SO SO SO SORRY for not updating in forever. For anyone who reads COI, they know that for a few months I was without internet, and then I've been trying to update COI. But you can thank Cela Fille for encouraging me to update this story!
Derrick POV
I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling, looking over the familiar knots and funny spots in the wood and thinking about everything that had happened today. It was supposed to be a night out with Massie, the night that mended our hanging-by-a-thread-(at least on my end) relationship. Instead, it turned out to be… I didn't know if it would be called a break-up. All I knew was that I didn't like her anymore. I suspected it all along—I was her trophy boyfriend. She liked the idea of me: the hot, popular, rich guy to shower her with attention. Well, I fit the first two requirements, but even though I usually did date the girls who wanted me to shower them with attention (and echem, love), it had recently come to my attention that there was another kind of girl in the world that I'd rather date. And, looking at the ceiling that I memorized in my childhood, I wondered how it was possible that I never saw it before.
XX
Claire POV
I was truly, genuinely, legitimately happy for Kristen. I was surprised when we saw her running behind Derrick towards Dyl's car. I laughed when I pointed out to Dylan that she could probably run faster than him had she known which car she was running to. When she slid in the backseat beside Derrick, it wasn't awkward like I thought it might be. I'd always thought Kristen was too cool to be in Massie's group, and it was just natural to have her joking and laughing and telling us stories of how Massie wanted her and Alicia to come and everything… and just like that, without anyone having to say it, Kristen was included in Dylan's and my little circle. If you could call it that, I mean, there were only two (now three) of us, and it's not like we were all exclusive or anything, but you know. I was just glad that all worked out, because we were glad to have her.
XX
Kristen POV
I was really happy that Dylan and Claire seemed cool with me riding home with them, and it was fun to laugh with them. I hoped they wouldn't mind if I hung out with them now that Massie would probably try to make my life hell.
"So, Kristen, where do you live?" Dylan asked after Claire waved and went inside her house. Derrick had been dropped off, so now it was just us.
"Brickview Apartments," the answer slipped out, even though I had practiced saying "The Montador" ever since I could remember. I cringed internally, but Dylan just nodded and headed off in that direction. I sighed in relief; even Massie and Alicia knew where I really lived. None of the soccer girls knew either, and they were always wondering why I never hosted victory parties at my house, since they thought I was so rich. "You're the only one who knows," I added quietly, hoping she would take the hint, and she looked over at me and smiled.
"Oh, totally. Your secret is safe with me. Well, actually, Claire will find out eventually, so better tell her sooner rather than later. But we are both good secret keepers, we won't let the soccer guys and especially not Massie find out if we can help it." She assured me, and I was happy. Massie had always been all about gossip, gossip points, telling everyone else's secrets, and I really didn't want to be a part of that anymore. "Here you are," Dylan said, and I realized we'd pulled up in front of Brickview.
"Thanks for the ride!" I said, hopping out and shutting the door.
"Yea, call or text tomorrow, and you can probably hang out with me and Claire," she offered through the open window. I nodded and waved, then jogged up the steps and into the building, glad that I would no longer have to deal with backstabbing, and Massie cheating off my tests, and Alicia's whining voice, and the constant pressure to stay on top. I felt happy, relieved, carefree, until I fell back on my bed and remembered that now, instead of having to deal with all the annoying parts of being friends with Massie, I now had to face her wrath. And all I could do was wonder if it was worth it.
XX
Dylan POV
It was fun talking to Kristen. I was glad she felt like she could trust Claire and me with her "big secret", and I knew Claire was really glad she had decided to ditch Massie. But all I could really focus on now was Derrick leaving Massie. Did he not like her anymore? I knew he never liked to be taken for granted, he hadn't since we were in diapers, practically. So, was he disappointed that she had treated him like a trophy boyfriend and only broken up with her because he felt like he should? Or did he actually not really like her anymore and was glad they broke up? And, if so, was it possible that he could like me? Probably not, but maybe now we would hang out more and have more movie nights and stuff, since he was single. Or it could go the other way, he could want to go out and party more to try and get a new girlfriend. I sighed, wishing I had the answers. I hated that love was something that was so hard to control. I mean honestly, you can say you are over someone as many times as you want, but if you really like(d) them, you will still feel the tug at your heart when you see or think of them. I hated that about Derrick. I didn't think I could ever get over him, but it didn't seem likely that he would ever come running to me.
Is Kristen in this story starting to sound too much like Kristen in COI? And if so, do you think it's an issue? Also, I always hate to be one to beg for reviews, I really do write for the fun of it, but if any of you feel like checking out my one shot "Lasting Impressions", it'd be nice because I think I only got one review for that story. Oh well. Thanks for reading, everyone. This might be wrapped up pretty soon, let me know if you direly want something to happen before the end.
~carefree