✧.* ❛ think i like you best when you're just with me and no one else  ❜ ✧.*

It was monday morning and she had forced isabelle to walk to school with her. She walked to school most days as she could not afford to buy her own car and felt like a burden asking someone to drive her every day so instead she took a stroll every morning.

Though she won't complain she actually usually doesn't mind the walk as long as it isn't raining it's quite relaxing to feel the morning breeze and listen to some music as you walk.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling at her phone just because something about malachi got her wanting to giggle and twirl her hair while kicking her feet.

"you are down so bad" isabelle pipped up, clearly amused. She knew it was true but a part of her didn't want to admit it and instead she was trying to push down her childish crush on him.

"says you" "yeah but like me and him are actually dating so i'm good" mariah glared at her before quickening her pace to leave her behind.

Belle just laughed at her and her stubbornness into admitting her emotions.

Mariah was actually quite proud of herself cause even though her bed was incredibly tempting she had actually gone out that weekend.

It wasn't even that bad which was a good thing but she rolled her eyes thinking about her ex who suddenly seemed to want her back.

She misses him, of course. Though she knows he was a jerk and a complete asshole she has missed his sweet moments where he actually seemed to like her back. At the same time she might just miss being in a relationship but still.

Yesterday she had found one of her old songs she wrote right after they broke up and she with surprisingly a lot of motivation had created one of her favourites songs so far. Though for flair she made it a little more interesting she was actually a huge fan of it, get him back! is what she decided for its name.

She knew realistically she would never get back together with him but sometimes the thoughts flooded into her mind without her permission.

Honestly she really hated thinking about him cheating cause it always caused her to go down a rabbit hole of emotion making her an overthinking mess. Like was she not good enough that he had to find someone better? What was so wrong with her that he didn't want to be with her?

Before she could dwell deeper in her mind, thinking about every question that leaves her tossing and turning during the night she heard her friend snap her fingers.

"how are you so deaf? we're here" isabelle groaned snapping her fingers at mariah who had completely zoned out. "sorry" she said laughing as they walked into the school.

Something about today felt different though she could not pinpoint what, it was just a feeling in the air as she walked to her first lesson.

The lesson had just started and she already wished she skipped or something, her teacher kept giving her worried glances which she ignored.

Everything was fine, definitely!

Then he said that they have to get into groups of 4 and suddenly she felt like killing herself. She had one friend and she wasn't even in this lesson. Before she could stress about it she heard her name.

"mariah you joining us?" malachi said catching her eye. She couldn't stop herself from grinning as she joined them.

It might sound kind of stupid but she assumed even after the party nothing would've changed with her friendships. She kind of just assumed that they were just being nice people after the party but not that they could actually be friends now.

She seemed to have been wrong though cause when she walked up to malachi who was with elijah and carla they all grinned at her.

Though shes unable to stop her worries as she surely acts different when she's drunk. What if they only like her personality when she's intoxicated not just her daily personality.

She rubbed her worries away and the whole english lesson they worked together on the tasks they were given.

She would love to lie and say she immediately felt comfortable with all these new people and was energetic but in reality that was not the case instead she spent most of the lesson sitting there quietly listening to them.

She doesn't mind silently sitting with a group because it can be quite nice to just listen to others talk but that doesn't stop the nagging voice telling her she's boring and they don't like her when she's just sitting there silently.

It was her lesson before lunch and she was very glad as this lesson she shared with isabelle. They were both walking towards the class talking aimlessly until belle gasped.

"i nearly forgot to ask you" isabelle said. Mariah gave her a look to continue "enzo asked if we want to sit with his group of friends at lunch cause now you've met them but i told him i have to ask you cause i know you don't always like new groups of people" isabelle rambled before mariah nudged her to stop.

She sighed she wasn't always the most comfortable with new people but she knew that they were sweet people and that belle wanted to sit with them so she agreed.

As she walked to a different table than usual at lunch she couldn't stop herself from being a little nervous, sure she's talked to all of them but it was very few interactions and the only one she really knew was malachi.

Malachi was a whole other reason to be worried she really needed to push down her silly childish crush on him.

Practically everyone was already sitting there as her and isabelle sat down, she sat next to isabelle who sat next to enzo who immediately gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"hey i'm glad you guys chose to sit with us" enzo said smiling at his girlfriend.

"well you guys practically begged us to be here so" mariah said shrugging as she avoided making eye contact with mal.

Everyone laughed "ugh i'm so glad there's more girls now i think i would've died having to be the only to put up with their stupidness" carla said jokingly though she seemed serious at the same time.

It was nice hanging out with them though she avoided speaking much unless someone specifically asked her for what she thought about something.

Annoyingly it was usually malachi who looked over at her and asked what she thought but she was not going to let herself fall that easy just because he cared for what she thought. It made sense they were friends before so there was nothing weird about him being so kind towards herself.

"guys we should do something this weekend, now that you two ladies have joined us we should go somewhere" elijah piqued up. Immediately everyone seemed on board to the idea planning on what to do though it was only monday and the weekend was still far off.

They landed on the idea of going out to an arcade then getting something to eat which everyone was on board with. Mariah was excited to actually have plans and get to know everyone better but something nagged her about it all.

How could she ever convince her parents to let her go out. Even worse that malachi would be there as her father had always hated him saying he was a 'distraction' and 'immature'.

As long as she convinced her mum it should be good and she was much easier to convince as she actually liked malachi as she was friends with his mother.

.・。.・゜✭・.

filler chapter !

also her songs being mentioned agian?!
i'm so obsessed with one of the chapters coming so be prepared!!