You thought.

Note: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have friends who will always back you up. This story hopefully speaks for itself.

Love you guys so much!!! Have fun reading!

“I want us to be that couple that everyone wants to be,” Israel said, grinning at me. I played with his hand, tracing around his fingers while I looked down.

“So the ‘it’ couple?” I asked and he nodded.

“Yeah whatever that is.” he told me.

I held back a laugh as I thought about how dumb he is sometimes.

My friends pulled me away from him, whispering things about him that I didn’t like.

Then I heard the one thing that made me freeze.

“Life isn't like the movies, Nicole.” Leo said and I bit my lip.

“I know it's not.”

I went back over to Israel, who was skipping class to be with me. He kept his hands on my thighs as I stood over him, and I didn't even think anything of it.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

I laughed a little. “I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?”

“You just seem mad.” Israel said.

“I'm not mad,”

“Yes you are,”

“No I'm not.”

“Don't be a bitch about it.”

I almost slapped him, getting angry.

“I'm not being anything about it so chill out. I’m fine.”

His comment almost made me cry, I swear to God. But it was just some words that didn't even mean anything.

I turned to look at my friend group, who were having fun at the tables in the quad. It would be nice to be with them, but I have to focus on my boyfriend right now.

“Why don't you pay attention to me?” he asked out of the blue and I looked back at him.

“I have been paying attention.”

He looked away. “You don't want me, that's fine.” he got up and I became scared. 

“I want you, what are you talking about?” I asked.

“Nicole, you never pay attention to me. You always seem to not want to be around me.” he said. “It's fine, I'll just go back to class.”

“No stay, please.” I said, pulling him back over to me. He smiles and sits down again.

“I just need a lot of attention, you know?” he asked and I nodded.

I held back tears, thinking about how he's probably going to leave me. I just have to pay more attention to him.

But I didn't have any more attention.

My issue was always thinking I was never good enough. My issue was doing whatever someone would say, because they were threatening to leave me.

My biggest issue, however, was thinking I needed someone in the first place. I don't need a man to validate me because I’m Nicole. I can validate myself, thank you very much. And if he thinks I’m going to cry over him, well he's dead wrong. I don't cry for anybody anymore. I keep my feelings to myself because screw it, I’m giving up on wondering how people feel when I do things.

I don't owe anything to anyone. I only need to care about myself, and if people don't get that, they can leave the same way they came from.

----------

“I hate that asshole.” I say, glaring at him from across the quad. Israel play-fights with another girl, probably another one of his side pieces.

I gag, just from looking at him.

“I hope he chokes on a cucumber.”

All my friends laugh as I contemplate throwing my backpack at him.

“What did you see in him?” Leo asks.

“I went blind while I dated him I guess.” I respond, crossing my arms.

He's a jerk. Just a jerk. He can move schools for all I care. Just anything to make him go away.

“He's telling everyone you wanted him for his body and that you begged for him to date you again.” my other best friend Layla tells me.

“Okay, biggest lie ever. If anything he wanted me for my body, and he begged to have me back. He always asked for pictures of me without clothes on, like what the hell? I”m not giving those to him of all people. He's a disgusting little-”

“Calm down.” Layla tells me, and I want to get a pencil and poke Israel in the eye with it. “But then again he's also telling people that you were cheating on him while you guys were dating.”

“Another lie. When will this guy learn?”

Everyone is silent as I stare at him, my thoughts becoming more violent with the second.

And then I just want to cry. Everyone is going to believe him and not me, even though he's dated every girl in the school, and EVERYONE knows he's a player.

And they are going to believe him.

“Well, 12 days of school left and I’m out of here because of high school, so screw it.” I turn away, but can't help looking at him again.

“You guys messed each other up pretty badly,” Leo says.

“Yeah well he messed me up worse.”

“Wanna make a revenge plan?”

I grin, while glaring at Israel.

“Hell yeah.”