15 The Change

Things started to become awkward between us since three months.  It was not like we stopped talking, we were talking but we were not like before. There was a change in our friendship which I didn't like, the change  which I never wanted  to happen but at the end it did.

I didn't know what to do, I wanted to talk to her yet I couldn't, I wanted to tell her how important she is in my life, I wanted to ask her if Veronica was the reason for her behavior towards me. She was the only person to whom I always shared my thoughts but now things weren't like before.  I don't know if I should talk to her about this matter or should I ignore it and let the time decide. But I was afraid of  losing her.

Two and a half months ago, I decided to write my feelings in a diary after coming from school, whenever I was depressed, I wanted to divert myself by writing few unforgettable moments in my life. I started to write from the day I met Austin because since the time I met him my life has changed.

Today, as I was going to my class  I was called by Justin. I turned back and saw him with a basket ball. He came towards me and asked  if something happened between  me and Rachel.

I was to tears when he asked me about Rachel. He told me to follow him and I did, without asking him any question. He took me to basket ball court and made me sit on a bench and gave me his water bottle to drink.

I drank water and wiped my tears with my handkerchief. He didn't ask me anything  he just stood in front of me and waited for me to calm down.

"Go talk to her," he urged.

I raised my head and looked at him and said," I don't know how to talk to her, I don't know how and when did things turned in this way, I'm not able to handle this situation," I was  wiping my tears for every single painful word I uttered.

He sat beside me and said, "you have to tell her how you are feeling, Jess. Every person has their own point of view she might be right in her point of view and you in yours, if you don't want to lose  her  in your life because of few misunderstandings, you need to explain her   so that  she  might understand your feelings."

"Do you think it'll work?" I asked him.

"Slap me if it doesn't," Justin was pleased to see a smile on my face.

" I'll go and talk to her today, "I said  in a low voice.

"As you wish, I guess she is sitting at the  bench , where you both always sit," he said playing with his ball.

I tilted my head and saw that she was sitting on the same bench. She was reading her novel.

I had a tiny smile on my face and  I looked at him. Before I could tell something, he told me to go and talk to her as soon as possible, he tried to divert me as if he knew what I was about to say.

He stood and started to bounce his ball ignoring me,  while I sat looking at him with a smile.

I stood and walked to a certain distance and turned back to look at him to  ask him as I was always curious to know.

"What about you then?" I asked him while he was still playing with the ball.

He didn't respond to my question. The next moment, he shot the ball into the basket with one hand from a certain distance.

" I will. When the time comes," he replied slightly moving corner of his lips upwards.

"I can no more wait, I'll see you later," I said and left with a bright smile on my face.

As I was walking towards her, I thought of asking her directly but when I went to her I was not able to talk. I felt a lump in my throat.

She raised her head and looked at me and said.

" Hey."

'It's awkward, really awkward' I thought.

"What are you reading ?" I asked her.

She showed me the book which she was reading.

I gave a nod.

We didn't talk for few minutes, I sat beside her holding a leaf in my hand while she continued reading her novel.

"I miss you," I said holding back my tears.

She paused for few second and replied,"so do I."

We both looked at each other, both of us were trying to hold our tears back. Looking at her face I laughed due to which my tears rolled down to my cheeks.

"Stop laughing," she said and nudged me.

I wiped my tears and apologised her for the things I've done, I didn't explain anything to her.

"No, you don't have to, even I was wrong.  I shouldn't have ignored you, I should've talked instead, I'm sorry for that, I know I'm so stupid," she said and wiped her tears.

"Yes, you are stupid for not telling me anything and so am I. I should've asked you before doing anything instead of forcing you," I confessed.

"You never forced me, it's just that .....I don't know, all of a sudden I felt that things changed and I didn't like it and I started to behave like that... Aarrghhh !!!....I'm sorry, " she apologised.

"That's alright, it happens, now come give me a hug," I said.

We both hugged and giggled and had a good time after many months.

We went to the class together I was really happy that things were fine between us.

During lunch hour I told Veronica that I would sit with Rachel.

Just like before we went to take a stroll. On our way we came across Justin.

"Wow, so soon ?" he gave us a surprised look but I knew that he was pretty sure we will make it up again.

I nodded with a wide smile.

"What?"Rachel asked as she didn't understand what he meant.

"You should thank me, Rach, I was the one who helped you both to  solve your misunderstandings,"Justin stated proudly.

"Think whatever you want," Rachel snorted.

"Thankyou, Justin," I said and planted a kiss  on his cheeks.

"The pleasure is all mine, sister," he said, brushing my hair.

He  took a step towards  Rachel and faced his other side of his cheek towards her and  placed his index finger on his cheek  he said, "it's your turn now."

"In your dreams," Rachel muttered.

"Hmm... See you in my dreams then," Justin winked at her.

"I meant you... you...Arghh!!! I want to kill you," Rachel groaned.

"You have my permission if you do it with kindness," Justin laughed at her reaction, even though she yelled at him,  her face which turned red  said something else. She was clearly blushing and left that place as she didn't want him to see her in that embarrassed state.

"When will you stop teasing her, I said and kicked him.

" Never," he replied with a evil grin with his eyes on Rachel who was walked briskly.

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When Jessica was a kid she always thought that only Rachel liked Justin. But as they  grew up she  slowly  realised that she  was wrong when  she  started to notice Justin's glances at Rachel. Rachel  would've understood how much he liked  her and cared for her by the way he always looked at her, but Rachel  never noticed it.