Chapter 541: Tree Hill High School

Friday, February 24th, Morning

After arriving at school, she followed her regular routine. Once she came into the field house, she said hello to her friends and looked them over. When she noticed one of her friends she wanted to see wasn't there, she excused herself and left the field house.

Sawyer walked through the halls until she arrived at the library. Looking around the tables, Sawyer nodded and headed into the stacks. In a private back area, Sawyer found who she was looking for.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Sawyer asked.

Gareth looked up from the book he was reading. "I'm not avoiding you," Gareth said.

"I've not seen you with the rest of us all week," Sawyer said.

"I've been making up assignments I missed," Gareth said.

"I doubt it," Sawyer said.

"Look, I missed school for the last week; I need to catch up," Gareth said.

"That's bullshit, Gar," Sawyer said.

"What?" Gareth asked.

'Gar, you could never lie to me," Sawyer said.

"I'm not lying," Gareth said.

"You may not be, but you're not telling the whole truth," Sawyer said.

"What do you want me to say, Sawyer?" Gareth asked.

"I want you to tell me everything like you used to," Sawyer said.

"Sawyer, that's the past," Gareth said.

"What's the past?" Sawyer asked.

"What we were, we can never be what we were," Gareth said.

Sawyer shook her head. "I don't understand what you're telling me, Gar," Sawyer said.

Gareth shook his head. "Look, Sawyer, I promised my mom I'd stay out of trouble," he said.

"So, we're not causing trouble if we hang out in the field house," Sawyer said.

"I'm not hanging out in the field house anymore," Gareth said.

"What?" Sawyer asked.

"I can't; if I did, I'd either end up like de Carrouges or Le Gris, and I don't want to be either," Gareth said.

"What are you talking about, Gar?" Sawyer asked.

Gareth shook his head, "Look, Sawyer, we were neighbors growing up. Our parents encouraged and made us be friends," he said.

"It worked out great for us. You've been a great friend to Keni, LK, and me, Gar. You've been our D'Artagnan," Sawyer said.

Gareth put his book down. "That was fine when we were kids, but three years ago, things changed," he said.

"Gar, I know things changed, it changed for everyone, but we don't have to change," Sawyer said.

"Things changed, Sawyer; we came here, you became a cheerleader, you're popular, and, well, I'm just me," Gareth said and sighed.

Sawyer shook her head, "Gar, you've known me since, forever, and you know popularity doesn't mean shit to me," Sawyer said.

Gareth stood up and started to pack up his stuff. He took a hard look at Sawyer. Their eyes met, and they held each other's gaze. Gareth forced his gaze away from Sawyer. "It matters, Sawyer, it matters," Gareth said and walked away.

Sawyer watched Gareth walk away. She took a step forward after him but stopped after that step. She sighed, shook her head, and waited. After Gareth left her vision, she shook her head and walked out of the library.

In a daze, Sawyer wandered back to the field house. Sawyer walked across the court. The dark lights of the field house matched her mood. Finally, she took her seat on the bleachers with most of the Isle of Misfit Toys.

"Sawyer, what's wrong?" Alesha Gregg, the newest member of the group, asked.

"Na, na, nothing," Sawyer said, her bottom lip trembling.

"Are you sure?" Alesha asked.

Sawyer nodded her head.

"Alesha, she's fine; leave her alone," Wendy Kilpatrick said.

"Wendy," Alesha said.

"She's fine," Wendy said.

Another member picked her head up and looked around. After a moment, she sat up and waited a moment before standing up. The short brunette walked down to where Sawyer sat. Kendall "Keni" Stafford took a seat next to Sawyer.

Keni looked at Sawyer. The more petite young woman took Sawyer in, seeing her eyes red-rimmed as the sharp hint of new tears formed. Sawyer's lower lip was trembling, but her body also started to shake.

"What's wrong, honey?" Keni asked.

Sawyer shook and picked up her hands, clenched in two fists that shook. She looked blankly at Keni. "He's not coming back," Sawyer said.

"Who's not coming back, honey?" Keni asked.

"Gar," Sawyer said.

"What? Why isn't he coming back?" Keni asked.

"He said things changed, blaming me for being popular," Sawyer said.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Keni said and hugged Sawyer. Sawyer buried her face into Keni's shoulder. At that moment, Sawyer's resolve broke, and her tears streamed freely.

"Keni?" Lydia "LK" Scott, Sawyer's cousin, asked.

"Yes, LK," Keni said.

"What's going on," LK asked.

"Sawyer is sad, LK," Keni said.

"Why is Sassy sad?" LK asked.

"Gar ended his friendship with Sawyer," Keni said.

"Why did Gareth do that?" LK asked.

"I don't know, LK," Keni said, "I just don't know."

LK nodded, "It makes no sense; Gareth has always been with us," she said.

"I know, LK, I know," Keni said.

Wendy shook her head, "Friends come and go; I'm getting a smoke," she said and stood up.

"Babe, I thought you were giving it up," Dexter "Dex" Matthews said.

"Someday, but not today," Wendy said and walked away. Dex stood up and followed.

"Keni, did I miss something about Sawyer and Gareth?" Alesha asked.

"We've been a group since we were three," Keni said.

"Why would Gareth just end things?" Alesha asked.

"Good question," Keni said, "Good question."

Keni shook her head and kept comforting Sawyer.