Chapter 5

Today is the day I tell my best friend what happened. I tell him that I was jerk and that I wanted to him to be happy but it just didn't turn out that way. I really don't want to tell him that I stole the first girl he has liked in his life. I stole the only girl that actually was good for him. I feel awful and I can feel my stomach turn. I can't believe I did this to him. Ryder has had my back since we were in diapers. He has gotten me through the toughest times and yet I screw him over. For a girl. Who am I kidding? Marley Rose is not just a girl. She's different. She is special and when I think about her and her soft lips on mine, I don't regret a thing. I feel bad but I will never regret it.

I've never felt so close to anyone like I do with her. I've never felt so much like myself than when I'm with her. I call it a miracle but I guess it's just the way she makes people feel. I'm just the lucky bastard who gets to hog it for a while.

A walk through the slightly empty streets of my hometown. Everyone is going about their day, like any other. Things don't really change around here. It's been the same since forever and it will stay like that forever too.

I look around, trying to spot my brown haired friend and I spot him at our spot, in front of the mini-market. He's sitting with our friends, laughing and just having a good time and for a minute I think about turning around and not saying anything at all but I know that people will see me with her. They will see me kiss her and with my arm around her and they will talk. They will tell him and that will make it worst.

I take a deep breath and I walk. My hands are in my pocket and walk right up to him. "Puckerman!" one of the cheers and the others look my way. I give them my usual 'I don't care/hello' nod and I look at Ryder. "Can I talk to you?" I said softly.

Ryder raises his eyebrow. He can see in my eyes that what I need to tell him is important while the rest snicker. "Are you finally going to confess your love?" One says and they laugh.

"I've been waiting for you crazy kids to get together" another one chimes in and I glare at them. The laughter is quickly gone and Ryder stands up. "Sure buddy" he says and we both walk away from the rest of the group. I don't even know why I hang out with the rest of the guys. I barely like one of them but I guess is more of them following me around, than me hanging out with them.

I keep repeating the words in my head because I still don't know how am I going to tell him. Ryder called this girl the one and I stole her. I broke the code. I think about how am I going to tell him but as soon as he are a few steps away from everyone I blurt it out. "I kissed her"

Ryder raises his eyebrow again, confuse. "Who?"

I swallow hard and I try to keep calm. "Marley" I said.

"Marley? My girlfriend?" he asked in shock.

"Well... she wasn't your girlfriend..." I murmur.

"But she was going to be!" He yelled and I am surprise. I've never see Ryder yell at me before. Heck I've never heard him raise his voice at anyone but if yelling is all I get, then I'm lucky but it's not. "You selfish bastard!" He yells again and throws a punch, one that I didn't see coming. It hits me square in the jaw and I fall to the ground. The pain is pretty immense. I didn't think he was that strong. My throat feels weird and spit blood.

"I'm sorry" I say as I look up at him, hoping he looks a little guilty for punching me but all I see is rage.

"You're sorry?" He spat angrily and kicky me right between my stomach and my chest. "You couldn't take that a girl was interested in me instead of you?" he yells out as he keeps on kicking me. The top side of his shoes hits my chest, my stomach, my face and even my private area. I can just stand up and punch him back but I know I deserve it. "You're just like your father. A no good back stabber" he growls before he throws the last kick and walks away.

I lay there, unmovingly and I know this is what ends our friendship.

After a couple of minutes of laying there I got up and went home, thanking god that my mother is still not home and wash myself. I clean out the blood from everywhere and treat the open cut his shoe left on my face. As I get out, I look myself in the mirror and I can already see my face starting to swell. There is no way I will be able to hide this.

I glance at Marley's room and I see a note written on her mirror. She wants me to meet her for lunch and after everything that happened, all I want is to see her.

I take my jacket and a pair of sunglasses and make my way to the local burger place. I see her as start to get closer but she's not alone. Instead she is sitting with a bunch of girls I've hooked up in the past. I stand back and listen to what they say.

"Why him? He's so silent?" One scoffs.

"yeah. He doesn't even smile"

"He is so rude"

"And so not romantic" they all chime in and roll my eyes and for a minute I think that it's doom because they are right. I'm none of those things.

"He is with me" Marley says and I chuckle. The noise gets their attention and they all look at me. 5 girls are glaring at me and one is smiling. Marley stand up and smiles politely at them before she runs my way.

I stand back and lower my head so she can't see my bruise face but I know she will.

"Jake!" she said as she stops in front of me. I can already hear the smile on her face turning down. "Oh my god!" she exclaims and lifts up my head and takes of my glasses.

"Hi" I said lamely.

"Hi?" She asked, crossing her arms. "What happened?" She asked, running her fingers over my wounds.

"I told him" I said softly as I lower my head again.

There is silence between us and then I hear a small sob. "It's my fault" she whispers. I look up and I see a tear running down her pale perfect cheek and my heart swells. He wrap my arms around her and I pull her into my chest. I feel her hands grip tightly on my shirt as she buries her face on my chest.

"It's not your fault. I wanted you. I wanted this" I said kissing the top of her head.

"But I..."

"Nothing Marley" I said and I pull her back to look into her eyes. "If I had to do it all over again, I would" I said and I leaned down until my lips met with hers. The kiss is shy at first and then I feel her open her mouth. I place my hand against her neck and I deepen the kiss. My knee weaken and my heart pounds a little bit harder and I know that even thought I lost my best friend and I got the worst beating of my life, I would do it all over again just to be able to kiss her just like I am.