"you trust me?"

Everyone knows the famous quote, 'time flies by when you're having fun' but is it really true? I'd put that to the test during the past one or two weeks and it was actually true. One minute, I would in mathematics class in period one on a Monday and the next second I was in business class, period six the following Friday.

The rumours were shockingly dying down faster than an ice cube would melt on a boiling summer's day. The school was now buzzing about some other gossip. From all my experience of being a bug on the wall and listening to all the rumours, they seemed to last much longer than the rumours of Carson and I or perhaps it was the 'time flies by when you're having fun' thing again.

I'll be honest, never, ever, in my entire life did I ever picture my very close future and last year in high school to be spent with Carson, Jett and May, who I never spared a glance at or even spoken to. Until Carson cockily sauntered to the isolated wooden bench and began flirting with me. Not to mention the apology and asking to be my friend.

Do I regret saying yes?

The same question had been unfailingly glued to my mind since I agreed. No matter how hard I tried to push the thought out of subconscious, it refused to be shut out.

Either way, I couldn't do anything about it now. Majority of my brain has made up its mind and agreed without my consent that it enjoys the company of my new friends and would rather not be lonely again.

Carson and I had presented our business assessment today. I apologised multiple times for forgetting lines, stuttering and practically reading off my palm cards and giving no eye contact throughout the whole time. I was horrible at speaking in front of people and every time I did, my palm cards would be ripped to shreds by the amount of sweat my hands produced.

Nevertheless, it was done and dusted.

All I could do now was wait for the results and pray that we didn't do too badly, but of course, we wouldn't have because Carson was the one who covered up for most of my stutters and mistakes.

Give me forty minutes and I'll give you an A grade essay, but give me four weeks to prepare for a speech and present it and I'll get an F.

It was a late Friday afternoon and Carson suggested we all go out for some celebratory ice-cream. And we, as in the four of us, including May and Jett too.

I jumped in Carson's Car, while May happily clipped on her white helmet and hopped on her boyfriend's sleek motorbike. We hung back at school for almost twenty minutes, waiting for everyone in the school to leave before us, or else they would see us. There was one white car left but their owners weren't in sight so we left earlier than anticipated. It must've belonged to someone rich because even though I couldn't name the specific model, I knew it was one of those cars which cost over at least a hundred grand.

The car ride was filled with my panic after I realised how much trouble I would get into if my mother found out where I was going.

"No. No. No. No. No. No," I muttered, slapping my forehead between each 'no' at my stupidity.

I turned to Carson, pleadingly. "Can you please just take me home now? I'm already at least half an hour late."

He shook his head and smiled. "Is it bad to say that it's funny to watch you panic?"

I shot him a deadpan look before returning to my previous behaviour of panic and muttering incoherent things.

He laughed. "Just text your mum, say you were going to study at a friend's house. Then say you couldn't text her earlier because your phone died so you borrowed your friend's charger."

"But that's a l-lie!" I couldn't even say 'lie' properly.

"Hermosa, the world is full of lies," Carson said, his tone suddenly serious but then his grin returned. "And the innocent people are the ones who don't see."

I sighed, taking out my phone and clicking on the message app. "You're a bad influence on me."

He simply chuckled.

My mother texted me back almost immediately, replying "You have a friend? Since when? What's her name? You didn't tell me. I'm glad you have a friend but please don't make this too much of a common recurrence. You need to focus on your studies and please tell me at least a day or two before, if you are going to someone's house so I know the reason for my daughter's abrupt disappearance."

I grinned, amused at her overprotective nature. "She said yes, it's fine."

Ten minutes later, we were in a small rectangular booth in the corner of the ice-cream parlour, deciding what flavours (we actually all had and we were only waiting for May) and who would pay. May and Jett obviously sat next to each other so I sat next to Carson. I didn't mind, although, for some weird reason, my hands would get rather sweaty around him, more than usual I mean.

May casually read the menu which was printed on a small laminated sheet, while Carson and Jett argued over who should be paying.

"I paid last time," Jett argued.

"You didn't, I did. Remember?" Carson retorted.

"No, I paid."

"I did."

"No."

"Yes, it was me!"

"No, it wasn't."

"Don't you remember?"

Soon, the voices turned into a blur and I couldn't tell who was who anymore.

"No, I did. It was at that new cafe around the corner."

"I paid there, you dumbass!" The swearing was definitely Jett.

I sighed, taking a ten and twenty dollar note out of my small wallet. "I'll pay."

The two boys stopped and May peeked from over the menu.

"No, you can't pay." Carson shook his head and so did Jett.

"Why not?" I retorted, pushing the money towards him with a frown on my face.

"'Because...you can't," Jett reasoned horribly.

I shook my head, shoving the money towards Carson. "I can. It's only like twenty bucks."

Again, I saw Carson and Jett shoot each other a silent message before Jett opened his mouth to speak. "May? Have you decided?"

May plopped the menu down in front of her and nodded. "Two scoops of coconut ice-cream and three wafer sticks."

They called the waitress over and she seemed to want to be anywhere but here by the way she looked at us depressingly, as if to say 'hurry up, I want to leave'.

Jett recited all the orders and the waitress wrote it down.

"That's a total of 16.50 dollars," she recounted gloomily.

Carson and Jett both took out their wallets and handed the woman money.

She walked off without a thank you.

The two boys smirked at me and I frowned again, taking back the money.

The ice-cream had arrived less than five minutes later and Jett and May were feeding each other, making 'mmmm' sounds after each spoon. May seemed to actually enjoy the ice-cream whereas Jett, whenever been fed would look at Carson in a strange way. His smirk was even wider than usual and he had a peculiar glint in his eyes.

I snuck a glance at Carson who held his plastic spoon tighter and his knuckles turned white, but he also had a weird shimmer in his eyes that I couldn't decipher.

I furrowed my brows at the silent conversation, or perhaps argument they were having. The two boys always have something going on but they refused to talk aloud.

However, the silent exchange was interrupted by May who smeared ice-cream all over Jett's cheek.

"Oops." She simply shrugged, reaching for a napkin and handing it to Jett, "This is celebratory ice-cream, not glare at each other competition."

The boys looked at each other and then her.

"Fine," they grumbled.

May nodded, successfully. "Okay, next topic. Who's studied for the mathematics test?"

Everyone put their hand up except for Jett.

"What?" he looked at us weirdly. "It's a waste of time and I ace it every time anyway."

May scoffed. "That's because we always pull an all-nighter the night before when I would help you."

"I didn't ask you to." Jett retorted.

"No, you begged," May corrected and grinned, knowing that she had won this argument.

Jett grunted, pulling his ice-cream away from her. "No more ice-cream for you."

The playful couple banter continued while Carson and I watched utterly amused at how the two had stayed together for so long despite their contrasting personalities and appearance.

Then Carson's phone beeped (since he left it on the table and not in his pocket) and Jett picked it up like the nosey person he was.

Jett swiping left and right in all directions and his brows furrowed deeply. May leaned over to him to see the screen and her eyes narrowed. "That beach."

"Carson...you might not...yeah..." Jett dragged off, deciding not to speak and handing Carson the phone.

"Shit," Carson mumbled and that was the first time I've heard him swear. He stood up and his eyes scanned the shop. I didn't know what he was looking for but I think he found it and his eyes narrowed to slits. He sat back down with an annoyed frown on his face. "She's over there, I see her white car. Let's just go someplace else and don't look to your left when you walk out."

It was sad how everyone understood except me. I didn't dare question or speak because everyone seemed very tense. I only followed them, carrying my ice-cream which was held in a disposable paper cup.

"Meet at the end," Carson instructed, nodding at Jett and he nodded back.

I followed Carson back into the car and sat silently in the passenger seat. I dug my nails into my fingers and fiddled with them constantly in nervousness. I was so confused but I didn't have the courage to ask.

Carson appeared to see my discomfort and began speaking softly. "I'm sorry about that...situation. I reacted poorly and...swearing which I know you don't like."

I nodded, pausing before asking. "What...was on Jett's phone?"

"Do you really want to see it?" Carson questioned softly.

I bit my lip, something I hadn't done in a while. "Yes, please."

He sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket and handing it to me, but still keeping one hand on the wheel.

"Check my Instagram and check Alison's story."

"Um...passcode?" I asked, handing his phone back to him.

"My birthday switched around, so the year, then month then date," He said, pushing his phone back in my direction.

"You trust me?" I inquired, honestly surprised.

"I'm driving aren't I?"

I punched in the passcode and clicked on the rainbow app.

I searched up Alison's account, my finger hovering above the circular button of her story in doubt.

I closed my eyes, pretending to be brave and pushing my finger downwards.

On her story was a picture of Carson and I. It was when we were at the ice-cream. I had my mouth turned in a frown but from a distance, I looked more frustrated than I actually felt. I had my hand pushing the money towards Carson and the closer I examined the photo, Carson also had a frown on his face. She must've taken it when I offered to pay. It seemed to be a shot taken from outside the parlour and Carson mentioned a white car. Did the car at school belong to her too? Was she just following us?

The bad thing was that Carson and I were tagged in it.

The caption was worse; The rumours are true, the little bitch is paying him.

a/n: vote and comment x