A Favor for a Friend

I felt like a complete jerk after I had left. I didn't really say goodbye or thank you. I just wanted to leave that badly. I really hope he isn't angry at me. Wouldn't blame him if he is.

"So.... did something bad happen? Am I missing something?" Sidney asked me as we waited at a red light.

"No, nothing bad happened." I said trying not to let him know what I was really thinking.

"Why did you want to leave so badly?" He asked me.

"I felt awful. He wanted to help me pay for college here so I could stay." I sighed, I leaned against the window and closed my eyes.

"See, I'm not the only one who wants you to stay. I would be willing to give you money too." He offered.

"But I don't want that! I don't want to feel ashamed of myself and feeling like I used both you and Olli. In another week, Olli could hate me. What happens then? I can't reply on other people for college funds." I was getting more and more agitated.

"Calm down. If you don't want help with money you can just say no." He seemed a bit upset my the tone in my voice.

"I don't want help, I don't mean to be rude but I don't want your or Olli's help." I looked out the window. We couldn't get to the hotel fast enough.

Sidney was quiet for the rest of the ride. He was officially pissed off at me. I didn't care much at the moment. I just wanted to go back and sleep. I also got this way when I was tired.

He stopped in front of the hotel. "There is a game at one tomorrow.... If you are interested." He mumbled as I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"I will have to see how I am feeling. I am really tired...." I replied.

"I will shoot you a text in the morning when I wake up then." He wouldn't look at me.

"Ok, goodnight." I said and got out quickly.

I closed the door and walked inside at a fairly quick pace. I didn't even bother to wait for the elevator to get there, I just took the stairs.

I fumbled through my purse for my key card. I opened the door and started taking off the dress and shoes. I shut all the lights off and just collapsed on the bed. I buried my face into the pillow and pulled the blankets over myself and tried to sleep. It wasn't happening. I checked my phone out of habit. It was later than I thought it was too.

I took a long, hot shower. I was just going to be laying awake in bed anyway. My body was exhausted but my mind wasn't. I was too upset about everything that happened. I knew I was overreacting. They were just trying to be nice but I was so awful to both Olli and Sid. They didn't deserve it.

I threw on a pair of sweat pants and dug through my suitcase in the dark for a shirt. I threw on the first thing I could. I pulled it over my head and sighed. It was huge on me. It wasn't mine, it was Jace's. I probably stole thirty of his older sweatshirts over my lifetime. He didn't mind though. We were always extremely close our entire life.

I picked up my phone and opened my contacts. I scrolled down to the J section. I tapped Jace's name and called him. He was probably already asleep though. I was still going to try though.

It rang a few times before he picked up. "Aliyah?" He mumbled. He was asleep and I woke him up.

"Hey Jacey." I said softly.

"What's wrong?" He said immediately. He was far more awake now.

“Nothing…. I’m fine….” I pulled the sweatshirt up my wrists a little. nn“You are lying to me.” He said in his best ‘big brother’ tone. He knew me all too well. It was awful sometimes but at the same time it was awful.

“I was awful to Sidney and Olli.” I said my voice cracking a bit.

“You probably weren’t nearly as mean as you think you were.” He sighed as I heard the sound of him sitting up in the background.

“They want me to stay. I told them no.”

“And that makes you an awful why?” He yawned.

“They offered me money to pay for college down here, I kinda flipped more on Sid than Olli but Sid knows me. Olli doesn’t know me all that well. College is the only thing keeping me from staying here.”

He was silent for a moment. “I can’t tell you what to do. If you want to stay at least put a few applications out. It couldn’t hurt.” He suggested.

“I guess…. I doubt I will get in though.” I sighed.

“Try. I have to go though. Its kind of the middle of the night.” He said.

“Sorry. I will let you go…. Bye….” I said and frowned.

“Bye. Talk to you later.” He said and hung up.

I put my phone on the charger and closed my eyes. I wasn't one to cry, but I was very close to it. I was so confused and stressed. I was being pulled two different ways and I feared that the one I picked would be wrong or that the other choice would have been better. I had only a few days to figure out what I was going to do.

Notes

Shortish. Sorry. Been busy with school and stuff.