Chapter 17 Whatcha Say

AN: I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter. : ( I know you guys are reading it, but I want to know what you think! Please please please review!

Wha- wha- what did she say? Mmmm whatcha say, Mmm that you only meant well? Well of course you did Mmmm whatcha say, Mmmm that it's all for the best? Of course it is

I was so wrong for so long Only tryin' to please myself (myself) Girl, I was caught up in her lust When I don't really want no one else So, no I know I should of treated you better But me and you were meant to last forever

So let me in (let me in) give me another chance (another chance) To really be your man Cause when the roof caved in and the truth came out I just didn't know what to do But when I become a star we'll be living so large I'll do anything for you So tell me girl

I stood listening to Ariana drone on and on about how I should be into this type of thing. I wasn't really listening. I felt two arms wrap around me. Thinking it was Thomas, I turned around to yell at him and I found myself face to face with Josh.

"What the Hell are you doing here Reed? I thought I told you these girls were bad news." Josh ranted.

"You're such a hypocrite Josh. Aren't you here too? How is it any different?" I asked, but walked away before he could respond.

I couldn't deal with this, so much for Josh being sweet. I couldn't believe him! I needed to leave, now! I started walking out of the clearing when Noelle walked up.

"Hollis Hugger! Where are you going? You promised you'd stay." Noelle said.

"1, don't ever call me that again, and 2, I said I'd come, not that I'd stay. I'm leaving now." I didn't feel like explaining what happened to Noelle, I just had to leave.

"Do you even know how to get back?" Noelle asked.

"No, but I'll find my way back eventually," I said.

"Yeah right! You go the wrong way and you'll be walking for miles." Noelle countered and grabbed my wrist. "You sure you want to leave?"

I yanked my wrist out of her grasp and kept walking ignoring her question. My leaving would be answer enough.

Despite Noelle's assumptions, I made it back fine. I didn't want to deal with any crap so when I got back to my room straight away I told Constance I didn't feel well and went to bed.

The weekend passed uneventfully, but on Monday, the inevitable happened. I was walking to my dorm at lunch, I didn't want to eat and I didn't want to socialize, with anyone, when I passed Josh. He tried to talk to me, but I didn't want to hear it. I gave him a wide berth and kept walking. Josh looked put-out, but he deserved it, he'd treated me horribly. I tried to look like I didn't notice what I was doing to him, but I felt horrible. I didn't want to hurt him, but I wasn't ready to face him.

Not long after I passed Josh, I saw Thomas.

"Reed!" He yelled "finally giving up on that hopeless case?" He continued, gesturing toward Josh. "You finally warming up to me Reed?" He asked.

I shuddered, but didn't bother to answer his question. "Thomas, just leave me alone. I don't want to deal with your crap right now." I told him overly bluntly. Thomas looked shocked and a little hurt. By now I knew better, his ego was too big to be hurt in the slightest.

Josh POV

Why? Why did I always do this? I hurt Reed and I hated myself for it. I wished once again that I could turn back time and make things right. Of course, I couldn't. I figured Reed and I wouldn't see each other until I went to her room to find her.

On my room to Reed's room, I saw her walking behind me. So I turned and began walking the opposite way so that our paths would cross. I opened my mouth to apologize as I came close to her, but she just walked around me, without even looking at me. I guessed I deserved that, but I was still hurt. She barely even looked at me. I sat on the side of the path, normally I would go to the Art Cemetery to mope, but I didn't care anymore. I was losing the most important person in my life. She didn't freak out when I told her my deepest, darkest secrets, and she genuinely cared about me. I didn't want her out of my life, so in an effort to keep her close to me, I was overbearing and overprotective, in my efforts, I had pushed her away. Maybe if I told Reed this, she would forgive me, at least a bit. It couldn't make things worse. At least if she yelled at me or told me she hated me, she would be acknowledging me. That would be better than this, much better. My plan had only one flaw. Would she listen to me? I had to try, if I had to talk through the door, I would, if it took barging into her class, it would happen, well in any class but Mr. Barber's, he'd probably get me expelled.

I got up and sprinted at full speed towards Reed, as Reed came into view, I saw Thomas walking toward me.
"Guess she's moved on." Thomas said, and kept walking.

What? I hadn't expected that. Mad, yes, but moved on? No, not so soon. Now I really have to talk to her. I hoped Thomas was just lying to me. Yes, that was it, but I had to know for sure.

I finally made it to Reed's dorm room. I knocked, and knocked, and knocked. Where the Hell was she? I was still knocking when Constance opened the door. It took a few seconds and Constance calling my name for me to realize that I was still knocking on a door that wasn't there.

"Is Reed here?" I asked anxiously as I lowered my hand.

"No sorry Josh." Constance replied curtly.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"Umm… I think she went to the soccer field." Constance admitted nervously, she probably wasn't supposed to tell me.

"Thanks Constance, and I promise I wont tell Reed that you told me." I assured her.

She breathed a sigh of relief as I raced off to the soccer fields to find Reed.