “I’m sorry I told you anything,” I moan, laying back on my bed and covering my face. She knows the whole story, but I am seriously wondering if I made a bad decision telling her the truth. It all came around to that trust thing.

  “No, you’re not. You know I’m not the type to tell anyone anything. Besides, I’m too young for anyone to even notice me here. They all think I’m like this crazy, super smart genius, which I am, of course…”

  “Whatever. Are you coming to this party tonight?” I ask her.

  I’ve invited her a thousand times, but she’s evasive.

  “I’m not sure. Underage drinking isn’t really my thing,” she hedges.

  “First of all, we’re all underage, except Nolan. And second, you don’t actually have to drink. There’s music and the bonfire, plus walking by the beach. Maybe you’ll finally meet that special someone,” I tease.

  “Oh God, if he’s there, I might actually die,” she groans.

  “That sounds promising. Does lover boy have a name?”

  “Yeah. But he won’t be there. He goes to a different school,” she sighs.

  “Well now you have to tell me his name,” I sit up, giving her a stern look. “Tell me.”

  “Fine. It’s Ryan Callahan.”

  Three

  “Why does that sound familiar to me?” I ask Claire.

  “Probably because his older brother is Roman Callahan.”

  “Holy sweet hell! How many Callahan brothers are there?” I shriek.

  “Five.”

  This new piece of information is staggering. Cheyanne never mentioned Roman has four brothers. Interesting…

  “Wow.”

  She sighs again. “Tell me about it. And it wouldn’t matter if Ryan went to Coastal or if he was there tonight. He wouldn’t give me the time of day.”

  “Oh, you are soo going to the bonfire tonight. You need to get out, get away, and just cut loose. Come on, let’s pick you out something to wear,” I say, walking over to her dresser to pick something out for her.

  Her clothes are hardly those of a party girl. In fact, she’s pretty modest, so I decide to let her borrow my favorite dress. It’s bright read and will go well with her platinum blonde hair and green eyes. She’s short then I am, so the hem won’t be too revealing, either. After a debate about the lack of modesty, as well as the possibility that it’s going to be cold, we agree on her wearing a pair of black leggings underneath the dress.

  “What if I’m cold?” she asks, tugging on the thin straps over her shoulders.

  “Just stay near the fire. I promise, you’ll be fine,” I say, turning my attention to her hair. She normally flat irons it, but I convince her to let me curl it and even apply some makeup.

  When I finish my little makeover, Claire looks less innocent and far too grown up. Thinking about her situation, and the fact that she’s been putting up with me and my drama this past week, I wonder if there’s something I can do for her. When she excuses herself to the bathroom, I pull out my phone and send a text to Roman.

  Invite Ryan to the bonfire.

  After a minute, he replies.

  I already did. He’s on his way to MB as we speak. Guess he’s got a crush on someone here at school. A girl named Claire…? IDK who she is.

  I laugh aloud. The two of them like each other and they don’t even know it. I send a final message to Rome.

  I’ll take care of it.

  I set my phone on my desk and then go about getting myself ready. I choose a pair of black leggings and a too-long gray sweater. I pull on my favorite black boots and then pull my hair into a messy bun. I’m not trying to impress anyone tonight – I just want to have a good time and hopefully, for one night, at least, forget about all the problems I’ve been having. I just want to have fun.

  Claire returns and together we make our way to Cheyanne and Lexi’s dorm. Lexi has a luxury SUV and has agreed to stay sober so that the rest of us can drink. It’s a nice gesture, and we all pile into her vehicle.

  “Claire, you look great,” Cheyanne says. “I wish I could get away with wearing red.”

  Lexi rolls her eyes. “You can. Don’t let your hair determine your life, Red.”

  Claire and I laugh in the back seat. “You would probably look good in any color,” Claire pipes up.

  “Aww,” Cheyanne coos. “That’s so sweet. I feel like you’re my little sister, Claire. You are just too adorable.”r />
  “Yeah, way to make me feel like I’m ten.”

  Lexi puts the SUV in drive. “Welcome to the club. Red makes everyone feel like they’re ten. It’s that whole motherhood thing.”

  “I guess that’s kind of true,” Cheyanne admits.

  “Are we all set for the plan tonight?” I ask.

  “You bet your sweet ass we are,” Lexi cheers.

  “It’s all set,” Cheyanne confirms. “Are you nervous?”

  “A little bit,” I admit. “I just want them to suffer as much as I have, you know?”

  “No one knows more than us,” Cheyanne says.

  She’s right, of course. Cheyanne hates Hazel more than anyone here at Coastal. She’s convinced that Hazel is the one behind the rumors that get spread via text, even though she can’t prove it. She confided in me just the other day that she’s bound and determined to show the world exactly who Hazel is.

  Lexi seems okay to me. She’s Hazel’s almost stepsister, which might worry some people, but the way that girl talks about Hazel is proof enough she’s not best friends with Hazel. Lexi is also outspoken, loud, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. I like her.

  “Do I have to kiss Derp?” Lexi asks as she pulls out onto Route 501.

  “Derp?” Claire asks, confused.

  “Yeah, it’s what we’ve started calling Nolan. Lexi called him ‘Derp’ one time and it just kind of stuck,” I explain.

  “Oh. Is he ugly, then?”

  Cheyanne chuckles. “He’s not ugly, per se. He’s mostly a butter face.”

  “I see,” Claire says. “So, is Lexi going to have to kiss him?”

  “Yeah, I don’t really see a way around it, Lexi,” Cheyanne says. “We need Hazel to catch him in the middle of something, not on the verge of something. If he hasn’t done anything wrong yet, he’ll be able to talk himself out of the situation. Hazel is infatuated with him enough to listen to him, too.”

  “That’s true,” Lexi concedes. She lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’ll take one for the team, then.”

  “Just pretend it’s Connor.” As soon as she says it, Cheyanne covers her mouth. “Shit. I’m sorry, Lex.”

  Lexi glares at her.

  “Who’s Connor?” I ask.

  “No one,” Lexi mutters.

  “Oh, come on. I think we’ve established that everyone in this damn truck is trustworthy,” I mutter, even though I don’t believe my own words.

  “He’s just a guy in one of my classes,” Lexi admits.

  “Okay, fine. I’ll let it go,” I say.

  I’m not willing to get into it with Lexi. I mean, I’d love some details, especially since my own love life is in shambles, but oh well. I’ll ask Cheyanne about it later.

  “Where the fuck is this place, anyway?” Lexi asks, changing the subject.

  Cheyanne directs her, and in minutes, we’re at the beach.

  Four

  We’re early, of course, which is fine with me. The sinking sun is just above the horizon, casting shadows over the beach. The bonfire is already at least six feet high. Tonight, someone brought a grill and there are hot dogs and burgers being cooked up. The smell is divine.

  Lexi leads us into the fray, ducking and weaving between our co-eds until she scores us a spot near the fire. It’s warm, but not too hot, which is perfect. The four of us stand there, chatting until Roman and Miranda join us.

  “Hello, ladies. So good to see you,” Roman drawls. He’s cute. In a Zac Efron sort of way. His attention lingers on Lexi for half a second longer than the rest of us, and then he turns to Claire. “Do we know each other?” His brows furrow together.

  “Yeah, kind of. But not really. I went to summer camp with your brother, Ryan. You were a counselor there one summer, I think,” Claire says.

  So that’s how she knows Ryan. I wondered if she went to school with him.

  Roman gets the same look of understanding and winks at me. “That’s right. He’s talked about you a few times, too.”

  “He has?” Claire asks. I wonder if she’s going to die of shock.

  “Indeed. He might even show up tonight. I’ll make sure to send him your way. This is Miranda, by the way,” he introduces his girlfriend.

  As the two girls greet each other, I have to admit Rome and Miranda are kind of perfect for each other. Roman’s gotten a lot of crap this year, and I get it, but I think, deep down, he’s a good guy. And it’s nice that he and Cheyanne can stand to be around one another now. During our first semester, I thought they would kill each other. Whatever issue they had has been resolved, it looks like.

  “Ladies, make sure you grab something to eat. Burgers and dogs are compliments of Nolan’s frat, so make sure you chow down!” With that, he leads Miranda away from our little cluster.

  I turn to Cheyanne. “I thought Roman was a part of the frat?”

  “Oh, no! He thought about it, but with his football schedule and then trying to get back to Columbia on the weekends to see Deacon, it just wasn’t in the cards,” she explains.

  “Oh, okay. That makes a little more sense, then,” I comment.

  “I need a drink,” Lexi declares. We all turn to stare at her. “I’m just kidding.” She laughs and leads us over to the keg.

  True to her word, she hands each of us a red solo cup and then grabs a bottle of water out of a nearby cooler. I sip my beer, more than a little nervous about the events of tonight. I hate myself for thinking revenge is the way to go, but it was Cheyanne and Lexi who convinced me. I’d much rather just sweep the whole problem under the rug and forget about it forever, but with their insistence on me needing closure, I agreed, albeit half-heartedly.

  The truth is, I do need the closure. The two people I trusted the most when I arrived here at Coastal are the ones who betrayed me. How am I ever supposed to be able to trust anyone again? It’s not fair. I just want to disappear into this large crowd, lose myself in the rhythm of the beat and forget about Nolan completely.

  Of course, even I realize how dumb that is. Seeing his demise could be good for me.

  “We’ve got company,” Cheyanne whispers to me, her eyes on the other side of the bonfire.

  I glance in that direction and spot Hazel and Nolan holding hands and heading this way. I swallow the sudden lump in my throat but manage to keep my cool as they approach.

  “Hey, girls,” Hazel greets us, her high-pitched voice like nails on a chalkboard. How could I have once thought this girl and I could be friends?

  “We were just leaving,” Lexi announces, turning away from her step-sister and my ex.

  I turn with her, but a hand on my arm stops me. Nolan, looking hot in his jeans and polo shirt, is staring at me. “Can we talk for a minute?”

  I pull my arm away. “I don’t think so.”

  I’m proud of myself. It takes a lot of willpower for me to resist him. He had such a deep hold on me for so long…

  “At least talk to me, then,” Hazel pleads.

  Knowing that separating her from Nolan is the original plan, I nod my head and then take my beer toward the ocean, glancing back at Lexi and Cheyanne to give them a nod. They will go forward with our plan while I keep Hazel distracted.

  At the water’s edge, we can no longer see Nolan, Cheyanne, Claire, or Lexi, just the blaze of the roaring fire. It’s colder here and I hug myself for warmth.

  “What do you want?” I ask Hazel.

  “I know the past few months have been difficult for you,” she starts.

  “Difficult? You think it’s been difficult for me to be betrayed by my best friend and my boyfriend? To wonder, every single day, what the hell was so wrong with me that he had to go running into the arms of a slutbag like you?” It’s harsh, I know, but what I say is also the truth. Hazel has proven her reputation.

  “You’re right. And I am so sorry for the way it went down. If I could have changed it,” she begins again.

  “You could have changed it,” I say, my voice threatening to close. “You chose to sleep wi
th my boyfriend. Let me ask you something, Hazel – how long were you sleeping with him? How many nights did I leave his room and then you crawled into bed after me? You were never my friend, in any sense of the word. Falling in love with my boyfriend doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person, but acting on those feelings without, at the very least, having a conversation with me, was a bad move. If you think for a single second, that my goal here at Coastal is anything but trying to ruin your life, you’re wrong. Getting a dose of your own medicine seems like the perfect punishment for you.”

  “Nolan loves me. He would never do to me what he did to you,” she defends him.

  I smile as Cheyanne’s bright red hair comes into view. She’s motioning toward me, letting me know they’re ready for the main event.

  “We’ll see about that,” I mutter and then leave Hazel on the beach, willing her to follow me.

  I hear her humph behind me and then she’s just a few steps behind. I don’t stop at the bonfire, choosing instead to lead Hazel to exactly where I know Nolan and Lexi are. The tiny alcove is barely visible to those who don’t know it’s there, but Cheyanne pointed this spot out to me, claiming it would be perfect.

  I stop when I hear them, not sure if I want to see Nolan messing around with yet another girl.

  “What the hell?” Hazel asks, coming up behind me. She hears the moans, too and then takes a step forward, her face contorted in fear. She knows, on some level, what she’s about to find.

  She pulls back a few branches, taking in the scene in the alcove. I step forward to see it, too.

  Nolan already has his pants off and he’s got a hand up Lexi’s skirt. Her breasts are bared to the slight wind, nipples hardened in the cold. They’re lips are locked, tongues dueling. Lexi slides her leg over Nolan, straddling him. Her skirt covers most of what’s happening beneath it, but just as Nolan pulls his hand away, presumably to try to fuck Lexi, Hazel gasps.

  Nolan’s eyes fly to Hazel, then to me. Realization dawns. I give him a little smile and then turn to Hazel. “Once a cheater, always a cheater, Hazel.”

  I turn away, letting them sort out the chaos among themselves. Now I need to forget. I need to get the hell away from these people. They drag me down, and now it feels like I’ve turned into one of them. I can’t be that person anymore. I meander down the beach, drinking my beer.