It was only when I had arrived that I remembered that I had completely forgotten to get my homework back, so I took out my phone and called Cindy.
It rang three times before she picked up. "Somebody better be dying!" I could hear the dry rasp of her voice.
"Hey...It's Claus. Still hung over?" After a short pause, I could hear a creaking from a distance. Perhaps Cindy getting out of bed
"Ha, somebody is dying. Dude after that stunt you pulled, you better watch your back "
I groaned inwardly. "Yeah, well I need my homework. Do you think I can come pick it up?"
"Did you hear what I just said? You come anywhere near my place–you're going home with that pretty face of yours looking like it got ran over by a truck."
"Eh, I'll take the risk."
"Damn crazy boy." She tsked over the phone. "Wait there."
Without waiting for a response, she hung up on me sounding annoyed.
I figured she forgot to ask so I messaged her. "Thank you, I'll be by the library near the sycamore tree."
I sat by myself for a while, feeling the breeze and the rustle of the leaves, when a girl paused in front of me. She wore an oversized hoodie and fitted jeans. A glow to her that was devoid of everything artificial. She fumbled for words.
"Uh...Lara..."
"W-why Claus?!"
"I..." I didn't expect her here. My knees buckled. I felt like running.
"I hate how you do this Claus! You say things like you're a monster, but you always do something so ...stupidly selfless! Everyone gets whiplash!" She inched closer to me. Her chest heaving and eyes glazing a bit.
"Wh–"
"Let me finish!" She cut me off.
"You know, you were the one person my grandpa trusted with me. You know how hard I vouched for you?" She kept moving closer. "How much I built you up when I talked to him? I made you seem like some Disney prince!"
I flushed. "And just when he was warming up to you, just when his tired arms reached out to you, you decided to slap it off with a lie??"
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize when you don't mean it!" She shouted. "Enough with the martyr act Claus! I'm sick of it!"
"You can hate me, but you don't have to shove it to my face!" I could feel my chest heave as well.
"You idiot! How can you not see the truth when it's staring you right in the face??" She was turning red with frustration.
"You are not making any sense!"
"Shut up! How could you be so cruel Claus? Why did you do what you did? Do not cover for me! You had no business doing what you did!" Her raising her voice triggered me and I stood up to face her.
"Me?! How about you Lara? Do you know what could have happened to you yesterday? You were drunk. In a bar. with strangers! Do you think they'd just lay off of you like I always do? They're men!"
"What??" She looked dumbstruck
"You seem to forget how much appeal you have. What did you think would happen when you come close to a guy and touch their face like this huh??" I strode closer to her and grabbed her arm and pushed it to my face.
"Cl-Claus!"
"Or when you teasingly touch my chest? Lara, are you trying to lead men on?" Now I slid it to my chest.
She then slapped me in the face. "Did it ever occur to you." She confronted me. Her blue eyes a contrast to her fire. "That I was only ever like that..."
She heaved "With you?" She continued lips quivering "How little do you think of me?"
"Like I'm some whore who needs to be watched over or else someone might hurt her?" Her accusation weighed heavy on the air. "I could take it from anyone else. But my best friend?"
I could see her eyes watering. "You who should have known me better than this–"
A whistle cut through the air like the bell in a boxing match. We turned and saw a woman leaning amused by a wall. It was Cindy. In a tank top and ripped denim. Her hair a mess and mascara lingering like a mask.
Lara stood like a deer in the headlights. Her color draining from her face.
"Boy, my brother can really pick a target." She spoke. "You have no place being around adults, Princess. Not if that's how you treat the one guy who gave a damn about you" Her eyes narrowed down on Lara.
Lara was about to retort a response when I came between them. Meeting Cindy's cold gaze with my own.
"You do not talk to her like that."
She clicked her tongue and threw my homework on the ground. She then walked away.
From behind, arms wrapped around me. "I hate how you're always doing this. Why pull me so close to you just to push me away again..."
I could hear her voice crack, and my back grew damp with her tears. "I hate you so much...."