Three years ago

"Choose. It's Ivy or me." I stood with crossed arms in front of my friends, tapping my foot impatiently in our small treehouse.

We all made this treehouse together with the help of Noah's father a few years ago. We used to play all the time here, had many sleepovers, and spend hours crying and complaining about our parents' rules and strictness. This treehouse was our escape from the real world, in which everyone had to make a decision.

"I don't get why we have to choose. Can't we all be friends like before?" Noah pleaded with his glossy green eyes, begging me to stop.

"No Noah, we can't." I refused to give in and turned my head, observing my other friends.

Kevin stood beside me, Ivy and Vanessa in front glaring, while Noah looked back and forth between us, like a lost puppy. I glanced at Jax who sat in the corner with his head hung down.

"Who are you going to choose, Jax?" I questioned.

Please choose me.

I've had a crush on Jax for a very long time, and I want him to choose me, not Ivy. Noah, Jax, and I have been diaper buddies. Our mothers were friends, and that's how we became friends too. We had done everything together, going to the same school, playing and even spending every Holiday together.

Then came Ivy.

Ivy became our friend in middle school. She was a transfer student here and used to sit next to me in our classes. We talked, and somehow we became friends like that, then I introduced her to Jax and Noah.

After that, Kevin and Vanessa became our friends too. We all played together and were best of friends, others used to envy our group and friendship. We were all happy together, but things got worse after a year when I found Jax likes Ivy.

A few months ago, he came to my house and said he had something important to tell me. I got excited that maybe he finally realized his feelings for me and wanted to confess, but things went the opposite way. He told me how much he likes Ivy but he was scared to ask her. I got jealous of her. Since then, things got bad between us.

I don't get why he likes her when he should like me. I was his friend first.

I talked to Ivy about it. First, I asked her how she felt about Jax, and she said he was just a friend to her. So I told her he likes her and wanted to ask her out, I also told her how much I like him. I even asked her to tell him she wasn't interested in him, so I could be with him.

But no... She had to be stubborn. I didn't get why she was doing it when she was not interested in him.

After that Ivy and I fought a lot, over every little thing we would argue. She used her charms on Jax, who was blinded by her and would take her side, making me furious. I had enough of this. It was our last day of junior high and summer vacations were starting, so I gathered everyone and asked them to choose between us.

I knew it was selfish and awful, but I couldn't digest the fact that my crush- who's also my best friend- likes my other friend. It was so confusing being a fourteen-year-old.

"What are you all waiting for?!" I screamed at them impatiently.

It's a simple task. Choose her or me!

"Enough, Lexi. Why do you want to break our friendship so much?" Ivy agonized, trying to play innocent.

"I'm breaking it?" I scoffed, pointing at her. "It all happened since you came into our lives. We were all happy before you!"

"Lexi, stop it, please." Jax groaned, rubbing his face. "Apologize to Ivy and be over with it."

Lexi? He used to call me Lex because it made our names sound similar.

Now I'm Lex-i?

"Apologize?" I frowned. "For what? I did nothing-"

"You have been bullying Ivy for so long," Vanessa lied, squinting her eyes at me. "She kept it to herself and now when she stood up to you, you want her to be the bad guy."

"Don't lie!" Kevin hissed, clenching his jaw. "Lexi would never do such a thing!"

"She did. I saw it with my own eyes!" She barked.

"You poisonous liar-"

"Stop all of you!" Jax shouted, then turned towards me. "Ivy told me everything, now say sorry and everything will get better." He proposed.

"I didn't bully her, she's lying!" I screamed in frustration.

I can't believe she lied to him and he believes her over me!

"Don't make it hard for me, Lexi." He sighed.

"You are believing her stories? You know me, Jax..." I took a step towards him and whispered, sounding desperate. "You know I would never do such a thing."

"I-I don't get why you hate me so much, Lexi. I al-always tried to be your friend, even though you bullied me." Ivy sobbed.

"I never bullied you!" I growled at her.

"You always made me do bad things." I looked at her in confusion.

"Name one thing she made you do wrong." Kevin snarled.

"You all know how much Lexi hates Mr. Raymond." She pointed.

"Yeah, so? Everyone hates him." I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Lexi made me spill water on the stairs so that Mr. Raymond would fall. He broke his back because of that-" She wept, shedding her crocodile tears.

"I never asked you! It was your idea!" I looked at her in disbelief.

How could she lie?!

Jax ran towards her, calming her down. "It's alright Ivy, I'm here."

Something pierces through my heart at the sight of him comforting her. I blinked my eyes when they began to tear up and glanced at Ivy. She gave me her cunning smirk and blood shot up. Pushing back the tears, I took a deep breath.

I will never cry in front of them.

"Fine. I don't want to be friends with people who lie..." I darted my eyes from Ivy to Jax. "Or who doesn't believe me."

Grabbing Kevin's hand, I dragged him with me and we left our treehouse.

"I hate her," Kevin mumbled beside me.

And I hate them all.

"Lexi, wait!" Noah's voice came from behind making me halt. "Don't leave w-we will figure so-something, please." He clasped my arm.

"No, Noah." I shrugged his grip.

"I believe you, Lexi. I know you wouldn't do anything like that." I stared into his beautiful green eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

"It's no use. Jax, don't believe me."

"I do. Is it not enough?" He whispered and I shook my head. "Then I-I'll come with you."

I knew I would miss him. Noah has always been there for me but if he comes with me. He'll only remind me of Jax and the time we spend together and I don't want that.

"You stay with Jax. I'm sure he'll need a loyal friend like you." I gave him a sad smile. He tried to protest, but I ignored him and walked away.

"I'm so pissed at Ivy. She's such a liar!" Kevin snarled beside me.

"I know Kevin." I halted and looked back at the treehouse. "She accused me of being bad. I'll show her what real evil is." I smiled mischievously.

"Whatever you are thinking, I'm with you." Kevin grinned, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

Smirking, I spun on my heels and sauntered away from our friendship.

You have messed with the wrong girl, Ivy.

* * * * *

Days went by with me scheming the perfect revenge for Ivy but things didn't go the way I planned them. One morning I found my parents sitting in the living room quietly.

Frowning in confusion, I walked towards them. My parents were the jolly type always laughing and playing around and the silence made me curious.

"Good morning." I plopped on the couch with a grin. "Why so gloomy, my dear parents..." I trailed off when they looked at me with red, puffy eyes.

"Lexi..." Mommy gestured for me to come. I got up and stood in front of her. "We have to tell you something."

I glanced at my dad, who sat beside her, clutching his hair. "What's going on?" I asked, looking back at Mommy.

Mommy placed her hands on either side of my face, creasing my cheeks with her thumbs. "I have to go." She whispered with a sad smile.

"Go where?" My eyes darted from her sad brown eyes to the files on her lap.

She opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out. "I..."

"You're scaring me, Mommy. What's going on?" I whined.

"I am sorry..." She whispered, making my heart freeze.

* * * * *

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