Sixteen:

The front of my car was completely smashed.

Small bits and pieces hung helplessly at the edge of the hood which was badly squeezed, looking like a lump of scrap metal, and what was once a beautiful red paint. The headlights were broken, hanging onto dear life as they sat half glued to the remains of the car's nose.

The back part was perfectly fine, though. It looked completely untouched, the same as it had always been.

Looking from the back only, the car seemed almost new. Too bad the front totally ruined the picture.

"I'm sorry, Bree," mom gently placed her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it slightly, "This is all we could do with it. Your dad had your car taken to the service while you were still in the hospital, and they said it was impossible to fix. The whole front should've been redone, and the expenses were huge. It might've even crossed the price of the actual car."

"It's okay..." I said half-heartedly. "It's just a car..."

But it wasn't just a car. It was my very first car. It held so many memories, so many food stains on the chair tapestries which always reminded me of my favorite Pizza (this is why I'd always refused to have the chairs washed).

So many tunes had been played in that car, so many false notes and imaginary concerts... So many lyrics describing my indescribable feelings had sounded through the small space of the car, including so many duets held by Chloe and I...

Maybe it was the adrenaline left from the accident that activated itself just now inside of me, or maybe it was the stress of the moment, but I could feel my eyes getting a little teary. Not a lot, just enough for me to still be able to use the I got a little wind in my eyes excuse.

I didn't say anything, though. I nodded a robotic nod, flashed mom a slight smile which made my cheeks ache, and left through the garage door, heading to my room.

This was the perfect time to give Chloe a call.

______

"So, you're definitely okay now... right?"

"Yes, Chloe. For the seventh time, I'm definitely okay now," I responded, nodding.

Her lips tugged into a smile. She shifted her position on my bed, crossing her legs as she let out a sigh. "Phew. You've no idea how much you worried me. Don't you ever do this to me."

"That's what my mom said," I chuckled, remembering mom's worry from the hospital, and also wondering how people could worry about someone like me so much.

"That's what yo' mama said," Chloe corrected, speaking in a throaty voice, wriggling her eyebrows to what she always thought to be a smart joke.

She really enjoyed her daily Yo Mama jokes, for reasons only she understood. She really was a fan of the Yo Mama channel on YouTube.

And in times like this I wondered why I'd even called Chloe to hang out at my place.

"Oh, I was just joking." Chloe said, as if reading my thoughts, "Trying to lighten up the mood."

I nodded at her antics, but my stomach only tied into a knot. "I know, I'm sorry. It's just - well, I'm not feeling so good, that's all -"

"What? You just told me for seven times that you were okay!"

"Woah, calm down there," I raised my hands in a defending gesture, "I am okay. It's just... Oh, never mind."

Chloe frowned, turning her whole body in my direction so we sat in two perfect parallel lines, facing each other fully. "What is it, Bree? Are your bruises hurting? Besides that large one on your forehead I don't see some others, even though you said there should be more on - "

"No," I cut her off, shaking my head, "It's not that. I - "

Buzz. Buzz.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed beside me.

Chloe's eyes darted toward its lit screen as I reached and picked it up.

"A text?" Chloe asked.

I swallowed, my expression turning grim almost instantly. "Unfortunately."

Chloe's forehead grew with lines as her eyebrows knit together in confusion, but she stayed in silence as she eyed my phone with sheer curiosity.

I, on the other hand, wasn't so eager to read the text, but I did it nevertheless.

Michael: What...? You had a car crash? Bree, I didn't know... I'm sorry... Are you ok??

Chloe craned her neck closer to me as I finished reading, gazing at the screen of my phone. "Who's that text from?"

I chewed on my lip, shutting my phone. "Ugh... It's from Michael."

"What?" She laugh-yelled. "You guys are texting buddies now?"

I scratched my head. "Um... Yeah? Kinda. Something like that." Chloe frowned at my words, and I sighed. "Okay, I don't even know what we are, Chloe. It's complicated."

"Right..." She nodded, the frown still printed on her face. "So I'm guessing posting his embarrassing secret on the school's website was a turn on for him?"

I rolled my eyes and tried to suppress a laugh. "Shut up. He doesn't know it was me who posted that, remember?"

"Okay, but why is he apologizing to you?"

"Well, I kind of had to meet with him in the park yesterday and I ran away before even meeting him, so he got mad and then I got mad and told him about the accident, and now he's apologising."

Chloe pressed her lips in a thin line, her eyes not leaving mine. "You guys are a definitely something," she deadpaned. "But why -"

"Don't ask, please," I begged, not willing to remember the whole episode.

"What?" She huffed. "You're not gonna tell me? C'mon, I found out about the car crash not even an hour ago, Bree. I'm your best friend, for Heaven's sake! You know you can tell me anything, right?"

I sighed. "I know, Chloe. But it's not that, it's... Well, for instance, you were right."

"About what?"

I played with the hem of my shirt, avoiding her gaze as I spoke, "It was Marie Elizabeth who posted that comment on my blog."

The realization slowly hit her. "What...?" Her eyes grew wide. "You're serious? I was right?"

I pursed my lips and gave her a small nod. "Saw them in the park. I heard her saying something about the blog, and how she wanted to help Michael."

"Oh," Chloe blinked, her face stuck in a mid frown, "I can't believe this... That bitc- "

"It's okay, Chloe," I nodded, "I mean, I won't let her get inside my head. She obviously just wanted to help Michael. Actually, I have to give her credit for going all the way to hurting my - sorry, the blogger's - feelings only for the sake of helping her friend - or boyfriend, whatever."

"So... You're telling me you're not mad?"

"Oh, no," I snorted, shaking my head, "I am mad."

Chloe eyed me with confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't follow."

"I saw them kissing."

"What?" Chloe's face lingered with suppressed anger.

I nodded grimly. "Yeah."

She remained silent for a couple of seconds. Her expression mirrored mine; a combination of masked anger, disappointment and pity. I guess the both of us felt a touch of pity toward this business. Pity toward me.

I had been naïve once again. I let myself fooled by the boy I'd had a crush on for over a year.

Needless to say, there still were moments when I forgot how Michael used girls.

This is what annoyed me the most.

This, and the fact that after everything that had happened during these past two days, I came to a painful realization.

"You still like him, don't you?" Chloe eventually asked.

I raised my gaze back at her. I opened my mouth to speak but carefully closed it. I stared at her for a few seconds, the clock on the wall making tick tock sounds in the background.

I let my gaze fall to the black screen of my phone as I felt my cheeks warm up.

"Yes. I do."

______

She finally admitted her feelings! XD What do you think will happen next?

Comment down your thoughts, you just might be right ;) in which case you're probably an Oracle lol

This was a shorter chapter and I'm sorry if it was boring. There will be more Michree in the next one :3 (I swear I say this a lot haha)

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