1 Confessions

"I'm sorry for calling you out here during recess, but I have something really important to tell you."

"Uhm...sure, what is it, Addie?"

"U-um..."

I stood there looking down at the ground, hands sweaty and shifting from one leg to the other.

"I, Jackson I, I l-like you. Please go out with me."

I blurted squeezing my eyes shut and holding onto the end of my skirt with all my might. My breathing came in shallow heaps and I was a nervous wreck. My heart was pounding louder each second waiting for the black-haired boy's answer.

Slowly looking up I saw him smiling at me. Wait does that mean he-

"Sorry Addie, but I can't return your feelings. Still, friends though right?"

His smile widened, brighter than the sun.

Usually, that smile would melt me into a puddle, comforting me in its radiant warmth. But not this time.

That smile just broke me further than I already was. It burnt my heart into ashes.

The boy not knowing what he had done to me just pat my head softly.

Something I would have appreciated three minutes ago. When all was said and done he ran off to his friends at the field.

That was my first heartbreak

***

Two years later

"Hey Luke"

"Oh hey Addie, what's up?"

"Nothing much oh can I speak to you after class?"

"Sure no prob, meet you at the school's back entrance Kay?"

"Kay"

I was less nervous than the first time I confessed to someone but nervous nonetheless.

I stood at the entrance, hand not on my skirt and head not cast down either.

Luke came running towards me with a gym bag under his arm. Probably full of his training gear for soccer.

"Hey, so what did ya wanna talk about?"

I took in a deep breath and with one hand on the opposite arm, squeezed it for dear life. Once again I laid my heart out.

"I know this is gonna sound ridiculous right now but I guess I've basically dug my own grave already. Thing is,"

Pausing for a breather I encouraged myself to go on.

"I like you, Luke. I've liked you since early this year. Will you go out with me?"

"Um"

He scratched the back of his head in that cute way he usually did when nervous. The red curly hair sprung with his movements.

"I really appreciate the confession Addison but, I don't really like you that way. Truth is I already like someone."

"O-oh, well Uhm. That's cool. Yeah, yeah."

"Well, see you later right?"

He gave me a "buddy" punch on the arm, a little too hard if you ask me.

Then with speed, he turned and ran down the stairs with the sun reflecting off his head accentuating the red-flamed curls.

Red, a colour that no longer meant love to me. Only heartache.

**********

Three years later

Okay, third time's the charm. Remember your training. Be confident, walk tall and don't stutter. You can do this girl.

"Hi, Ian. Sorry for calling out to you like this but,"

Standing in the hall with the bell having just rung I took this opportunity knowing it was the only time I could catch up to Ian. But it also meant a lot of eyes were set on us since it was during class changes.

Be daring.

"For a long time now I've paid some attention to you and I just wanted to say that I really li-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there. Firstly don't go thinking that confessing to me in the hallway is gonna guilt trip me into accepting you. Secondly, I don't even know who you are, so how can you say you like me? Have we ever had a decent conversation before? I don't think so."

The mole just underneath his lips moved with his lips. Full plump lips I would have craved to taste. How jealous I was of the very same mole that now mocked me.

But I was still dumbfounded by his accusations. I am so not an attention-seeking garden tool.

"I'm-"

Yet again I was cut off by the brown-haired beauty.

"Not interested."

Onlookers and a few wandering staff members had stopped to listen to our conversation they heard everything that was said.

And you know what they did? Yeahp, they laughed.

A few pics and videos were already taken, probably trending already.

My mouth hung open and my eyes were as wide as saucers. Too embarrassed and humiliated I turned without looking bumping into an open locker.

I felt a trail of something liquid slowly drip down over my lips. I hit myself so damn hard that I had a nosebleed.

This just fed the crowd and they laughed harder.

I ran out of the mass to the girl's bathroom. A girl passing by took a quick pic of me and giggled at the screen.

Rolling my eyes at her I went into the bathroom and opened the tap but was showered by water. The freaking faucet broke!

I looked at the wet, sticky bloodstained figure in the mirror. Black remnants of mascara had made themselves home under the eyes and a deep scowl now replaced the once cheery face I had.

I'm so through with love.

********

The present

"First guy treats me like a sister, the second guy doesn't even think of me as a girl and the third guy's just a jerk. I'm through with love!"

I complained to my best friends Kat and Alison. We were at our lunch table discussing how "famous" I became after the dump and locker ordeal.

"Oh come on Addie, you can't just give up like that."

"Shut up you don't know what it's like, you've never been rejected."

"Well, to be fair people are the ones always making confessions to her."

Alison said while stuffing her face with a salad, bits of chicken pieces slipping out the corner of her mouth.

Kat with her straight black hair sitting next to me gave our friend a deadly glare.

"Alison that's beside the point. Comfort her, not make her feel worse."

"That's what I'm trying to do though."

The two fought yet again. I swear they're like oil and water, while I'm the spark that ignites the flame.

How is it that the three of us have been friends since kindergarten?

Oh right. It started when Kat was being bullied by some ginger head kid. I and Alison didn't take too kindly to that so Alison dumped a bucket of water on the kid while I took a chunk of mud and smeared it over his face.

It was so hilarious that we laughed at the poor child. Sadly the teacher caught us and made us stand outside for the entire class.

Since then we've stuck together like glue on feathers. A weird expression I know, but makes total sense.

"So how bout we have a movie night at my house? You know to celebrate yet another confession fail"

Kat looked at me for approval, I gave a nod. Chin rested on my folded arms.

"Well since she's cool with it I'll come too."

"Do you really need approval from Addie every single time Kat?"

The black-haired beauty munched on her pizza slice nodding at the question. Alison just rolled her eyes and ruffled up her already disarrayed blonde hair.

My two crazy, loud yet spontaneous best friends.

"Okay then,"

Standing up and placing a firm hand on the table I spoke with sheer determination.

"Sisters, tonight we cry, we laugh and we fight but we do it together. Let us band to lay this obstacle into nothing but dust. We have faced many tribulations and have had hearts broken but tonight,"

Raising a bottle of water in the air in a toast I exclaimed in solace.

"Tonight we feast!"

"Ey sis, indeed we do!"

"Ey, let us drown our misery with choc-chip ice cream!"

They both replied with the most horrible Viking accents I've ever heard. They sound like a bunch of drunk pirates!

We laughed and joked with each other, listening to the worst jokes mankind could offer. Courtesy of Alison the Brave!

Let's not forget how Kat the mage used her magic of green cash to buy us more snacks and finally me, Addison the master. All I do is just boss them around.

It's more fun than it sounds, trust me.

*****

"I'm home!"

There was a silence that stretched on throughout the house.

"Dad, you here?!"

Nothing. Weird, the door is unlocked though.

Is it possible that we're, we're getting r-robbed!?

Holy bananas I'm not ready for this, not at all.

*Clink

What was that?

*Creak, creak

They're in the basement! Oh my gosh, they're coming upstairs what do I do!?

"Hey there"

"Ahhhh, please don't kill me!"

"Woah there relax. Addison, it's me, Gloria"

I slowly turned my head to the side, a small pale-looking hand rested gently on my shoulder. Following the hand up or should I say down to its owner I saw a petite woman in a cute yellow dress.

"Oh, hey there Gloria. Nice to see you again"

"Likewise. Is your father out of the basement yet?"

"Oh, was that him? He's still downstairs then."

"Well, then how about we make some dinner while he's busy yeah?"

"Kay"

Preparing the meal I helped out Gloria cook by simply handing her the needed ingredients. An hour later the food was prepared.

"Oh wow is that food I smell? Thank Zeus I'm saved!"

"Geez Dad, it's not like you were gonna die"

I rolled my eyes at his dumb joke.

"How do you know Ray? How. Do. You. Know?!"

I looked at Gloria just as she looked at me breaking into laughter we shook our heads at him.

After my father declared death we ventured to the Great Hall for a feast. Okay, it was a small dining table in the dining room but you say potato I say doughnut.

"Ray there's something we wanted to discuss with you. Me and Gloria,"

He took her hand and gave her the most lovesick look possible then said as if in slow motion.

"Are getting married."

I pause and looked at them but simply shrugged my shoulders.

"Cool, so I'm getting a mom huh?"

"Well not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

I asked in confusion. Gloria excitedly exclaimed nearly jumping out of her seat.

"You're not just getting a mom, you're getting three brothers too."

Wait did I hear her right? I'm getting three brothers?!

No. No. Nooooooooo!