Getting a shoe thrown at me for being caught with a piece of bacon in my hand wasn't how I wanted to meet Chloe again.

I yelped in pain and dropped the bacon, my eyes widening when I noticed she saw the bacon. Even after two years, she still had an unhealthy obsession with it. I instinct caught the shoe and watched her as she advanced on me, only to casually lean against the counter top next to me and flash me a smile.

After a few minutes of her interrogating me about being in her house, I was relieved to hear the sound of the front door opening, signalling her mum's return. She thanked me for helping her, which I smiled at. When I was growing up she'd been more of a mother to me than the woman who'd given birth to me, if anyone had to give thanks, it would be me.

"Honey, walk John back, yeah?" Chloe's mum told her, leaving no room for argument. It was obvious she didn't want to, but I followed her out of her house and on to the empty street anyway.

I couldn't help but steal glances at her as we walked, ignoring the uncomfortable silence. I was still in disbelief that she was back, after what seemed like an eternity without her. The day she left was the day I realized that I lo-

"You know I have bug spray, right?" Chloe's voice abruptly disrupted my thoughts. I schooled my expression to one of disinterest.

"Uh, well done?" I replied, and she barely acknowledged my answer.

"Ever since the incident in Australia, I figured I should carry at least some form of a weapon." She explained, but her explanation only caused confusion.

"Incident?" I echoed, frowning. Once again, I was ignored.

"So whenever a pest annoys me," Deliberate look at me. "It's easy to blind them with the spray!"

I didn't know what to say after that. Chloe was the only person who had the ability to render me speechless, not only with her beauty but her personality. All I could do was staring at her.

"Why are you telling me this, may I ask?" I asked, and internally kicked myself but covered it up with a smirk. May I ask? Am I the freaking Prince of England?

"Just for future reference." She replied in a sickly-sweet tone as we arrived at my house. I smiled slightly and was about to reply when someone's voice cut me off.

We exchanged 'what-the-hell' looks, although mine was fake because I knew exactly why Maisie was at my house.

In fact, I'd asked her to come.

Just as I'd expected, my front door suddenly slammed open, signalling that Maisie was here. She sent Chloe an angry look before practically running at me and hugging me while exclaiming my name. I rolled my eyes discreetly, knowing this was all for show and removed her arms from around my neck.

"What were you doing in my room?" I asked her, annoyed. I'd told her to wait for me in the living room.

"Your mum let me in to wait for you-" She started, winking exaggeratedly because we both knew that was a lie. I glared at her and glanced at Chloe to see if she'd noticed when she interrupted Maisie.

"Seems like our mum's keep letting people we dislike into our houses without us knowing." She said with a malicious smirk. I laughed slightly until I actually realised what she said. Maisie looked at Chloe in disdain.

"Wait-" I started, slightly offended only to be interrupted by Maisie.

"Sorry, what are you doing again?" She snapped with narrowed eyes. I made a face and decided to lean back and enjoy.

"I don't associate with scum." Chloe retorted in a flat tone, causing me to stifle a laugh and mimic taking a sip of tea.

Then she faced me. "Bye, handsome, I'll talk to you later yeah?" She said with a playful wink.

Well, she didn't say the 'handsome' bit but I knew she was thinking it.

"That witch!" Maisie seethed and I pulled her closer to me, trying to calm her down whilst also trying to not roll my eyes.

"What was that?" Chloe shouted, turning back around with the can of bug spray held threateningly which my eyes widened at.

When Maisie didn't reply, she sent her a smug look and walked off. I couldn't help but watch her as she did, it was as if my eyes had a mind of it's own. She'd definitely gotten hotter... Gorgeous even..

"-John!" Maisie's frustrated voice brought me out of my thoughts. I gave her an apologetic look when I saw she had angry tears in her eyes, something learnt only happened when she was really upset and irritated.

I silently led her to my house and up to my room, completely ignoring my mum in the progress.

My room was nothing special, dark blue walls, a king sized bed and random clothes and papers scattered around. There was a desk in the corner that I used when I cared about my education with a spinny chair and a bean bag with my TV and games console near it.

I removed my shoes and chucked them into a corner then jumped on my bed. Maisie took a seat on my spinny chair and brought out her phone, checking it then putting it away. She averted her eyes when I took off my sweatshirt to replace it with a simple shirt, as it was quite humid today.

"What, am I that repulsive?" I teased, throwing my probably smelly sweatshirt at her. She squeaked in surprise then threw it back equally as hard.

I chuckled slightly and she rolled her eyes. Contrary to popular belief, Maisie and I were good friends. She drove me crazy for sometimes but she was there for me when I needed someone after Chloe left. Her leaving drove me into a bad state of depression. I barely left my house, (which was a first because I tried to stay in there as little as possible) and I didn't talk to anyone.

It wasn't the fact that she left, it was the fact that the one person I relied on and loved left me, just like everyone else did, just like my father did. Me being the only child didn't help either, because I was my Mum's main focus, which would be good if she wasn't an obsessive psycho.

My mum and I had never had a close relationship, but when my father left she became almost unbearable to live with. The single mum life wasn't for her, even though she chose it by practically driving my dad out of the house which was why I basically lived in Amber and Chloe's house, and that was how we became best friends.

Then she left.

I always knew it wasn't smart to depend on a person the way I depended on her. But I didn't depend on her for material things, it was for peace and happiness. She became the sliver lining on my clouds in a storm, the glimmer of light in the darkness of my mind. Chloe was my mistake.

In a way, maybe I was using her. Using her as a means of fleeing from my troubled household and constant negative thoughts. But she was a welcome distraction. Every crazy thing we'd do together would make my life easier, little by little.

"Earth to John?" Maisie's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked at her, slightly annoyed, then moved to sit on the bed next to her.

"What's your issue with Chloe?" I suddenly asked. "You guys were good friends during middle school."

Maisie sighed and started observing her nails. "I have no problem with Chloe back then, she was fine. It's the person who returned now, with her prestige attitude, acting like she rules the school. Throwing a tantrum when she doesn't get what she wants." Maisie replied scornfully.

"I guess in a way I've always been envious of her because she had what I wanted," She looked at me from under her eyelashes and scooched slightly closer.

"But now she's come back, I suppose it's the other way round." Maisie breathed and leaned in slightly.

I smiled and closed the distance between us.

I was naive to view her in that light back then.

But I'm smart enough to know what I feel for her now.

Resentment, Anger, Loathing.

*****