A Best Friend's Betrayal

Chapter 2: The Ending

Days passed and Clark and Ann's routine had been the same. They would eat together at the canteen, laugh and talk about anything and like the usual, Kristel would pass by and greet Clark, as if she's really doing it on purposely and intentionally. And sometimes too, even dug dismissal and the two are walking together on the way out of the building, she would suddenly just appear just to flirt with Clark.

Sometimes too, Denise would joke at Ann being dramatic saying her best friend already forgot about her for always being with Clark, hence she also supports her in pursuing her lovelife. And even though Ann feels like she had doubts on Clark, but she still choose to trust her even most often Clark choose to take Kristel's side telling Ann that she is a good person, someone smart and a good companion.

"So you're telling me I'm not a good companion?!" Ann blurted out. They're currently eating at the canteen like the usual. But this time, Ann did not allow to be treated by Clark because other might think she is abusing his kindness too much. Clark refused but still allowed Ann to do what she wants.

"No! I did not say it Ike that!" Clark defended himself.

"Just tell me if you dont want me anymore because I can stay away from you."

"No way! You're fun to be with and to talk to! Only I can say the nothing's I can't to others that's how good you are. And you are my best friend so I can't bear being away from you."

Ann felt as though her heart would melt any moment but she tried to be as calm.

"Swear?"

"Promise! It's true!" then he pinched Ann's cheeks sweetly and said, "you're to cute, Ann!"

That made Ann's heart flutter even more and cheeks as red.

"Is that a joke?"

"Not at all!"

"Because you're so corny."

"You're turning red again! You liked it!" Clark made fun of her friend again. He loves teasing her because he finds her reactions amusing as always.

"No way!"

"Weh? Then what's that?" pointing at Ann's rosy red cheeks.

"I said it's pimples!"

"But you don't even have one!"

"Can you just stop! You're giving me goosebumps!" Ann pretended as if she was being pissed but deep inside her she loves things like this specially with Clark. While the two are making fun of each other, Kristel passed by, and again, and greeted Clark.

"Hi Clark!" she was smiling so wide and bright and acted cute in front of him.

"Hi Tel."

After the greeting exchange, Kristel left and again, together with her friends. Seconds after she left, Clark heard Ann sighing.

"Tss."

"Hey you're pissed again. Why can't you just admit that you're jealous of her?"

"Why would I be jealous?! What am I to you?"

"Best friend."

"Only." Ann said sadly.

"Hey that's not true. You are important to me okay?"

"Can you just stop those weirdness of yours!"

"But I'm serious here!"

"Fine!"

Maybe Ann was really jealous but she just don't want to admit to herself. But more than anything else, she did not expect to hear those words from her best friend, that she is indeed important to him and that he treasures what they have to each other. It's just feels so good for her that Clark gives importance to their friendship and though she was Abit sad about him being close to Kristel, and that she wanted her and Clark's relationship be more than what he have with Kristel, she just finds it too much to ask for. What matters is, she is special to Clark after all.

"What now? Any progression?"

Ann and Denise are inside their classroom and are chit-chatting before their class starts for their next subject.

"Guess what? He told me that I am important to him!" Ann giddily told Denise.

"For real?!" Denise was just as happy as her best friend.

"Of course!"

"I told you so! You're almost there! Just keep going for a brighter future. Who knows, tomorrow or the next day I'll just know that you two are already dating!"

"You don't look like you're more excited than I am, you know."

Ann felt as excited as her best friend though, because what she said can be possible that sooner or later, she and Clark could be on another level soon. After all, that's what she always wanted and that's she dreamed of. To think that Clark is not courting anyone and that almost everyone in the campus knows and sees that the two of them are almost always together they thought they're already a couple. Sometimes, whenever something happens to each one of them, their schoolmates would immediately call the other as if they're both responsible for each other. It's not new that people would think that they're an item, because they stick as if they can't be separated at all.

One day, while Ann was on her way to the library to do her research for their assignment. Carrying a book and a notebook, she climb off the stairs on her way to the third floor where the library was. She was humming happily when she suddenly passed by the corner where the comfort room are. There he saw Clark. She stopped from walking and tried to peak, and was startled from what she saw. Clark is with Kristel. To her shock, all the stuffs she was carrying fell off her hands. Unfortunately, Clark heard it and was shocked to see Ann too. So he ran off to his best friend immediately. Ann meanwhile, tried to pick all her things on the floor and was about to run away but Clark was already Infront of her.

"Ann! Ate you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

"Just somewhere. Okay, I have to go." She bid farewell to her friend but then Clark tried to stop her.

"Ann! That was nothing!"

"The what?" Ann acted as if she don't know what he is talking about.

"That thing. What you saw was nothing. We were just talking."

"I didn't see anything. And I didn't ask for anything too. I have to go." she lied ,but then she finally walked away. She did not think of anything at all even though she knew inside her something hurts. But she choose to ignore and trust Clark from what he said. That's the only thing she is holding on to.

She went straight to the library and she was about to seat in one of its desks, she saw Clayford.

"Wow! You do come here at the library?"she asked Clayford on her low voice.

"Why? Are you the only one allowed to come? I do study too!"he also whispered.

Clayford was seated, seriously holding a magazine as if he was studying. Ann st beside him.

"Study? From a magazine?"

"Yup. I'm memorizing my favorite actress's face."

"Shut up."

Ann placed her stuffs on the table and stood up. She went to the shelves and searched for the books she needed for research and went back to their desk after finding one. She opened her book and note and was about to write when Ford asked her.

"I thought you and Clark are already dating."

"Who told you that?" Ann asked back, starting to take down some notes as she read from her book.

"Almost everyone here in the campus gossips about you two. You're always together everywhere, you know."

"Ah. I'm just letting him treat me for food. That's all."

"Oh really? I just thought you two are an item. Because there is also an issue about Clark courting someone else."

Ann stopped from what she's doing.

"Who?"she curiously asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

"From second year. Was her name Kristel?"

Ann did not answer. A lot of things suddenly bothered and keep coming through her mind. She don't know what to react from what she learned from Ford, but she tried her best not to express being bothered because after all, it's just part of the campus' gossip.

"You're not affected?" Ford asked.

"Nope. Why would I?"

"Okay of you say so."

Ann just continued what she was doing.

Dismissal that afternoon, Ann was walking down the corridor when someone called her name. Just before she could lean back, Clark appeared beside her.

"Yo! Are you on your way home?"he asked while they walk side by side.

"Maybe."

"You're not sure again!"

"I don't know really."

Clark noticed that his best friend doesn't seem happy.

"Are you okay? Are you still mad?"

"Mad about what?"

"About that in the morning."

Ann almost forgot about it but then he reminded her. She felt sad even more.

"No, not at all."

"It was just nothing, Ann. I promise."

"But Ann,"

"You know what Clark, I really don't care at all. Besides, there is really nothing going on between you two right?" Ann looked at Clark eye to eye, as if seeking for a clear answer she wanted to hear from him.

"Ann,"

Just before Clark could finish his statement, Ann stopped her and excused herself from him.

"Okay fine, I'm going home." And so she walked away while Clark was left there looking at his best friend's back as it slowly fades from his sight. His heart feels so bothered and really wanted to tell his best friend what is the truth but something is also stopping him because he knows that if he did tell her the truth, she would be so broken. And he don't want that to happen to Ann. He loves his best friend so much it would also break his heart breaking hers. But then what should he do? It was not his intention at all to be on the complicated situation. He don't want to be away from his best friend so he'd rather keep the truth for the meantime and wait for the right time to tell Ann what really is going. She is important to him so he was just being sensitive of her feelings too, atleast that's what he thought.

The next day is Saturday. Finally, they can have a two day rest from stress in school. Ann was lying down on her bed at her room, scrolling down her phone as she checks up on her social media account when her chat box notified a message. It was from no one else but Clark.

Clark: Ann!

Ann: Yeah?

Clark: what are you doing?

Ann: scroll.

Clark: Are you still mad?

Ann: Again?

Clark: Because I feel like you are.

Ann: Annoying! I said I'm not!

Clark: Are you sure?

Ann: You know what? Nevermind.

Ann suddenly got real mad from Clark being so repetitive of asking. Truth be told, she is also lost about what she really feels. Deep inside her she wanted to believe about the rumors going on at the campus about Clark and Kristel but another side of her knows that she will never be able to accept it. She just took a deep breath while lying down on her bed and staring at her ceiling. So many thoughts coming to mind, she turned off her phone and just let herself fall to sleep.

Days passed by too fast and it's Monday again! It's back to school but not like the usual, things suddenly started to change between Ann and Clark. Slowly, they were starting to get distant from each other and Ann was somewhat feeling all lost, not knowing what is really going on.

And not like the usual, Ann is at the canteen but not with Clark but with Denise during recess time. She may look for her best friend, bit he's often nowhere to be found, unless he is at the school kiosk, together with Kristel.

It seems like the situation had turned up side down in a blink of an eye. If back then it was Kristel who would pass by her and Clark while eating at the canteen, it was now Ann passing by while her best friend and his new friend are all giddy chitchatting. Somehow, Ann is trying to process and accept the situation, but somehow too, she still don't want to believe in the gossips even though she herself is seeing the two together with her own eyes.

"So? Do you know already?"a welcoming question from Denise as her best friend entered the room and sat at her seat. Ann fixed her bag and looked at Denise innocently.

"About what again?"

"That they're already dating!"

"Who?"

"Girl, I know you know who I'm talking about!"

It has been a month since Ann and Clark actually haven't talked to each other. That fast. They would just meet halfway on corridors and hallways and greet each other and then just that. Even the people around them noticed the changes and the sudden distance between the two of them. Some even say that Clark is two-timing Ann and Kristel and some says that Clark just left Ann floating in the air. Things that Ann didn't care much about even though she too can feel the sudden change.

"Denise, you being a gossip girl ha? That's getting worse!"

"Can you just believe this time?! It has been a month already! You even saw them both together a lot of times! Many people even told you that he has been courting her, why can you not still believe?!"

"Because I don't want to. Because that's not true. Because Clark said so himself that it was nothing." A hard-headed Ann firmly said.

"But everyone knows already!"

"So you're telling me that Clark is lying at me?! Because I know he would never do that to me!"

Denise suddenly felt hurt and sad.

"That's why you choose to believe him more than me?"

"That's not what I mean, Denise."

"Okay fine, I get it. If that's what you really feel, I get it."

Ann noticed the sad face of her best friend and suddenly felt guilty.

"You know what? Let's just stop this. I am also tired of the non-stop issue."

Ann stood up and walked out of the room. She ran as fast as she could. She know in herself that what they're all saying could be true this time, but she also knew in herself she just couldn't accept it. Her chest felt so heavy she feels like she might explode anytime so she just suddenly started tearing up. It just hurts her too much even though she know she have no right and no reason to feel the pain, but she just want to let it all out for once.

She kept running and running until she bumped into someone. She fell on the floor and was seated, catching her breath while still crying, held her chest, took a deep breath and stand up again. But before she could run again, someone came and stood by her side and asked her in a worried voice.

"Are you okay?" Ann looked at the person beside her and saw Ford.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened to you? Why is your face like that?"

Ann did not answer so Ford asked her again.

"Is it about the spreading news?"

"No stop! That news is not true!"

Ann continued walking, Ford followed her.

"Okay fine I'm not gonna bother you about it anymore. I guess there's really nothing but-" Ford suddenly stopped talking and both of them stopped walking as well. He noticed Ann was looking at somewhere Infront of her so he followed where. And there they saw two person approaching. A boy and a girl all so lovey dovey at the lobby. Ford looked at Ann with worry. He can see in her eyes the pain, the sadness and lost of not knowing what to do and feel. Can't do anything but just stare at the couple Infront of them. They don't care about the couple actually, only if they don't know them. But they do. The faces are so familiar especially the guy. Ford tried to get Ann's attention and divert her stare at them.

"Ann, let's go over there." He held her arms and tried to pull her but Ann just can't feel herself anymore and can't even move an inch. And then he noticed tears started to fall again on his cousin's eyes.

"Ann, are you crying again?"

She did not answer. A few seconds after, the couple got closer to where Ann and Ford were standing. Upon approaching, the guy saw them and was suddenly started and stopped from flirting with the girl he is with. And then he ran off to Ann.

"Ann! It's ahm, it's.." Clark looks so panic and nervous and can't even compose how and what to say to Ann.

"That was just nothing right?" Ann asked Clark straight, even with tears in her eyes.

"Ann,"

"I know, I know. You were just talking, right?"

Ann tried to smile, even though the sadness in her eyes were so obvious.

"Ann,"

"Stop calling my name. Go ahead and talk you two. Ford and I are leaving."

This time, Ann took Ford's arms and held it tight and then pulled him and walked away from the lobby. But before they could totally be far, Ann was still able to hear Clark calling him again but she did not look back anymore and ignored him. Her steps are getting faster and faster and her grip at Ford's arms started to loosen and then she suddenly started running as fast as she can again. Ford meanwhile, kept following his cousin and run with her too. They run and run until they reached at the back of the school building and infront of the school field.

"Wait a minute couz! You got me tired!" Ford complained. They stopped by a wide wall, sat on the grass and leaned thei backs on that wall behind them. Both of them are catching their breaths but Ann's tears still keep falling from her eyes. Until she finally crumbled herself and started bawling.

"You did not tell me you where a runner. I can't take after your speed!" Ford tried to joke at his cousin but she just keep crying. She's been holding in the heaviness in her chest she felt like she can't handle it anymore.

She finally saw it very clear with her own eyes but she still don't want to accept the truth. She's crazy. She's dumb. That's what she keep calling herself. She kept crying and crying she feel like there is no stop to it anymore.

"You know what? I'm not used to seeing you Ike this." Ford pats the head of his cousin as a comfort.

"Then don't look at me."

"Can I do that?"