Five

MORGAN'S POV

No matter how hard I tried to not think of it, I couldn't shake the image out of my mind. The sad look on his face from earlier kept bugging me for some unknown reason.

I always prayed for him to stop being happy because I've never seen him sad for more than thirty seconds and that kinda pissed me off, but when I saw him in the hallway looking like his entire world has just crumbled, I couldn't help but feel really, really bad for him.

History class was not as interesting as it used to be. Dylan's absence was distracting me more than his presence ever did. I found myself looking at the clock and counting down the seconds till the class was over. As soon as the bell sounded, I walked out of the class. I didn't even bother waiting for my friends before marching to my locker. Ivy and Elle got there the same time Tyler did. Dylan wasn't with him though.

Ivy and Elle were discussing about Tony's party and I was supposed to be part of the discussion but I just couldn't contribute anything if I didn't satisfy the stupid curious side of me.

"Emm... Tyler?" I called to him. He stopped what he was doing and looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Yeah?"

"Emmm...don't get this the wrong way but emm..." He cocked his head to the side and pursed his lips. I couldn't think of a way to ask about Dylan without he or my friends putting much into it.

I don't care about him. I'm just curious as to why he didn't insult me or call me Squeaks like he usually would. I don't care whether he's sad or not.

Not seeing how to ask it any other way, I took in a deep breath and got it over with.

"I saw Dylan earlier and he was looking a little, sad. Did...did anything happen to him?" Tyler was surprised. And I was hundred percent sure my friends looked the same way as he did because I could feel their widened eyes on me. I acted like it didn't bother me so they wouldn't start saying shit that wasn't true.

"I'm just asking because he bumped into me and didn't apoligise and I emm...I just wanted to know why." I realised then that I shouldn't have tried to convince them because in my attempt to do so, I kinda made it sound like I did care, when I clearly didn't. I cleared my throat and waved my hand over my face to prove my point but that seemed a little too forced and I began to regret it immediately.

"I emm...don't know what exactly happened to him. He just left social studies class after the bell went off without even talking to me. I've been trying to call him but he hasn't been picking my calls or answering any of my texts. I guess something big must've happened." Tyler looked like he knew what happened to him but wasn't entirely sure. I wanted to ask him what he thought was wrong but didn't do so because of how the human brain worked. People tend to jump into conclusions and I didnt want any misunderstanding concerning Dylan and I.

"I just wanted to know because he...didn't apoligise to me and I...I want him to-to do so. Yeah." Tyler was trying his best to hide his smile and I heard one of my crazy friends snicker behind me.

This is what I meant about misunderstanding. Now they're probably thinking something that isn't true. I just want my apology. That's all!

"I'll tell him when I see him," he said and closed his locker. "See you later Morgan."

"I never thought the day would come when Morgan Daniels would ask of Dylan Park," Elle said with a teasing smile after Tyler left. I groaned and rolled my eyes before closing my locker and moving away from them so as not to hear what they have to say. I didnt exactly think they would follow me though.

"I did," Ivy said chirpily. "She has him stuck in her brain. All she thinks about is Dylan all day long. It was just a matter of time before all that 'hatred' developed into something else." I scowled at her when she air quoted 'hatred'. I did hate Dylan. I just wanted to know what happened to him that he couldn't apologize to me.

I decided to ignore her and after we said our goodbyes, I headed to the basketball court. I searched the almost empty gym room for my brother that was supposed to drive me home and found him chatting with Tony on one of the benches. The both of them had on their school clothes not their practice jerseys.

"I thought you guys had practice today?" I asked when I approached them. Tony smiled at me and I politely ignored him.

"We are going somewhere else today," my brother said excitedly. I furrowed my brows.

"We?"

"Yeah. So the boys and I thought that it would be cool to have this little match with West High in the park. Losing team will pay for dinner." He was grinning and I was confused because I thought my disappointment and slight anger was on display.

"How will I get home then?"

"I was thinking that you would join us. C'mon, it'd be fun," he added as I was about to protest.

"You can cheer me on," Isaac pressed on. He pouted and started poking me.

"If you're not all that interested in shouting out his name, you can always call mine." I almost gagged at that stupid remark of his. Tony was smiling at me like an idiot and I wanted to smack that smug look right off his face.

"Not cool dude," Isaac said and nudged him.

"Fine whatever," I replied with a sigh not being able to take anymore of Isaac's poking. The park was one of the many places I liked to go to anyways. I could just go to my spot and read a book.

Gina came into the gym just as we were about to leave. When she heard that we weren't going home, she turned around on her military boots and sashayed out of the room. Where she was going, I had no idea, but I was sure of one thing: if she didn't come home the same time as us, she was gonna be in even bigger trouble than she already was in.

The park wasn't all that crowded seeing that it was already four and parents in our town had issues with their kids staying out a second past four. Not like anything weird would happen; Avondale is as quiet and peaceful as a dormant volcano.

I left Isaac and Tony after they had settled down and gotten together with the rest of the team. Isaac made me promise to not go too far and made sure that my phone was switched on and the volume was at its highest. I don't know why he keeps treating me like a kid.

As I neared the secluded part of the park that had most of the trees surrounding it, I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard voices coming from where I usually sat. Gingerly, I walked over to get a better look at the people. I thought I was the only one who came here. I guess I was wrong.

"...better than before. I thought it would be different now." For some unknown reasons, my heart stopped beating for a milli second when I heard his voice.

You were probably just surprised to hear it, that's all. Don't put much thought into it.

"Dude, it's never gonna be different," the second person who I can only assume is Tyler said.

"Thanks alot for cheering me up, friend," Dylan responded dryly. He sounded the way he felt earlier. Tyler sighed and I moved further towards them to get a better view. I watched as Tyler sat down beside him on the bench that I used to sit on. Dylan was sitted on the exact same spot I used to sit.

How the hell did he do that? Is this some kind of mad trick, universe?

"I don't like seeing you like this. That's why I always tell you not to get your hopes up concerning him. He just ruins everything. Now look at you. You look sadder than you did when you found out about the whole Morgan thing." My ears perked up at the mention of my name. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on their conversation but they were talking about me and I wanted to know what that 'thing' was.

"For your information, I wasn't sad about the Morgan thing. I was just..." He trailed off not knowing the right words to complete his sentence.

"Heartbroken," Tyler completed for him. He didn't deny the allegations and I just couldn't help but wonder why Dylan would be heartbroken over something concerning me. He didn't even like me.

Dylan sighed and bent his head. They sat in silence for a while and I couldn't help but wonder if they were going to continue their conversation about me or if it will be about the guy that made Dylan this sad.

"I was just hoping..." Dylan said after a while.

"I know," Tyler responded and patted his back. "But you have to just get used to the fact that your dad wouldn't always be there for you even if he says he would."

Dylan was devastated about his dad. I remember now when we were in eighth grade, he and Tyler were talking about how his dad didn't show up to the middle school pep rally and his first basketball game like he said he would. I felt bad for him then because of how hard he cried. I would've been sad too if my dad didn't show up for the most important moment of my middle school life. I knew ever since then that Dylan had daddy issues but I hadn't really thought about it much. I felt really bad for him now.

"At least he's gonna be around for the big game."

"No, no, no, uh-uh." Tyler was up and was now facing Dylan who looked up at him with a confused look on his face.

"You are not still hoping he'd come for that game after what he did to you today. For goodness sake, Dylan he sent a text saying he couldn't make it because of work. When are you gonna get that he puts his work above you? Don't call him again about that game, I'm serious. I and the rest of the team don't need you tripping that day because your old man decided to abandon you again."

"Don't you think abandon is a little too harsh?"

"As a matter fact I don't think it's even enough to describe what he used to do to you and your mom and Evergreen."  The conversation died down and I thought that that was the end. I was about to just turn around and walk away when Tyler spoke up.

"I just don't want this to be like the Morgan case. You were really bummed out then."

Okay, now I'm really curious as to what this whole thing with me is about. Why do they keep talking about my case? What case do I have?

"It's not gonna be like the Morgan thing," Dylan said.

"Oh yeah, how'd you know that?"

"Because..." He paused and looked up to where I was standing. I moved back a bit to hide myself from his view hoping with every fiber of my being that he didn't see me.

"I care about her more than I care about him."

I'm sorry, what?