March 7, 1996
"She cried," Alice says matter-of-factly as we're quizzing each other for our German test.
We've known each other almost our whole lives. Our parents have been friends since we were both toddlers. There was a period of time during middle school where we only tolerated each other for their sake, but we've grown closer over the last few years.
Part of me wants to deny that I know she's talking about you, but she knows better. "Jesus, Alice. You have to bring that up now?
"When did you want me to bring it up?"
"Maybe never," I mumble into a placemat.
"Wie sagt man 'I am a total asshat' auf Deutsch?"
"Alice."
"What? You need me to translate it for you?"
I bang my open palm on the table. "How am I an asshat?" I'm trying not to shout, not to take my frustration out on her. "Please tell me how any of this is my fault."
She raises an eyebrow but keeps her mouth shut. It's a rhetorical question anyway.
"Bella wrote the note. You gave it to me. Tanya found it. Tanya called her. How is that my fault? Shit, Alice, I apologized. What more do you want?"
Alice shrugs and picks up her pen to doodle in my notebook. "You could've told her you had a girlfriend. I didn't know you and Tanya were that big of a big deal. You're so private about that shit. If I'd known, I would've told her when she started asking about you. You could've called her or at least sent her a note through me."
Only one part of her accusation sticks out. "Wait…when did she start asking about me?"
"Does it matter?"
I sigh and look down at my notebook, where Alice has scrawled a word in tiny print across the top of my page of notes.
Arschloch. Asshole.
Instead of being angry, I'm amused. From the corner of my eye, I see Alice smiling triumphantly. I bite back a grin and shake my head. But my curiosity gets the best of me.
"When did she cry?" I ask softly, pretending to be nonchalant as I shut my German book and crack open my calculus notes.
"When Tanya called. Bella called me after, all upset. She was really hurt."
I scrub a hand over my face. I didn't know. I didn't know that had hurt you so badly.
"And then again today. After this morning. Edward, she started crying as soon as she turned the corner of the science building. We skipped bio and sat in my car for an hour."
This is a complete surprise. I want to defend myself, to tell her that you were the one who walked away.
Alice sits back in her chair, biting her lip and tapping a pen rapidly against the cover of her textbook. "Wanna go get blazed?"
I laugh, but nothing's funny. "As much as I'd like to, I can't." I have to meet my dad in an hour at the assisted living place across town. My volunteer work there started out as punishment, but…I like it.
"So what are you gonna do?"
"Hell, I don't know."
"You like her."
It's a statement, not a question. I don't deny it, but I can't confirm it either. I can't say that I like you. I don't know you. But I like the idea of you. And Christ, you're pretty.
"Call her."
"Isn't that what started this mess in the first place?"
"Not technically. You didn't call her last night," she points out.
"I don't know."
Alice rolls her eyes and starts shoving books and papers into her bookbag. She stands and hoists it onto her back. "Just remember what I said. You can't play with her. She's not like Tanya. Or anyone else you've dated."
"No one's playing anything, Alice," I say through gritted teeth.
She ruffles my hair and squeezes one arm around my shoulders. She's got a strong grip for such a tiny person. "See you tomorrow. Tell Esme I'm stealing some crack."
I hear her rustling around in the kitchen for my mom's famous triple chocolate cookies before the front door opens and closes, and then the house is quiet again.
I slam my calculus book shut and slouch down in my chair. There's no way I'm getting anything done now.
A/N: I know this one's short, but chapter five will be posted in just a little bit. Thanks so much for the faves and reviews. And thanks to RachelFish, who's, like, my favorite. ;)
