Rule #10: You Can't Forgive Your Ex Best Friend - Paperback

The final bell rang just as Mrs. Mattheson closed her book and looked up from behind her reading glasses. The entire class started moving before she could even release us. It was the end of school and the start of Christmas break. No one was going to wait around for her permission. 

I grabbed my Calculus book and notebook and slipped them into my backpack. Once I got out into the hall, I headed to my best friend's—and right now, traitor’s—locker located just around the corner. When I got there, Heidi was shoving her books inside. 

I slumped against the neighboring locker and sighed. "You ready?" I asked. 

Heidi turned around and gave me a huge grin. "Absolutely." She pressed all of her books in with one hand while swinging the door shut with the other. Just as she let go, the books began to tip out, but she caught them with the door in time. 

"I can't believe you're leaving me for two whole weeks while I'm stuck here in the freezing cold," I complained.

She jutted out her lip as she swung her now empty backpack onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ellie. Do you want me to stay?"

I tapped my chin as I gave her a contemplative look. "Hmm, make my best friend stay here in freezing Canton, Maine or let her go to the Bahamas with the entire dance team." I scrunched up my nose. 

"Well, when you say it like that, I should probably just go." She nodded. "I mean, I'm going to go."

I sighed. Of course, she was off to amazing things. I, on the other hand, was stuck here. In the snow. Alone for Christmas break. 

"You suck," I said, but gave her a big smile. Truth was, Dad had suggested that I take this time to volunteer at Safety Net Mentors this holiday season. Not only because it was a good cause, but it might just give me that edge I needed with my Harvard application next year. 

Plus, I had overheard Seth Patterson talking to a few of his friends about his involvement with the program. After that, I knew that was exactly how I was going to spend my holiday break. Improving my chances for the school I'd dreamed about getting into since I learned to walk, and finally talking to the boy I'd crushed on my whole life. 

And if I helped a few less fortunate kids along the way, I was okay with that as well. 

"I'd love to stay and lament with you, but I really need to go. I haven't packed and my mom is threatening to take this trip away if I don't organize my room before I go." Heidi sucked in her breath. 

I nodded. I'd been in her room. She was going to need a miracle to get that place cleaned up in the next twenty-four hours. "Got it." I waved her away with my hand. "Go. Get out of here." I gave her a goofy smile. "Before you change your mind."

She reached out and gave me a hug before turning and rushing down the hall to the outside doors. 

I sighed as I leaned against the lockers again. I tucked a piece of my wavy, brown hair behind my ear and tipped my face toward the ceiling. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. 

I knew why I'd turned this trip down. There was so much more in store for me if I stuck around. But, it was hard to imagine Heidi sitting on the beach while I was held up in a room cutting snowflakes for decorations while the temperature dropped to freeze-your-face-off cold. 

"Excuse me," a deep voice said. "You're leaning on my locker."

I hesitated before I looked. That voice. It sounded like...Grayson. I sucked in my breath and dropped my gaze to see Grayson Wilkerson standing next to me, an irritated expression on his face. His dark brown eyes were narrowed as he stared at me. His dark brown hair was longer now, falling haphazardly across his forehead. 

When did he get back?

My stomach did a little flip—but not in the good way. I parted my lips as all sorts of greetings flooded my mind. 

What does one say to their ex-best friend when one hasn't seen them in months? 

Hello?

How's it going?

Why did you just stop talking to me and sever our friendship?

I couldn't help but stare at him as I stepped away from his locker. This was the last thing I expected and I was having a difficult time digesting it. 

"What, El?" he asked as he dialed the combination to his lock. 

Those two words seemed to snap me out of my trance. Instantly, I swallowed and blinked a few times to clear my head. El. I hadn't heard anyone call me that since Grayson and I stopped being friends. 

Was it wrong that it angered me that he was still saying it?

"When—" I hesitated when my voice cracked. Confidence, girl. "When did you get back?" 

I winced. What I really wanted to ask was, why did you go? Did I do something wrong? But I wasn't sure I could take another one of his lies. 

My dad, who is the principal at Canton High, told me that he left to spend some times at his uncle’s. But I wasn't sure I believed that. I mean, for as long as I knew him, he hated his uncle's house. He was rich and snobby. Grayson was...down to earth. At least he was. Until he just left without a word. 

He finished dialing the combination to his locker and pulled up on the release. His locker was empty except for a few books stacked at the bottom. 

He must have realized that I wasn't going to go anywhere until he spoke, because he turned to study me. "Last week."

My stomach squeezed. Grayson had been home for an entire week and didn't call me? I hated that it bothered me. I mean, I had known from the moment he left without saying goodbye that our friendship was over. But perhaps, there was a part of me that always wondered if I was just making a bigger deal out of nothing. 

Which was totally the wrong thing to assume, especially with the way he was glaring at me right now. Something had happened and it looked as though I was the last person he wanted to tell. 

He slipped his backpack off his shoulder and shuffled some books into the locker while taking some out. Then, he grabbed his jacket and slipped it on before shouldering his backpack. 

I must have been having a brain aneurysm, but I continued to stand there like a dork, watching him. He must have finished what he was doing because he suddenly straightened and slammed his locker door closed. The noise caused me to jump. 

He grabbed his keys out of his jacket pocket and threw them in the air. Just as he walked past me, he gave me a curt nod and disappeared. 

Once he was gone, my body relaxed. Panic rose up in my chest. Why the heck hadn't Heidi told me that he was back? She was my best friend. She should have prepared me. 

Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed out my phone and located Heidi's number. I hightailed it down the hall toward my locker. I didn't want to be around, still gawking at Grayson's locker, if he returned. 

After two rings, she answered. 

"Hey."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I blurted out. 

"Ellie?"

"Why didn't you tell me Grayson was back?" When I got to my locker, I dialed the combination and opened the door. Then I just stood there as shock took over my body. I'd always assumed that seeing Grayson again was going to affect me. I just didn't realize that it would be this bad.

"Oh, man." She sighed. "I guess I didn't know how to tell you."

I reached out and fiddled with the mirror on my locker door. "You should have told me. I totally ran into him and acted like a complete dork. I mean, I just stood there, staring at him."

Ugh. Thank goodness it was Christmas break, which meant I had two full weeks before school started up again. That was definitely enough time to prepare to see him again. Right?

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"Imagine how bad you think it was and then times that by one hundred," I said. 

She chuckled. "Well, at least it's over. Like a Band-Aid. And, when you get back to school after break, you'll be ready to face it head on." She yelled something to her mom. "I gotta go, Ellie."

I sighed. "Okay." 

We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone. After slipping the phone into my back pocket I focused on my locker. 

Swinging my backpack off my back I started shoving the books I would need for break into it. Once it was overflowing to the point of almost ripping, I grabbed my coat and slammed my locker closed. 

Once my backpack was on my back, I headed down the hall. 

Truth was, Heidi was right. It was probably a good thing for me to see Grayson right before Christmas break. It was fate's way of preparing me to start the next semester with him back. I had 336 hours before I had to see him again. 

That was enough time to build up a wall around my heart so high that no one could penetrate it. Right?

I pushed open the outside door and a cold blast hit me. I shivered as I pulled my jacket closer around my body. As I walked out to my beater Honda, my confidence grew. 

I had been the one hurt by Grayson's actions, not the other way around. I should be the one who was mad at him. He was the one who had hurt me. I was ridiculous to think that I'd done something wrong. 

The driver's side door creaked as I pulled it open. After dropping my backpack in the back, I slipped onto my seat and started the engine. 

It blasted cold air on me so I turned the fan down. I shivered as I buckled and pulled out of my parking spot. 

Just as I started down the road, my phone rang. I waited until I got to the nearby stop sign before hitting talk. 

"Hello?"

"Eleanor?"

I winced at my full name. "Ellie."

There was a pause. "Ellie," the man said, his voice drawing out every letter like he was writing it down. "Great, Ellie. This is Floyd Wright from Safety Net Mentors."

"Oh, hi." I glanced behind me and saw that no one was waiting so I just idled at the stop sign. My parents would pull my phone so fast if they knew I was talking and driving. 

"Right. I'm calling to welcome you to the program and tell you how excited I am that you’re joining us."

Excitement bubbled up inside of me. Sure, it wasn't the Bahamas, but it was better than sitting at home watching my grandparents play bridge. "I'm excited, too."

He chuckled. "Well, the girl we've assigned you to is Molly. She's eight and so excited to be spending some time with you." He took a deep breath. "She's a talker, so be prepared."

I smiled. I liked her already. "Perfect. She sounds like the perfect person for me." 

"We're meeting at the community center tomorrow at ten sharp. Make sure you get here in time. I need to see that you can set a schedule and keep to it. These kids are in desperate need of structure. Building trust is key to having an influence over them."

I nodded, but then realized he couldn't see me so said, "Of course."

"Oh, and it says here that she has a brother in the program." He clicked his tongue. "So we'll want you to work side by side with his mentor to make sure they spend the holidays together."

My ears rang. I was going to work side by side with another mentor. If she had a brother, then the volunteer had to be male. 

My heart picked up speed. Was it possible? Could it be Seth?

I steadied my voice. "Oh. What's the volunteer's name?"

Floyd paused. "Let me check." I could hear items being moved around. He grunted and then said, "McKenzie must have taken my clipboard. I can't seem to find our list." Then he sighed. "Is that going to be a problem? Do you want me to reassign you?"

"Nope." There was no way I was messing this up. If Floyd wanted me working right alongside Seth, then I was a fool to make waves. I mean, who else would be volunteering when half the school was going out of town?

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded and said goodbye. A car must have come up from behind me because a horn sounded. I waved my hand and turned. 

As I settled into my seat, I took a deep breath. Well, if this break went the way my heart was hoping it would, this might just be the best Christmas ever. For the first time, things were looking up.

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