Chapter 57: Chapter 57

I can’t tell you for sure who was more surprised but I can tell you that Shewa and I had the same expression on our faces as looked at each other wondering what the heck just happened.

To my surprise, we were one of the few people shocked by Carla’s actions. Everyone else was probably too excited by our victory to see a problem with what Carla did or they probably thought it was a harmless joke. Well, can someone play me Sweet Home Alabama?

I watched Andre move back, a dazed dark look in his eyes as he held Carla’s gaze. She was smiling excitedly. I fought the urge to hold back the bile in my throat and when I glanced at Shewa again she mouthed, ‘Psycho’ to which I giggled.

Well can’t say Shewa and I were the only ones bothered by what she did, even Andre couldn’t seem to stop frowning in Carla’s direction but she didn’t care.

I don't think I will ever understand or get over Carla kissing her twin brother like that.

When it was Ian’s turn to kiss, he readily went for Shewa first. She was caught unawares since she was still trying to mouth more names to call Carla to me. When Ian lifted her chin to kiss her, her eyes were wide with surprise and I dare say that he successfully dazed her for that moment. He went on to kiss a Class 2 cheerleader and Adeline. He probably kissed Adeline because she looked and felt cheated by Carla who stole her kiss from Andre.

As soon as the kisses were done Mr. Jorge ushered all of us out of the court.

“Time to go home, kids, there will be more kisses and more games if we make it back to school alive.”

“But, Mr. Jorge,” one of the Class 2 seniors who was a cheerleader piped up. “I need to see my mom, she came to watch the game.”

Mr. Jorge looked concerned about that. I can understand his concern though. It was safer for us, especially those students with influential parents to have less contact as possible with their parents for their own safety. We haven’t gotten to the bottom of the attack from yesterday so unless we do, we can’t take chances.

“Well then,” Mr. Jorge said, seeing no reason to deny her request. “Then I must go with you. Coach, Bianca, and Aaron, please lead the rest of the students outside.”

We did just that. Coach ushered us to the buses. Behind us, a few feet away was Jonathan and his team of security men watching us discreetly. They also had eyes on the spectators now leaving the building. Some of them came to congratulate us and among the well-wishers were the players from St. Patrick’s. Even their cheerleaders came over to say hi.

We were talking with them, patting and, hugging and congratulating them for a good game when Aaron took hold of my hand and linked his fingers with mine. I looked up at him and met his eyes.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

He nodded then bent to speak in my ear. “I need to tell you something.”

“Now?” I asked.

But he was already leading us away from everyone else. We didn’t go too far, we went to the other side of the bus. There was no one here but we were still within Jonathan’s point of view.

I looked up at Aaron in surprise. “What is it?” I asked. Then I jokingly added. “Ah, I see, you want another kiss? You already kissed me in front of everyone today, we don’t need to hide anymore. I’m surprised Mr. Jorge didn’t threaten us with suspension from school after what you did back there,” I laughed but he didn’t laugh. He merely attempted a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Searching his face I asked, “Aaron are you sure you are alright?”

He nodded briefly then shook his head. “No.” he sucked a deep breath. “I want to tell you something, Bianca and I don’t know how to say this.”

I frowned studying his handsome features. His green eyes darted this way and that for a few seconds and then with another deep breath for comfort, he looked at me, staring into my eyes as he took my other hand in his.

This is it! My mind raced. He will pop the question ‘Do you want to be my girlfriend?’ and then all will be alright.

I held my breath waiting for him to speak, my heart beating heavily in my chest. If he asked the question, Andre will have no choice but to conform fully to my decision to just be friends and be faithful to our partners for friendship's sake.

His little speech before he kissed Siobhan was still ingrained in my memory, chasing my resolve, telling me I was making a mistake with Aaron when I could be with Andre. It’s unfortunate but this is the choice I have made. For Siobhan’s sake.

So I waited for Aaron to pop the question.

“Do you remember when Andre and Siobhan became an official couple?”

I frowned at the direction of his question, convincing myself that he was nervous and chasing his nervous thoughts around in his head, hoping that he would eventually come around to ask what I really wanted to hear.

“Yeah,” I responded and then remembered how it had happened. The school band, the question, and the excitement in the air. Aaron had jokingly said he couldn’t top that. Honestly, I have no high expectations or desire for fanfare if he is going to ask me to be his girlfriend, all I want is loyalty and him alone.

“Siobhan and I used to have a…thing…” he paused.

I waited for him to go on, my heart dropping as I feared the implications of his words. My heart knew where he was heading but my mind fought hard with my heart.

There was no way he would have kissed me after the game the way he did if what he was about to say would end our relationship, I convinced myself. And he had kissed just me.

But then I remembered how he had wanted to have a conversation the other day before Basketball and cheerleading practice.

I remember his words clearly. ‘Siobhan and I…”

What did they do?

Taking a deep shaky breath I stilled my beating heart. I wanted to snatch my hand from his but I forced myself to wait, it may not be what I am thinking after all.

“I know you guys had a fling in Class 2,” I hated that my voice shook but there was no helping it when the truth – the undeniable and unforgiving truth was about to hit me in the face. “Siobhan said it was nothing more than that.”

For a second his eyes turned angry and his lips curled. “Of course she did! It was more than a fling. It wasn’t just kissing or make-out sessions… it was more than that…” He held my hand tighter his eyes going from angry to pleading. “But even then I liked you a lot...Siobhan was just a lot…”

“Prettier,” I completed for him. “Popular and sexy. But she didn’t become Head Girl so you moved on to me. And when Andre came in and swooped her off her feet you knew you had no chance so you moved on to me as a second choice.” I pulled my hands away from his, tears burning in my eyes, making my throat so tight it was a struggle to swallow.

“No!” Aaron said fiercely, grabbing my hands in his to keep me from leaving. “No, you are prettier! I wanted you! I always did! I never lied when I said that but Siobhan has always been…persistent…manipulative!”

“That’s my best friend you’re talking about!” I yelled angrily, snatching my hands from his again. Thankfully no one could hear us above the din of the conversation on the other side of the bus. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to witness my heartbreak anyway, I wouldn’t have wanted them to see me cry, to see my hard work for the happiness of my best friends go to waste.

Aaron didn’t want to let me go. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. “Your best friend is not your best person in this world! She knew I liked you! She couldn’t stand not being the second choice over you in my life. She convinced me you didn’t like me too many times and when she and Andre became a couple she came to me and convinced me she was over what we used to have. She said they made a pact to kiss their exes goodbye and what started as an innocent kiss became…became something more…”

The weight of his words was the nail in my coffin. I stopped struggling as the truth dawned on me. “You had sex?” the words left a bitter taste in my mouth.

He hesitated. Then he nodded solemnly. “It was supposed to be a one-time thing I swear!” his voice broke. “I told myself it was only that one time but she came back again and again and again…I couldn’t stop her. She manipulated me, she knew I would have a hard time telling you about the first time and she used that against me!”

My world was crashing down around me. The excitement I had felt just a mere few minutes ago was gone…lost in the wind. In its place were disappointment, heartbreak and anger.

I pushed Aaron away from me so hard that his back hit the bus. But he came back and I pushed again crying.

“Easy for you to blame her! You had sex with her, you lied to me when I have been nothing but honest with you! You made me believe you wanted me, you made me feel I was second to none.” I laughed sadly at the ridiculousness of everything. “Who was I kidding? I will always be second to her. It’s not enough that she has it all, she had to go for the one thing I thought I had. The one thing I convinced myself to believe was true. I will never be good enough.”

Aaron reached for me again but I shied away from his touch.

“That’s a lie, Bianca, you were never second. You did not believe a lie,” Aaron said desperately trying to reach me.