Sera

SERA

“Bitch, what?!” Sophie screamed in astonishment as I broke the news to her and Susan. “What the fuck did you just say?!”

“Stop swearing!” I snapped at her, and she apologetically pressed her lips into a thin line.

Of course, she was overreacting.

Sophie has always been the craziest one in our friend group.

“Sorry.”

Susan rose to her feet and came over to the bed where I sat, then she held my hand.

“Are you serious?” She queried, staring at me through her spectacles. “This is not another one of your jokes, right?”

“Girl, why would I even joke about that?” I asked, my tone almost raspy.

She gasped, seeing how serious I was. “Then…”

Sophie interjected, “Then that means that everything we've planned…”

“Are all in vain.” Sophie completed for her.

Susan groaned in evident anger, sweeping her hair off her face. “You've gotta be shitting me! And fuck it! I'm not sorry for swearing this time.”

“Are you okay with this?” Sophie asked, searching my eyes, “You're okay with moving to New York?”

“Of course not!” I answered sharply. I'm anything but okay! “Of course, I'm not okay!”

“But you don't look like you're not okay.” Sophie pointed out, adjusting her glances.

“What do you want me to do? Mom's mind is already made up; it's not like I can do anything about it.” I explained. “I’ve cried, I've thrown tantrums, and I haven't spoken to her since yesterday when she told me about it. I've done everything! Trust me! There's nothing I can do about it!”

“I used to like your mom, but I'm so sure I like her now,” Sophie stated.

“Yeah, me too.” Susan agreed. “Like, how can she do this to us? She knows you're our best friends and she's making you move to New York out of the blue…”

“What? You're moving to New York?” We heard Abram’s voice from the door and the three of us quickly whipped our heads to the door.

My heart skipped a beat as we locked our gaze.

“Abram, what the hell?” Susan yelled at him.

Abram raised his hand up in the air in mock surrender. “Sorry. Sorry. My bad. The door was open so I couldn't help but overhear what you guys were talking about when I was passing by.”

Abram was Susan's big brother.

One of those typical popular seniors whom most girls often had a crush on.

He will be graduating from high school this year. He was tall and handsome, with the cutest teeth I've ever seen.

Abram and I had a secret that we've never told anyone before.

He used to have a crush on me… or still does, I think.

But since I was his sister's best friend, I was off limits. But then, when Aaron and I became official in school, he told me how he felt about me… and then he went on ahead and kissed me.

I pushed him and slapped him on the cheek.

He hurriedly apologized for what he did, but not for how he felt about me. He told me that he was willing to wait for me… until I was available.

Ever since then, things have become awkward between us. Or should I say, I've been uncomfortable around him ever since then.

Of course, I didn't tell his sister or Sophie.

There was no reason to tell them.

It would only complicate things.

“Are you really moving to New York?” He inquired, staring at me.

I could see the despair in his eyes.

“Mhm hmm.” I nodded my head.

He seemed hurt.

God!

If he's this hurt… then Aaron…

“Can you go now?” Susan pointed towards the door in exasperation.

“When will you be moving?” He enquired, ignoring Susan as though she hadn't just spoken.

“Next week,” I answered.

He smiled at me. “I'll make sure to say my goodbyes.”

I returned the smile. “Sure.”

And then with that, he spun around and walked out of the room.

“I've been saying this, but none of you regard what I say, Abram likes you, Sera!” Sophie exclaimed, “Are you all blind or what? How come I'm the only one seeing this?”

Susan rolled her eyes, thinking Sophie was being ridiculous… as usual.

“Have you told Aaron?” She questioned.

I shook my head in answer.

“Well, why not?” Sophie asked.

I fidgeted, “I didn't know how to.”

“Girl!” Sophie screamed. “You don't plan on telling him? You're just gonna leave with no goodbye or anything?”

“Seeing how you guys are reacting now, who knows how he'll react when I tell him?” I tried to explain.

“And you think that leaving without telling him will soften the blow or what?” She asked, her voice dripping with exasperated sarcasm.

“You gotta understand…”

“There should be a way to convince your mom or something,” Susan interjected. “Surely, we can still talk her out of it.”

“She said her mind is already made up...”

“Well, have you tried yet?”

I shook my head.

“We can try!” Susan declared, her voice laced with hopeless optimism.

I truly wish we could talk her out of it.

“Alright, then,” I said, curling my lips to a slight smile. “Let's try it.”

Susan rushed to her closet and threw on her jacket, then brushed her disheveled hair.

“Alright, let's go.”

The three of us strode down the stairs.

We found Abram in the living room with a bored expression as he watched TV.

“Hey, big bro! Can you give me your car keys?” Susan requested, stretching out her hands.

“Why should I give you my car keys?” Abram asked, staring past her at us… me precisely, then back at Susan.

“We’re going over to Sera's house to try and talk her mom out of it.”

“Really?” He asked hopefully.

“Mhm hmm.”

To our surprise, he dug his hand into his jacket, pulled out his car key and handed it over to Susan, who squealed in excitement and surprise.

“Thank you, big brother!” Susan said delightfully.

Abram and I locked gaze one last time, and I saw nothing but sadness, hopefulness, and longing. My heart began to flutter despite myself.

I hurriedly averted my eyes before walking out of the house.

I know I said Aaron was the only guy who had made my heart flutter.

I was lying.

After he kissed me that day, I began to see him differently. My heart always skips a beat when he's around.

Susan was the only person among us Triple S who knew how to drive because Abram taught him… even though she hasn't quite mastered the skills.

I know Triple S was silly, but Sophie gave us that nickname since all our names started with the letter S.

Everyone at school addressed us as Triple S, so it kind of got stuck with me.

Susan got behind the wheel and I sat in the back while Sophie sat in the passenger's seat.

“Don't get us killed or I'm gonna kill ya,” Sophie commented as she put on her seatbelt.

“Shut up!” Susan retorted as she started the engine and set the car in motion.

It didn't take us long before we arrived at our house.

“Alright, here we go!” Susan breathed, adjusting her spectacles as she took off her seatbelt. “Let's do this, girls!”

The three of us nodded in unison before stepping down from the car and walking into the house.

“Mom!” I screamed her name. “Where are you?”

Mom darted towards us from the kitchen, looking as though she was being chased by a predator, startling the three of us.

“You didn't tell him?” She asked in a hushed voice.

“Tell him what?” I asked in confusion, “Who?”

“Aaron! You didn't tell…”

“Is it true?” Aaron's angry voice came from the stairs, making all of us whip our heads towards him.

My heart five beats and began to pound.

Aaron looked… livid… and heartbroken!

I don't think I've ever seen him like this before!

“You're really moving to New York? And you didn't think to tell me?”

Oh, God!