Chapter 21: Chapter 21

I swallowed, feeling embarrassment rise in my chest, I was here crying like a loser because he was not "looking for friends.." so what if some cute transfer student didn't want to be my friend? I didn't want to be his either. I had my own friends, really good ones.

Standing up with the last shred of dignity I owned, I dusted myself, and strut away. Not slowing down to let him follow or check if he was following.

"Why did you guys take so much time?" Mom asked frowning as I came out to the clearing.

"No reason." I murmured.

I sat down on my side of the picnic mat. I felt everyone's eyes on me, so I look up, they kept staring at me weird.

"What?" I snapped, I didn't mean for it to sound like that but I was already in a sour mood from my earlier brawl with Joseph.

"Did you kill him and hide his body in the woods??" Gabby asked.

"Kill who?" My eye brows almost touching in confusion.

Gabby gasped too dramatically. I pushed my glasses back up my nose and went back to my burger.

"Where is Joseph honey?" Mom asked looking at me intently.

"I wish I killed him." I mumbled to myself.

But it looked like everyone heard me because mom and dad looked shocked, while Gabby looked like she won the lottery. And Lucy she laughed.

"You feel that way about him too?" She asked as if it was a normal occurrence for someone to want to kill her younger brother.

"Young lady, where is Joseph?" Dad asked in his stern voice, but I was actually too mad to get scared.

"I really don't know, he was behind me, I guess he wanted to take a stroll or something, now can we move past this topic and let me finish up my food?? We aren't even friends, stop asking me about him." I snap.

For a full minute, it felt like the world stopped, nobody made a sound, it was deathly quiet. Almost like the birds and trees knew something was off, because everything stood still. I breathed raggedly. Frustration seeped through my bones, why did I want to get close to him? Why did he blow me off? Why did it bother me so much that he blew me off? Why did it hurt? Why?

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Mom asked hesitantly.

I took a deep breath and breathed out, when my breathing was even again, I turned to look at them, throwing in my picture perfect student body president smile.

"Yes I am."

"We can't say the same for Joseph though, I'll go find him." Dad said getting up, worry etched into his features.

I wanted to open my mouth in protest but the said person came out of the opposite side of the clearing, looking flustered. My heart did a summersault after seeing him. I scoffed, looking elsewhere, I couldn't stand the way I was feeling towards him. What was it anyway?

"Where are you coming from?" I heard Lucy's confused voice ask.

"I don't know, one minute I was following the candy lady over there, and she suddenly walked too fast and left me behind, totally forgetting I just came here.."

I turned to face him just as he said that, I found him scowling at me seriously. Candy lady??

"Carrie is the candy lady??" Gabby asked laughing like her life depended on it. But everyone ignored her, everyone but me, I glared at her heavily.

"I walked around for what felt like eternity, before I saw the path that led me here, your property is really large Mr Anderson." He finished, while smiling at my Dad.

My heart did a little dance at his smile.

"I'm glad you are back safe, come have something to drink." Mom offered him.

He shot her a small smile and walked to her, sitting beside her, he took the drink she offered. I looked away, the harsh words he said earlier rang in my ears.

"So Joseph, what schools did you apply for?" Dad asked, as usual. He always wanted to know everyone's future plans.

Lucy looked at Joseph intently. As if she too always wondered what her brother's plans were but couldn't ask him.

"Honestly, I haven't applied yet... I don't think I will." He answered with a blank expression, he took a swing of his soda.

"You have something else in mind?" Dad asked him again. I wanted to hear his plans, but I felt dad was prying and I wasn't sure Joseph liked that.

"Yes I do." He said, but I felt he didn't.

Dad smiled in approval, I don't know what he was approving, but he approved.

"And what about you?" Lucy asked me.

"I applied for a few, but I've got my heart set on Yale... it's been my dream school since forever.." I answer, a genuine smile playing on my lips.

"But their admission is pretty tough, I don't know if I'll get it.."

"Don't be silly, I heard about you the first day I came here, I know you'll get it, you are extremely smart."

I smiled in appreciation. Joseph snorted. My head whipped in his direction. Irritation building up in my system.

"Excuse me?"

"You are excused." He said in a very mocking tone.

"You have a problem with me?"

"Do YOU have a problem with me?" He asked back.

By this time, my irritation was already sky high.

"You know you are the most annoying person on Earth."

"And you are the most boring human on Earth, "my dream school since forever.." eww". His imitation of my voice was the worst thing on Earth.

"Boring?"

"Yeah, you don't have a social life, everything about you is too..." He hung, thinking of the word to use.

"Is too YOU!" he said finally.

"Is too me? What does that even mean?"

"It means you have no life outside your books."

I folded my arms across my chest. My cheeks flammed in anger, my glasses itched my nose, adding to my anger. I felt ready to explode.

"Well, I'm sorry my life is too boring for you, but that's what I enjoy doing, that's what I live for, I guess you won't understand this, Mr I don't know what to do with my life."

Silence. That's what I heard. Only the rise and fall of my chest in anger was the only thing that moved. And the twitch in his eye. His jaw set. In one fluid motion he stood up, taking his jacket with him.

It was at that moment I knew, I messed up.