F O U R
"Get your hands off her!" Alex screeched and hastily began stomping over to us. Miley followed behind her awkwardly, yet still furious with Nate.
A light smile fluttered over my lips. "Guys it's ok. Nate is like my best friend." I amended expecting the tight air to calm but when have things gone my way? This just made Alex scowl and snatch me away from him. Nate stood up with anger darkening his features and glared at the girls.
"Let her go!" She did as she was told and approached Nate, getting in his face. They glowered at each other and I glanced at Miley hunting for some answers.
"Back off Alex! Mitchie is my best friend, you've known her for like 3 hours!" Alex clenched her fists, the wall of hatred returning. I had the urge to grab everyone hands and start singing Why Can't We Be Friends? I really didn't understand why such sweet girl like Miley and Alex would despise him so much. Did he step on their cat or something?!
"It doesn't matter. Just stay away from her Gray." She spat the last word, laced with venom and stomped away with me. I resisted the urge to look back at Nate, seeing him pissed at the two girls and most likely with me. Ugh this is all my fault!
"I thought we told you to stay away from them?" Miley whispered, still a little uncomfortable. I raised my eyebrows questionably. She seemed less angry with Nate and more . . . awkward. Whoa, did they date or something?
"Ok I guess I should explain. I used to be best friends with the Gray boys. They were like my brothers. After I moved away we never spoke. Only Nate had the guts and kindness to actually speak to me, as for Jason made a visit twice. Shane never made contact, so I hate him." I tried my best –of course failing—to not spit his name out. Just the thought of him curled my heart.
"Yeah and every other person at this school, besides the girls falling at his feet." Alex grumbled. I watched her with curiosity. They were hiding something. Miley sighed.
"We'll explain everything after school. Come over to my house ok?" Alex asked, tossing away her empty soda can. I nodded and they smiled.
"Come on, we don't wanna be late for Geometry." Miley giggled and jumped into another animated story.
*After School*
Alex parked her light blue Porsche in the circular, brick driveway and we all climbed out. The Russo home was a tall, white 2 story house with large glass windows, a clear red brick roof, and a wooden, deep brown garage. Opposed to my deep coffee brown 2 story house with a reddish brown garage, and similar large windows.
"Wow Lex, your house is beautiful!" She laughed and we all filed into the kitchen. I took in the scene of the wide kitchen with buttery yellow walls, pure white cabinets with gray handles and a beige circular table by the windows beside the marble grayish blue island.
"Thanks." I plopped down on the island, facing the girls like at lunch and waited patiently. They stared at each other, having a silent conversation then warily turned to me. I sucked in a breath to prepare for their "news" of what I left damaged.
"So what's the story?" My voice shook nervously. I wasn't exactly sure I wanted to know. Miley bit down on her lip and Alex took a steady breath. My neck was foaming with sweat as my heart began to pop unevenly. It was like they were telling me about someone's death, and I didn't like it.
"Ok, first off the Shane you know, the sweet, funny guy you described him as, doesn't exist. Then with Nate, we hate him because Nate used to be my best friend in middle school. Once we got to high school he became all weird and moody, a total jerk and we started to drift away. Soon enough he was on the football team, all popular with his wonderful older brother and we never spoke again." My mouth warped dry from hanging open and I replayed what she had just said in my mind.
"But today, Nate was so nice and friendly . . ." Miley scoffed. I couldn't piece together my sweet "little brother" Nate as moody and especially not a jerk! He was always to quiet and to himself with everything, but always caring to everything around him just like his older brother use to be. The thought of Nate becoming –or already—an ass like Shane made my stomach roll.
"Yeah, we have no clue what that was about. I guess seeing you got him all excited and he actually acted human. But you saw how jerky he turned when I came around right?" A flashback of Nate's livid features whooshed through my brain
". . . yeah." Alex nodded. Why is it when I leave my brothers just fall apart? I wondered if Jason was still normal. I hadn't spoken to him since last Christmas. And last time I checked he was still the emphatic older brother I loved to death.
"Um, what about Jason?" Remorse filled Selena's eyes and she sighed sadly. Miley placed her hand over mine.
"Uh, well Mitch, Jason got cancer just a few months ago and he-" I sprung up, my eyes swelling with water instantly and the tears spilled from face.
"NO!" I shouted. Miley tugged me into a tight hug, rubbing my back. I just stood frozen, finding it impossible that my funny, silly, Jason was . . . no longer living. Alex stopped Miley's caressing plopping her hands over shoulders and swiping my tears that had absentmindedly fallen over.
"No honey, he didn't die. He's just been sick in the hospital for awhile. But don't worry; he's getting better each day." I sighed with relief and sat back down, internally laughing at how ridiculous I must look with my mascara smudged all over my eyes.
"Is that why the boys are so . . . heartless?" Alex laughed bitterly for a second. I suddenly gained sympathy for Shane. It was slightly understandable be him to be so mean if his brother was sick and never around but I felt like maybe there was more to his "jerkiness" than that.
"Nope. Shane has been that way since 8th grade and 9th for Nate. It has nothing to do with Jason." I nodded, chewing on the inside of my cheek. That was something I emphatically didn't want to be right about. There was something deeper to Shane's pain, and I was sure it involved me.
"Maybe we could visit Jas this weekend?" I pondered out loud. "He's not a jerk too is he?" Their laughed soaked the room and Miley smiled.
"Naw, Jason is still the nicest, funniest guy we know. We visit him all the time. You are welcome to join us Saturday?" I grinned.
"Yeah that'd be great. So let's get started on that math homework." We all groaned and picked up our bags, heading to Lex's room
*Saturday*
Surprisingly, I hadn't seen Shane all week, or spoken to Nate at all. I guess having such a big school it was hard to remain contact with people in different classes. I sighed and stepped out of the steaming shower, going to get dressed.
Today was the glorious day I got to visit Jason in the hospital. Maybe if I was lucky, I would get a few minutes alone with Nate. I changed into a comfortable outfit quickly and left my bangs hanging over my eyes, and curled my hair.
Mitchie's Outfit : .com/cgi/app#foo
A car horn blared from outside, and in my window I saw Alex's car, waiting in my driveway. I smiled and grabbed my phone, shoving it into my back pocket and rushed downstairs.
"Hey girly!" Miley laughed as I hopped into the backseat, hugging her next to me.
"Hey guys." I grinned at them. We had spent all week together and I was truly grateful to meet such great friends.
"Excited to see Jason?" I squealed in anticipation, sending Alex laughing hysterically. I hadn't actually seen him for months and missed him horribly, dying to just see his warm smile and know he was ok. I could only imagine how devastated Mrs. Gray must be.
I wiggled out of my thoughts to reply. "Yes!" I shouted enthusiastically. Alex turned down the radio, leaving it a soft background sound and looked at me in the rearview mirror.
"Unfortunately, we have to stop by at the Gray house because someone offered us to drive Nate!" Alex glared at Miley sourly. She shrugged.
"He was going anyway!" Miley defended herself and I laughed. I really had missed Nate a lot and it was hilarious when I found out about Miley huge crush on him. They would probably make a killer couple.
"Well we're here. So let's all get down." I stared at the big, pale peached colored house, surprised. It hadn't changed since I moved, besides the cars parked in the driveway. I noted the bloody red Mercedes and sleek silver Lexis. Gosh, I guess Mr. G was really getting good work.
I trailed behind the girls with my nerves piercing my stomach as we approached the door. What if Shane was home? I shivered and the butterflies attacked me at the thought of seeing him again. I shook my head and waited as Miley rung the bell. Alex crossed her arms stubbornly, obviously reluctant to be here.
Mrs. Gray opened the white, painted chipped door, a warm smiling stretched on her face. She didn't seem at all surprised to see Miley and Alex there. She held the same short, and wildly curly brown hair that hung around her kind face. I took a step forward and Denise eyes tripled in size, unbelieving.
"MICHELLE! Oh my goodness honey!!" She yanked me into a bone crushing hug, silently sobbing into my hair. I smiled and hugged her back, forcing back tears of my own seeing her again, and of course just standing in front of this house with a million memories I had tucked away were buzzing at me.
"Hello Denise." She smiled and rubbed my arm, motherly as she was before, my second mom.
"Oh! Wait until Jason sees you. He will be so happy." I grinned cheerfully at the thought. It somehow still baffled me why she didn't say Shane would be so happy to see me. I figured on my own, he probably detested me, but it still stung. I looked back at her delicate deep brown eyes compassionately.
"I'm so sorry." She shook her head.
"Sweetie, don't be. I'm so happy to have you here. Nate will be back in a second, so make yourselves at home." Mama G settled us into the familiar, comfortable leaving room. She went off to call Paul about my appearance. I stared at the staircase warily. If I were to see him . . .
"He's home you know. He doesn't have any life when he's not with the girlfriend of the week." Alex stated flatly. I nodded attempting to be impervious though I was dying to just run up those stairs and find what I had left.
"I'm going to the bathroom." I strolled up the stairs, already knowing where the bathroom was. Perfect, next to his room. Loud, depressing rock music blasted from the closed door. I watched it, waiting for something to happen. It felt like at any moment it was swing open, unveiling Shane and I could just-
"MOTHER F--MITCHIE?!" My head snapped forward to be eyelevel with a muscular chest, covered in a black tight shirt. I peeked up to see the devil himself towering a good 8 inches over me. And I thought Nate had a growth spurt!
My breath washed away seeing his delicate, tan face, captured by silky black locks, and lightened by tender golden eyes. My scrawny, geeky awkward 13 year old best friend, was gorgeous. What. The. Hell.
"Woah ! What the fuck happened to you?! When did you get boobs?! And your hair and your face and . . . CURVES?!!" Shanee shouted at me, his eyes ranking every inch of my body. I blushed self consciously, folding my arms over my chest. His voice had me frozen. It was deep as hell, and soothing, nothing like the voice in my memories.
"The same time your voice stop cracking." I teased awkwardly. I gazed into his eyes, feeling . . . dazzled. Shane stared back at me, with disbelief screaming in his eyes but behind that I saw some emotion he was . . . fighting.
"What are you doing here?!" He hissed, his cold tone chilling my body. Words seemed distant looking at him at this point. The infuriation and loathing in his voice completely crushed the one in Alex's. I couldn't breathe or even think as Shane glared at me, his look like an ice sword to my wounds.
"Mitchie we have to go!" Miley screamed from downstairs. Shane's eyes slammed and narrowed, sending me into a daze of fright. My heart was blaring in my chest and my legs felt glued to the cold tile floors that once was my second home.
"You show up to my house uninvited and with STEWART?!" I back away slowly and terrified, stumbling downstairs.
I think now was a good time to see Jason.
