Stuck with my enemy

Harley

“Come in.” The slightly older feminine voice came from the other side of the door. I turned the door knob and push it open.

The instant coolness of the office hit me and the sight of the middle-aged woman seated behind the large desk. She didn't raise her head from the paper she was going through at first, but I knew she felt my presence.

“You sent for me.” I said, my hands rested awkwardly at my sides.

“Yes. Please, have a seat, Ms Smith.” the school counselor said, gesturing to the empty seat across from her.

I debated telling her that I was fine with standing, but a part of me knew I needed to sit for this conversation. So I obeyed.

Mrs Grubbs, Golden High Academy school counselor, adjusted her large glasses as she settled her gaze on me. I clasped my palms together in an attempt to hide my nerves and forced a smile on my face. I saw the words forming in the counselor's head before she even uttered them.

“I'm so sorry for everything that happened to your family, Harley. No teenager should have to go through.” she said remorsefully.

My stomach clenched at the mental images that flashed through my head.

Blood. So much blood. The scent of charred skin and leaked gas.

I hated those memories, hated the sympathy written all over the counselor's face. It made me want to punch things.

I ground my teeth together and forced myself to smile a little wider. “Thank you, Mrs Grubbs, but I believe you didn't call me to your office few days before resumption just to offer me sympathy.”

My tone was harsh and disrespectful, but I couldn't care less. I was so tired of everyone saying they were sorry when they didn't even understand what happened. Nobody did. Not even the police, it seems.

My retort seem to erase whatever lingering sympathy she had mustered as she straightened in her seat. “No, of course not.”

She picked up a paper from her desk. “I want to discuss your tuition fees for the new school year. I'm sure you already guessed this, but with your father's company going down and everything else going on in your family…” she paused and gave me a hesitant smile.

Everything going on with my family, meaning with my mum in an unpredictable coma. The coma that I had put her into because of my recklessness. I shoved the feeling deep down, down.

Not yet. Not now. That self loathing would definitely come later. But not now.

“The school is worried about your ability to pay your tuition fees. And since you're one of our bright students, I've taken it upon myself to secure one of the few scholarship slots for you, in case you wish to continue your senior year at Golden High Academy. You just have to write the exams that come up next week.” she handed over a piece of paper to me.

I blinked, the shock of her words made every thoughts vanish from my mind. My family's bankruptcy wasn't a secret. The news had made headlines the week it broke. It had been one of the hardest week ever, especially since my mother's accident had only been few days before.

The paparazzi named my family ‘the most unlucky family of the year'. They weren't wrong.

Before my father's business went down this summer, a bad deal gone wrong, he was fond of flaunting his money. Expensive vacations, lavish shoppings, expensive schools.

Golden High Academy was one of the most expensive schools in our zip code. When everything began going south, I'd learned that my father didn't have any savings for my tuition. My hopes to resume for senior year had vanished.

I'd expected this visit to the counselor's office to be the confirmation of that. I hadn't for once thought that I would be presented with an opportunity like this. Especially since I didn't exactly have a good reputation in the school. I wasn't a nice person. And I didn't expect good things to happen to me.

“Do you not wish to take the scholarship exam?” Mrs Grubbs voice pulled me out of my thoughts. That was when I realized I had been staring at her outstretched hand instead of accepting the paper.

“I… Thank you.” I accepted the paper. “I don't know how to thank you for this.” I muttered.

“You don't need to.” the counselor shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. “it was a unified decision. Your mother is a strong member of the PTA.”

I nodded, unable to think of the right response. I thanked the counselor again and headed out of her office, clutching the paper like it was my lifeline.

The hallway was empty, except for the young man leaning on the wall adjacent from where I stood. I threw him a smile and began heading out of the building. Hurried footsteps trailed after me.

“Well?” the masculine voice said as he caught up with me. “How did it go?”

I waited until we were in the school's parking lot begore handing the paper to him. The parking lot, just like other parts of the school, was blissfully empty because school hadn't fully resumed yet.

My best friend snatched the paper from me and skimmed the content fast. His eyes widened.

“This is good news, right? Grubbs offered you a scholarship slot instead of asking you to withdraw.” Henry said.

“It is good news.” I mused.

“Then why do you look so down? You're not going to miss senior year.” Henry asked.

“Because of you, idiot. You're going to miss senior year.” I scoffed and punched him lightly.

Henry and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember. He had been there for me through everything, my father's business going downhill, the accident that made my mum fall into coma, everything. But now, he was moving away.

Henry had always wanted to study arts at NYU. He had gotten accepted into a high school in the city with a better art program for his senior year. I was genuinely happy for him, but it also meant I was going to be alone at Golden High for senior year.

Alone.

I tried not to let the thought settle in me and feigned annoyance.

“So you do agree that you're going to miss me?” he smirked.

“Me? Never!” I chuckled. “I would finally get rid of you.”

The joke fell flat. Henry loosed a breath and opened his arms for me. I stepped into his embrace and buried my face in his chest.

“I hate that I'm leaving you right now.” Henry muttered and breathed in my scent.

I tightened my hold around him. “I'm going to be fine.” I lied.

Henry had been an emotional crutch for me this past few weeks. I had no idea how I was going to survive without him. But I wasn't going to hold him back from following his dreams. I didn't want to be that type of best friend.

“You'd better. I'll call you every single day, even at night. Make sure to keep your phone on at all time.” he muttered.

“Hm! Maybe I'll change my number.” I shrugged.

Henry exclaimed dramatically. “You wouldn't dare.”

I tipped my head back and laughed. For a moment, I forgot we were in the school's parking lot. I wanted nothing more than to cry my heart out in my best friend's arms and forget everything. But I didn't want Henry to start doubting his decision to move.

I wouldn't be the reason another person's dreams were shattered. So I reined in my emotions and pulled away from his embrace.

“Jesus Christ, Henry! We agreed to save the tears till the day of your departure. I refuse to empty my well of emotions now.” I stomped my feet and glared at him.

Henry chuckled, ruffling my hair. I was about spewing a string of insults and cursing him for ruining my perfectly styled hair when I felt the sudden shift in the atmosphere. Like the air had been completely sucked out by that one presence.

That one constant presence in my life that I can't seem to shake off. I knew who it was before I even turned. The expression on Henry's face further confirmed my suspicion.

I drew a long sigh and whispered a silent prayer to God that this afternoon doesn't end in a bloodbath.

I turned as Asher Henderson, Golden High star quarterback, and unfortunately, my best friend's brother, strode towards us in all his smug glory.