Accidentally in Love with the Best Friend

h.a.r.p.e.r.’.s....p.o.v.

As we left the cafeteria after my break up with Toby, Carmela offered to drive me home. Missing a day of classes couldn’t hurt, and I wasn’t about to hang around him any longer. Just as we were making a break for the door, though, that blonde from before stood in our path.

“You’re Harper, right?”

“And you’re Nancy, the one that was kissing my now ex-boyfriend?” I couldn’t help but shoot back, the still raw emotions getting the better of me.

“Look, if I knew he was dating you I wouldn’t have ever made out with him.”

“Well, why did you?” I couldn’t help the hurt that slipped into my voice.

“Justin and Jeremy told me I had to, to make this all look convincing.”

"Justin and Jeremy were involved in this?”

“Yeah, something about how they wanted to prove to you that he was a jerk. Apparently, it was a part of their whole scheme to break you two up.”

“That’s what they were doing?” My vision blurred. I always understood that Justin hated Toby for some unknown reason, but to take it to the next level and tear it apart was just uncool.

“Of course. And that video they made, the one I’m sure you saw, well that was just another scam also. They added in the word ‘Harp’ every now and then, trying to make it look like he was bashing your reputation. In reality, they took an old video of him talking about a girlfriend he had that had been cheating on him for God knows how long.”

And without so much as a goodbye, Nancy walked right off, flipping her hair all the while. Ugh, she infuriated me to no degree! But was what she said actually true? Did Toby not do anything and this was all just a part of Justin and Jeremy’s scheme?

“Do you think Justin is the one who posted the videos?” Carmela asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded, not a doubt in my mind. “They were the ones who framed him, after all, who set the whole thing up. And Nancy even said they made it through video editing. No doubt they posted it.”

“Justin!” Lunch had just ended and as Justin and Jeremy were leaving the lunchroom, I jumped in front of them, anger flashing in my eyes.

“Harp. I’m really sorry about what happened today. I know the break up was probably tough. You feeling okay?”

“Are you serious? You actually want to know what I think? Because all you seem to do is interfere. According to some people, the entire thing was fake, and was all made to look a certain way because of you!” Pure venom dripped from my voice, the kind that made Justin’s eyes widen as he stepped back briefly.

“Harp-”

“Don’t ‘Harp’ me! I heard that Toby never kissed Nancy back, and that the entire video of him talking was pure computer magic. I never understood your hatred with Toby, but for you to take it this far?! That’s just unacceptable.” Under my breath, I mumbled, “And I don’t know how I’ll ever get him to forgive me..”

I don’t know how Justin heard it, but he did. ”Him?! The same one you just saw making out with some random girl in the halls? The one you heard on video bad talking you?!”

“That was all fake! Nancy even admitted it!”

“Of course she would say something like that.” He rubbed his temples before looking at me dead in the eyes. “Harper, don’t you get that she hates you?! She is lying so that she can kick you out of the way. She doesn’t care about your feelings and she never did!”

“Sounds a lot like you.” He was being such a hypocrite, it was driving me insane! “You don’t care if I’m happy or not, you just come running through, bashing me down until the situation resembles something you ‘approve of’!”

He clenched his fists and worked his jaw, obviously unhappy in the direction of this conversation. “I’m trying to protect you, Harp! Whatever trash Nancy has been telling you is a lie. Yes, maybe I asked to see if she could go kiss Toby, but what I didn’t expect was for him to return it. And the other video? That one I asked Toby to tell about the situation, and that was where he took it. No editing whatsoever.”

“I don’t believe you,” I seethed. I thought I could put my trust in him, but now, as it turns out, that was all fake. “I thought I could trust you... but.. you’re just as bad as Toby. Or, as bad as I thought he was.”

“Don’t,” and although his tone was harsh, Justin had a broken look in his eyes. One that made a pang of guilt go through me, one that I brushed away easily.

“I don’t think we should be friends anymore.”

And with that, I walked off, leaving Justin to deal with his thoughts. If he thought he could play with my feelings like some absurd game, then he had another thing coming for him.

I was ready to leave, and so was Carmela, but before either of us could leave the building, my arms were tugged behind me just before I slammed into a hard chest.

Why did Justin have to be so athletic?