"Shouldn't we have more time to complete this project?" I asked Ty. We had to hand in the project in two days, and we were just about halfway finished typing up the report. So we decided to meet in the library after school to work on it together.
"I have no idea," Ty said. "Mr. Shay usually does it. He's a nice teacher, but he rarely gives us enough time for assignments. But he marks easy, so that's a plus."
"That's good," I said. "But that doesn't stop me from stressing out on this."
"You and me both," Ty said.
The door to the library opened, and I looked to see who walked in because who didn't do that? I was a bit surprised when I saw Seb walked in, but he was with Dax, so maybe Dax was forcing his older brother to be there.
Dax saw me and gave me a smile as he waved, so I returned the smile and wave. He was the complete opposite of his brother. Dax was such a sweetheart and was always saying hi to me in the hallway. Before I moved, there were times where Dax hung out with Seb and I, so I did consider him as my friend.
"You know that kid?" Ty asked.
"Uh, yes," I said. "And he's not really a kid considering he's just two years younger than us." Ty shrugged and continued typing on his laptop that he brought for the project. "You know that Seb is my ex-best friend. I already knew Dax before I moved away. Why?"
"No reason," Ty said.
Seb was suddenly standing by our table, his hands pressed down onto it. "Artie, can I talk to you?" he said, his voice twisted in anger.
"Now you want to talk?" I asked. "Because if I recall, you have told me many times to leave you the hell alone and never talk to you again."
Seb narrowed his eyes. "I'm not kidding. I need to talk to you. Now."
I sighed. "I'll be back," I told Ty before getting up and following Seb to the other side of the library.
"What the hell are you doing with him?" Seb asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Ty Moretz," Seb said. "Why the hell are you with him?"
"Relax, we're just doing a project together," I said. "And I don't know why it's such a big deal. You're pissed at me so you shouldn't care about what I do."
Seb crossed his arms over his chest. "Ty is a jerk, Artie. Trust me when I tell you that hanging around him will just end badly."
"Seb, we're doing a project together," I said. "That's it. And if I do end up deciding to hang out with him, that's my choice, not yours."
"He's just going to hurt you," Seb said. "I care about you and I don't want you getting hurt."
So Seb just went from never wanting to talk to me again to caring about me? "Really?" I asked. "Because just yesterday, you told me that you hate my guts. And now you care about me?"
"I never said that," Seb denied.
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "You just said that you care about me and you don't want me getting hurt."
"Really? I don't recall saying that."
I groaned. "You are so frustrating! Look Seb, you told me plenty of times to leave you alone and not talk to you, so you have no say in who I hang out with. Ty seems sweet, but we're just working on a project together. So relax and stop trying to control what I do."
Seb stared at me for a bit with his cold eyes before saying, "Screw you," and walking out of the library.
I scoffed and went back to my seat beside Ty. "What was that about?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "He's just being very contradicting. He says one thing, then says another and...” I shook my head and sighed."It's not important. So, back to the project."
Dax was then standing by the table. "Artemis, did my brother leave?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said. "He basically stormed out of here."
"That bastard," Dax muttered under his breath before going back to his seat. I guessed Seb really was here for Dax.
The sound of a motorcycle from outside suddenly sounded, causing Dax to jump up from his seat and hurry to the window. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" he exclaimed.
"Mr. Smythe," the librarian hissed from her front desk. "This is a place for quiet, not yelling. Be quiet or you will have to remove yourself from the library."
Dax huffed and sat back down in his seat before opening a textbook he had and turning back to his work, looking quite pissed off. I was guessing Seb took off without him and Seb was supposed to be Dax's ride.
It took Ty and I about an hour to finish our work. When we finished, he packed away his laptop. "So," he said. "There's a party on Friday at my friend's house. You should come."
"Maybe," I said. A party could be a great place to meet people since I was new here and only talked to Lauren, Tanya, Dax, and Ty. And somewhat Seb. But four of those people I knew before I moved away and back.
"I'll text you the address just in case," Ty said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," I said as he walked out of the library.
I walked over to Dax and sat down beside him. He had earphones in, but I didn't know if he could hear me, so I tapped on his shoulder. He looked at me, but kept his earphones in.
"Let me guess," I said. "Seb took off and he's your ride?"
Dax scoffed. "You're correct. I tried calling and texting him, but he won't answer so I doubt he's coming back here. I finished my research for a class half an hour ago and I need him to pick me up."
"Well, my dad will be here soon to pick me up, so he can drop you off as well," I said. "You live right beside us, after all."
Dax gave me a smile. "Thank you, Artemis. I do not want to be here any longer."
He quickly gathered up his stuff and followed me outside of the library and the school. A few moments of standing there, my dad pulled into the parking lot and stopped near the curb we were standing by.
I opened the passenger door. "Dad, can you drop Dax off?" I asked. "He doesn't have a ride home."
"Yeah, of course," Dad said.
I turned to Dax and gave him a nod, so he climbed into the backseat. "Thanks for the ride, Mr. Novak," Dax said as I got into the passenger seat. "My brother decided to take off and now, he won't answer his phone."
"No problem," Dad said as he pulled out of the parking lot. "How is Sebastian, by the way? Artemis never talks about him."
"Uh...” Dax said, hesitating a bit. "He's good. Yup, good. Nothing else."
I sighed, deciding it was time to come clean. "Yeah, Seb hates my guts."
Dad furrowed his eyebrows. "Really? But you two were best friends since you were five."
"I know," I said. "But I didn't really tell him that we were moving five years ago. So we didn't really keep in touch and when I got back, he was extremely mad."
"Oh, I see," Dad said. "Well, this is Sebastian we're talking about. He wasn't always the happiest kid, but you two could never stay mad at each other. He'll forgive you eventually."
"That's what I'm hoping," I said. "Although, he did tell me he cares about me. But then he denied it."
"He does still care about you," Dax offered. "His anger just has the main state of his mind right now. He'll get over it."
I was really hoping what they were saying was true. Seb was my best friend and I lost him because I made a stupid mistake. We would most likely still be best friends if I told him and he kept in touch. And even though I was hoping that he would forgive me, part of me had doubt.
When we got home, Dax thanked my dad again before going inside his house and he did not look happy. I could see why; I saw Seb's motorcycle sitting in the driveway.
I got inside and headed into my room. My bedroom window was facing Seb's, which I found out two days ago when I looked out my window, only to see Seb in his bedroom. Shirtless.
I know he was my best friend, but he was really attractive.
I opened my window, thankful to see Seb's window open with him sitting in it. "What the hell is your problem?!" I called.
Seb looked up, immediately glaring at me when he saw me. "What's my problem? At least I never moved away without telling you!"
"This isn't about that!" I said. "It's about the fact that you left your brother at the school and when he tried calling you and texting you, you didn't answer at all!"
"Well, I'm sorry for not wanting to be around you!" Seb said. "You left me, Artie! You left me to get...” He suddenly cut himself off.
"To get what?" I asked. He didn't answer; he just continued glaring at me. "I apologized, Seb. You think I don't feel bad for the way I left without telling you? I know that it's my fault that you're mad at me. I'm not blaming you at all. Can't you just forgive me?"
Seb's glare softened for a few moments before it went cold again. "No," he said. "I told you that I'll never forgive you. What you did hurt, a lot. I can't forgive you." With that, he closed his window and his curtains.
I sighed, sitting down on my bed as I let a tear escape. I quickly wiped it away. No, I couldn't cry over Seb. It was my fault, not his. Yes, I did think he was overreacting whenever he got me in trouble at school, but I still could have told him I was leaving.
Someone knocked on the door and after telling them to come in, Mom opened the door and walked in. "Your father told me about you and Sebastian," she said. "Why didn't you tell him that we were moving?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Because I suck at goodbyes? Because I didn't want to say goodbye to him?"
She sat down beside me on the edge of my bed. "And how are you taking it?" she asked.
"Horribly," I said. "There's hope that he'll forgive me, no matter what he says. He still calls me Artie and he said he cares about me today, even though he denied saying that afterwards. I'm trying to get him to forgive me. Dax is trying to, but no such luck."
"If you want, we can always invite them over to dinner so he'll be forced to spend time with you," she said with a wink.
I chuckled. "Thanks, Mom, but forcing him to spend time with me probably won't be the best idea. He already hates it that we're lab partners in AP chemistry. And we're partners in culinary arts. And he sits behind me in English. So long story short, we're forced to spend a lot of time together."
"Well, if it's any consolation, I think he'll forgive you eventually," she said. "Sebastian did seem to change a lot, but the way people feel about family and friends rarely ever changes. He does still care about you deep down."
I smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I really needed to hear that. Hey, on a completely unrelated note, would I be allowed to go to a party on Friday? My partner for my history project said I should go."
"As long as you're safe, I don't see why not," Mom said. "However, either your father or I will be dropping you off and picking you up. So I suggest you don't drink anything, unless you want to be grounded."
"That's fair enough," I said. I should be thankful she was letting me go at all. "Thanks."
"Will Sebastian be there?" she asked.
"I have no idea," I said. "Why?"
"No reason," she said. I gave her a flat look. There had to be a reason. "Well, I should go help your father with dinner." She got up and left.
I sighed and flopped onto my bed. Why did Sebastian have to hate me so much?