Semua Bab When Best Friends Kiss: Bab 141 - Bab 150

The short drive to John’s place felt like a lifetime. The glow of the streetlights blurred into a continuous streak as I sped past them, the rumble of my engine the only thing that could match the frantic rhythm of my heart. The anger was a living thing inside me, a churning, red-hot wave that threatened to swallow me whole. Rory’s face, pale and tear-streaked, was burned into my mind, and with every beat of my heart, I felt the rage grow.I knew this was a bad idea. Every rational part of my brain screamed at me to turn back, to go home, to find a better way to deal with this. But the rational part of my brain was quiet now, a faint, distant whisper lost in the roar of my fury. John needed to know he couldn’t get away with this. He needed to understand that there were consequences for his actions.I pulled up to the school's football field, the bright stadium lights casting long, eerie shadows. The field was mostly empty, the party apparently not as large as Ethan had suggested. I s

ConsequencesJohn’s eyes were wide with a mix of shock and pure terror. The arrogance was gone, replaced by the raw, ugly fear I’d wanted to see. I watched as his face contorted with rage, the thin stream of blood from his nose a crimson stain against his pale skin. He looked at me, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and pure terror. I saw the fear, and a wave of grim satisfaction washed over me. This was what I had wanted. This was what he deserved. I wanted him to feel the same fear Rory had felt.I advanced on him, and he stumbled back, his hands held up in a weak, defensive posture. “Get away from me, man!” he pleaded.I laughed, a harsh, guttural sound. “No, John. Not yet. You’re going to listen to me.” I grabbed the front of his jersey, my fingers twisting the fabric. “You’re going to leave Rory alone. You’re not going to talk to her. You’re not going to look at her. You’re going to stay away from her, and you’re going to apologize.”“I’m not apologizing to that…” he started, but

The drive back to my house was quiet, but it was a comfortable silence, a silence filled with unspoken promises and shared understanding. My hand was in his again, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand. The streets were no longer dark and menacing; they were just streets, and the houses, once shadowy figures, were now just houses, their windows catching the morning light. The world had gone back to normal, but I knew, with an unshakable certainty, that nothing would ever be the same for me.We pulled into my driveway, and he turned off the engine, the sudden silence a stark contrast to the low rumble of the car. He turned to me, his hand still holding mine."Rory," he started, his voice a little hesitant. "About last night...""Don't," I said, my voice soft but firm. "Please don't."He looked at me, his gaze searching. "Don't what? Don't apologize? Don't tell you how much you mean to me? Don't tell you that I've been in love with you for a long time?"My breath caught in my th

(RORY’S POV)Never have I ever been so disappointed about resuming school after a short public holiday. A part of me I never thought I would get to see. And it was alm thanks to Todd O’Connor. He was the reason why i could not think straight for some minutes without zoning out and landing in to a bowl of thoughts. He was the reason why now,on Monday morning’s first class, I sat in class with a silly, goofy grin on my face lost in my thoughts instead of paying attention and correcting my teachers. The reason why during my turning session eith Amanda I was busy with a large grin on my face instead of paying attention to the book between us.Only when I felt the slight tip of a pen that poked my skin and caused a little pain.“Ow!” I said rubbing the sore spot on my arm as I turned my nose up at Amanda.“I’m very sorry about that Rory,” she said with a genuinely apologetic smile that had a touch of guilt on it. “But I tried to call your attention a lot of times and you seemed lost.”T

The bell's final, jarring ring had finally signaled the end of the school day. I walked through the now nearly empty halls, the rhythmic echo of my own footsteps keeping me company. My thoughts, however, were still swirling with the conversation I’d had with Amanda. The happiness from my surprise picnic with Todd felt so far away now, replaced by a dull, throbbing anxiety. The memory of her words, "Don’t you want to be out in the open together?" had replayed in my mind a hundred times over, a simple question that had unearthed a whole box of anxieties I hadn't wanted to open.I clutched my books tighter, the hard edges pressing into my chest. The idea of a public relationship with Todd had always been a distant, beautiful dream, a fantasy I’d allowed myself to indulge in only in the most secret corners of my mind. But Amanda’s question had made it feel real, tangible. And the reality, as it always did, had brought with it a cascade of fear and doubt. The whispers, the headlines, the w