FAKE

15

"but you're okay?" audrey asked.  

"of course i'm okay, i mean, we were never really dating... so it doesn't really matter," i said as i looked through my closet. i was trying to find something cute to wear, but i didn't know what.  

"it does matter, you're hurt, avery," she said.  

"i'm fine auds really, i'm over it," i said.  

"so if they're making out in the halls today, you won't bust out crying?" 

"no," i said truthfully.  

"make joey think that he made the wrong choice by choosing tori. dress hot!" audrey said and hung up the phone. i smiled then threw my phone on the bed.

after looking at myself in the mirror one last time, i shut everything off then walked out. i decided on ripped jeans, and a really cute tank top and i straightened my hair. i picked up my bag and grayson threw me an apple. 

"thanks," i said. he nodded and i swung my bag over my shoulder, "i got to go, you okay?" i asked. he nodded, "alright, i'll see you later," i said and walked out the door.

i'll probably have a lot of homework and notes to catch up on. and even more homework for today. lucky me.  i unlocked my car and got into it. i tossed my bag in the back and turned on my car. i buckled my seat belt as I backed out my driveway. i pulled in the direction towards school and sped off. 

okay, i'll admit, maybe I'm a little nervous to see joey at school today. i have a strong feeling he'll try to talk me into being friends with him again. but, i seriously can't keep acting like his fake girl friend every time tori hurts him. and knowing tori, that's going to be a lot. so i think it's best if we weren't friends. 

i ran a hand through my hair as i pulled into the parking lot of the school. i took a shaky breath as i parked my car. i saw audrey talking to the girls out front. i turned my car off, grabbed my bag and got out. i locked my car and stuck my keys into one of the pockets. i swung my bag over my shoulders and made my way towards audrey and the girls. 

i chewed on the inside of my lip as i got closer. what would people think? i bet i was the talk of the school, and extra attention isn't good.  

"hey," zoey said. "how are you?"

"better," i said and smiled.  

"locker?" audrey asked and i nodded. we all turned around and walked towards the entrance of the school.

i could start to feel more people stare at me, or whisper something to their friend next to them about me. we walked inside, and everyone quieted down once they saw me standing there.  

"come on," grace said and hooked her arm onto mine.

i was right. i was the talk of the school. i tried ignoring people's stares and whispers. i stood at my locker and opened it. i pushed my bag into my locker and exhaled sharply. i can't believe this is actually happening. this is so embarrassing. and it's all joeys fault. how do people even know about this?  

"i heard they broke up."  

"i bet he was just using her." 

"poor avery, but she should have known better." 

"yeah i thought she was smart." 

"if she was smart, she wouldn't have dated joey birlem." 

"enough!" audrey shouted. everyone quieted down. i turned around and stared at her.   "can't you all just mind your own damn business?" she growled.  

"yeah! get a life!" grace shouted.

i shut my locker and placed a hand on my forehead and laughed. zoey laughed along with me. and after this, everyone went back to talking like nothing ever happened. people occasionally glanced at me, but, who can stop them from looking?

i turned around and clutched my folders in my hands and looked up. and there he was, mr iliketobreakgirlshearts. we made direct eye contact. his friends where laughing at something mark said, but joey wasn't laughing along with them. 

everything seemed to stop; i couldn't hear what audrey was saying anymore. i couldn't hear what anyone was saying. all i could see was joey. i tore my eyes away from his as we got closer. we passed and i could smell him, the cologne, the boyish smell, joey. it made my heart break a little more, but yet i continued to walk down the hall.  

"wow... he's still staring at you, by the way," she said as we stopped at her locker. i bit my lip. "you're sure you don't want to be friends with him?" she asked.  

"i'm positive," i said and brushed my bare arms. "even though it hurts now, i'll thank myself later."

"he's probably really confused," audrey said. he probably is.  

"i think you should talk to him aves," zoey said.  

"he should figure it out himself," i said.  

"he doesn't know you liked him though, you just randomly said that you didn't want to be friends anymore," she said. i guess she has a point. "you don't have to do it right away, but i think he at least deserves an explanation."

"i'll do it, but i don't want to do it now. not when i still like him," i said and she nodded.

audrey was staring at something behind me, "don't move, don't look," she said.  

"what?" i asked and was about to turn around but she grabbed my wrist.  

"don't fucking turn around," she said. "zach clayton is coming over here." he's never even talked to me before. 

"avery?" i could hear his low voice say.

i licked my lips and turned around, "zach, hey."

he was definitely over 6 foot. he had a buzzed haircut and ocean blue eyes, yes he was gorgeous, and yes i've had a crush on him for ages.  

"i just wanted to say i'm sorry birlems such a dick," he said. "you deserve better," i blinked a couple of times, trying to process the thought.

i felt someone elbow me in the back, "thank you," i said quickly.

he chuckled, "anytime," he said, "come talk to me sometime, yeah?" i nodded and he nodded back then he walked away.  

"holy shit, avery,"zoey said and shook me.

audrey shut her locker, and we walked back down towards my locker. zach didn't play football or basketball, but he did play lacrosse and i guess he was on varsity in eight grade, which means he was on jv in seventh. and that's pretty damn good.

zach was also a lot quieter than joey and his friends, but he's a lot sweeter. okay maybe chad and charles are pretty sweet, but they are only nice to some people. and zach's kind to everyone, he has manners, and he's really hot. i don't know why people don't think he's hot.  

"this is big for you!" zoey said as we walked past joey again.  

"you should go talk to him, and ask him to hangout some time!" audrey said.

i shook my head, "i could never do that," i said.  

"it'll help you get over joey," she said.  

"no, i mean... ask him," i said.  

"well, maybe if you talk to him more, he'll ask you," audrey said.  

"maybe," i said and walked into my class. 

they're right, i need to move on. joey obviously doesn't like me back; if he did he wouldn't have kissed tori. he wouldn't have planned out this entire thing, to try to get tori back. he wouldn't have dated tori in the first place if he liked me.  the point is, i really do need to move on. and hanging out with zach will definitely do the trick. 

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