Chapter 57 - Shitty Friend.

Lance.

''What do you think is wrong with him?'' I walk down the halls with Jack and Eren, my backpack over my shoulder. We are on our way to class.

''Maybe he the wedding took a toll on him,'' he suggests. 

I didn't tell him about the day at the wedding, I didn't feel it was right to tell them about it but the fact that it has been two days and he has been avoiding me, stings. I have tried, I didn't bring up what happened that evening. I wanted him to be comfortable around me but he seems to be in his own head. Today is Monday, he missed school saying he wasn't feeling up to it. We are in two different schools; my school is like a charity project for his. I can't be missing classes cause I actually want to graduate. I want to get into a good college. That is the only way we would actually be free.

I have it all planned out. 

We act until no one can control us again. 

We can't start to misbehave until we can stand on our own. I can't survive without my mother yet. I know he has money but I don't want to depend on him fully. I want to contribute to our relationship—fuck I don't know if we are still even in a relationship.

''Have you tried talking to him about it?'' this time Eren asks. We stop in front of my locker and I open it, grabbing my Math textbook. 

Eren knows about my relationship, at first, I thought it wasn't a good idea to tell him about it because we are supposed to be a secret but he is one of my best friends and we couldn't keep him out of it. 

''He doesn't even talk to me,'' I cry desperately, for a solution. 

''I think you should tell him how you feel, don't just bottle it all in. I heard that shit messes up relationships.'' Jack advises me.

I cover my face with my hands as I close my locker. It is easier said than done, how do I talk to him when he has the covers over his face and he wouldn't even look at me, he wouldn't talk to me. I am trying to figure out what is wrong with him. there has to be an explanation. How can he hot today and then cold the next moment?

Jack slaps my shoulder ''Come on man, let's get to class.'' They walk ahead of me. I grab my phone from my side pocket and dial his number. 

It goes straight to voicemail as I thought it would. I hear his voice on the other end of the line and I suddenly realise how much I miss happy Ford. I don't like the way he is right now and there is nothing I can do. he wouldn't even talk to me, so how can I help someone when I don't even know what is wrong. 

''Hi baby, I miss you. Please talk to me.'' I end the voicemail with so much dread and sadness as I run over to my friends. 

After class as I shuffle my books into my bag, Elizabeth a girl in my class walks over to us with a flier in her hand. ''Hi guys,'' she says cheerfully. Her eyes are on Jack but she is talking to all of us. 

Remember when I said Jack was a popular guy that wasn't really in the IN crowd. Well, moments like this just showed how loved he is by everyone. The only reason she is even talking to us is because of him. 

''Hey Liza,'' he winks, she squeals like a little girl and I roll my eyes. 

''So, there's a party tonight at the Hive.'' She gives him the flier and I lean over closer to him to see it. 

Party again. I don't know why Jack is always involved when it comes to parties and he always ends up roping me into them. I fucking hate parties, I hate them with my soul and every other organ in my body. 

''We will be there,'' he winks, again. 

I groan because I don't want to go to a party on a Monday night. We have school the next day, I don't know if they all realise. We will all end up drunk and with a hangover at school. Not the best idea to have a party on a weekday but as usual, high school kids don't fucking think. 

Elisabeth walks away from us with a wave and back to her group of friends. I watch them as she tells them something which ends up with them squealing in unison. 

I roll my eyes as I stand up from my chair. Jack and Eren follow behind me. ''Don't even try and convince me because I am not going for this party. There is no way in hell you are going to drag me to this thing.''

I warn him even though I know myself and I know my best friend. We have this discussion—or should I say argument every time there is a party. I beg him and tell him that I am not interested and he ends up pleading or using something against me, like how he would do anything for me if the tables were turned. 

Eren chuckle because he has witnessed this first hand. 

He also knows that I will give in. jack has my dummy button that he always presses to get what he wants. 

''Wait, let me tell you why you need to go for this party.'' He stops me in the hallway. 

It is time for Lunch so we are heading to the cafeteria as we usually do every lunch period. 

I roll my eyes ''Lemme guess, it'll be fun?'' he shakes his head ''There will be a lot of cute girls—oh wait since I am gay now, guys?'' 

He slaps his forehead dramatically ''Dude, do you want to stay in that house when Ford is not even talking to you?'' 

Ouch. 

He brings up the one thing that has been bothering me all day. ''You're an ass.'' I push him away from me but he just grabs my arm to stop me from escaping. 

''I didn't mean it that way. You are being extra sensitive right now.'' 

I groan because he is right. Jack is the only one that calls me out when I start to act up. He is the only one that is allowed to be brutally honest with me. ''Why don't you just invite Camilla?'' I remind him about his on and off fling for the past couple of weeks. 

He shakes his head but remains quiet. Jack is never quiet, so there is something sus about this. 

''What happened?'' 

We get to the entrance of the cafeteria and to the line with our trays. I nudge him because the silence is eating me ''We broke up,'' he shrugs like it is no big deal. 

I furrow my brows in confusion because he is saying this so casually almost like he is already over it. Jack was head over heels for this girl. How come he didn't tell me about this.

''When?'' 

He shrugs again ''About a week ago.''

I frown not liking the answers he is giving me. He went a whole week without telling me something so important in his life. Have I been so self-involved that I didn't even notice? 

I feel like the shittiest friend right now.

''Why didn't you tell me?'' I stop him from walking. 

He sighs ''It is not a big deal.'' 

''She was to you,'' I remind him of how infatuated he was with her. How is it suddenly not a big deal? 

''You were dealing with shit.''

I frown ''What shit?''

He shrugs ''Family shit… remember?''

I know I have stuff that I am going through but our friendship is not onesided. This is a two-way street, so what gives him the right to decide, what I should be involved in and what I shouldn't. 

I am pissed. 

''So… you were all smiles with me even though you were going through this? Eren did you know about this?'' I face my other friend. 

He has a guilty expression on his face. the realisation that I was the last to know hits me and this makes me even angrier. 

''Fuck you guys,'' I walk away from them and to the door of the cafeteria. Jack is the only one I have. He is my best friend and he kept this from me. what do we have if we don't even have transparency? 

''Stop being dramatic,'' he grabs my hand as I walk out of the lunchroom. 

''You're a fucking asshole. Why would you keep a break up from me? we have a tradition.'' 

After a breakup, well after Jack breaks up with a girlfriend. We always end up in my room with the biggest tub of ben and jerry chocolate flavour and we have to eat it all. He went through this breakup without our tradition. Of course, I am pissed. 

''Do you remember the night you brought Ford over passed out drunk?'' he reminds me.

I nod. 

''We broke up a couple of minutes before you called me down. it didn't seem like the right time to talk about it.'' 

If I felt like a shitty friend then, now I even feel worse. How come I didn't notice?

''I am not trying to make you feel even worse. I just want you to know that I didn't tell you because what you were going through then was worse than my break up with Camille. You have been there for me through all my breakups. This is the first time you are in a relationship, one that is not even straight forward. I am being there for you.''

I sigh because he always knows how to make me feel better. He might not have been there for my breakups but he has been there in general. He is my brother, my best friend and I love him with all my heart. 

''Fine, we will go for this party.'' 

He makes a fist in the air and as usual, Jack gets his way.