"Are you sure it's a good idea to confront him like that?"

"Why not? He cannot just spread bullshit like that and expect me to just shut up about it."

"Alexis, hear me out." Amelia pleaded for what was the fifth time.

"If anybody sees you two together, it won't help. That will just confirm everybody's suspicions. But if you ignore him, act like you don't even know him, people will find it very hard to believe that you two did anything."

I was beginning to see sense in her words. But I still wasn't fully convinced. I still wanted to yell my heart out at him during Chem today.

"But Am, if I just ignore him, people will think its because we did have sex, and that I wasn't good at it and that I'm hiding from him out of humiliation."

"Since when do you care so much about what people say? Trust me Alexis, confronting him won't do you any good. Everybody will forget about this soon enough, if you just let them. Don't give them any more reminders by being seen with Ethan again. In a few days, nobody will even remember, trust me, I know what people are like."

I had to give her that. She did know people, it's the reason why she is so popular.

"Fine, I'll take your word for it." I resigned.

"If you want, I can go talk to him about it."

"Yes, please. Give him a big Fuck you from me."

"Sure, I will." Amelia smiled at me as she walked to her next class.

*

*

*

Amelia kept her word. I saw her talking to Ethan on my way to Chem. Judging by the annoyed, almost furious expression, I guessed that Amelia was telling him off on my behalf. Good. Shouldn't have messed around with me. I have a feisty best friend who'd do anything for me. And I'd do anything for her. I tried to imagine how their conversation must have been going down right now. Amelia never loses any argument.

The students entered inside once we saw Ms Derek approach from the distance. I don't know if I was the only one who notice how distasteful her expression turned on seeing Ethan and Amelia together again.

As I entered, I saw Ethan sitting in the place he was allotted, next to the empty seat that was supposed to be mine. Argh. Would I really be able to sit next to him for the whole hour without opening my mouth? Even if I succeeded today due to how angry I am, I was sure I wouldn't be able to do it for the remaining duration of the year. What if I needed to borrow a pencil?

I froze for a split second. I emptied all the contents of my stationary pouch on the desk, feeling Ethan's questioning glance on me the whole time. I dared not to look him in the eye. He didn't say anything. I searched recklessly through all the stationary and breathed a sigh of relief when I found a pencil. Phew, at least I won't need to talk to him today. Maybe I could speak to Ms Derek about changing my seat. Maybe she'd allow it if I put on some puppy eyes and called her daughter cute. Yeah, right, Alexis, this is Ms Derek we're talking about. Fine then, I decided. I'll just change my class, no way I'm sitting next to this jerk for the whole damn year. I simply won't be able to.

But changing classes wasn't possible too, since all the classes were full by now. And I didn't have a valid enough reason. What would I tell them anyway? I don't want to be in this class because that dude is also in this class, and Ms Derek made me sit next to him and said dude told everyone that we had sex in the library when I accidentally got stuck inside it for a night with that dude even though I didn't have sex with that dude? I couldn't even frame it properly in my head.

So it was the silent treatment then. I'd just ignore him. Like he wasn't even sitting next to me. Like I couldn't even smell his amazing cologne from where I was. It seemed like he had also decided on the same thing because he didn't even attempt at starting a conversation, unlike the last time when he simply couldn't shut his mouth.

I saw Amelia glance at me every now and then to see if I was making good on my word. She seemed pleased to know that I was. I focused very hard on taking notes on what Ms Derek was saying, and ignored my surroundings completely.

I smiled to myself when I got through the entire class without saying one word to him, without even looking directly at him once. I could just smoothly leave the class now, acting like I never noticed him. But I accidentally knocked my notes off the table as everyone else left the room, so much for being smooth. I crouched down to collect the pages, blocking Ethan's way out.

I refused to look at him, but I could feel him impatiently waiting as I gathered all the notes and put them inside my book. I need to get a file for these, I made a mental note to myself as I stood up and dramatically walked towards the door, still pretending not to see him. But I wasn't done being clumsy for the day, so my shirt sleeve caught the edge of a desk, causing my foot to trip over the legs of the desk, almost throwing me backwards, had it not been for Ethan who caught me and steadied me.

"Woah." was all he said. My heart starting pounding at the skin contact and I felt my face heat up.

Amelia walked in, a "what is taking you so long" look on her face, which turned to a "what they hell are you doing" face real quick when she saw me in his arms, struggling to stand upright.

"Thank you." I muttered towards him, still looking at the floor instead of at him, and hurriedly left the class.

Amelia had loads of questions of course. "Why the hell were you speaking to him? We decided on this, remember?"

"I wasn't speaking to him." I tried to explain to her as I retied my hair, the ponytail that I was wearing had loosened up when I fell on him. I allowed the tied up hair to fall to my mid back.

"I didn't speak to him the whole class, but then while walking out, I fell, well, almost fell. He happened to be right behind me, so that's what you saw.

"But I heard you say thank you to him after that too!"

"Yeah, for helping me stand. Knee-jerk reaction."

She seemed to be satisfied, because she smiled at me.

"I just don't want you to ruin everything! I spoke to him about it you know, today before, Chem class. I gave him your Fuck you too. He won't dare spread a rumor about my best friend again." Her smile grew wider as she said that, and she opened her arms for a hug. I hugged her tight, grateful for having her. Its true what they say, you can go through anything in life so long as you have one good friend.

"I'm curious by the way, what exactly did you say to him? He seemed angry."

"Nope, we're not talking about this again, its over with. You can forget it ever happened now, okay?"

I smiled. She really was a blessing.