The Program

Chapter Ten

"So what, now you're just going to sit there and deny the fact that you have feelings for this guy? Really, Lexi? Really?" I just sat there, refusing to answer her question, frozen on my bed with a pack of oreos beside me. It was half eaten from, more from me than from Maddie, and I already had two ready in my hand, prepared to get chomped so I could, as Maddie kept telling me, drown out my thoughts about a guy with food.

But I knew an answer was needed, mainly because she was wrong. "I'm not denying it, I just freaking told you I liked him. Please, oh wise madam, inform me of how that is me denying it." I said, my mouth drooling with pure sarcasm and a point, which would be that I hadn't denied it. I just hoped the cookies I started eating didn't suffocate any bit of that point as it made my voice and words a smidge incoherent.

Me and Maddie had our problems, like all best friends do, clashing personalities and all, but when I needed her, she still stayed her stubborn and aggravating self that listened when I really needed it. And that's what makes the two of us best friends. And then there was Nate, my second best friend. But he never wanted to hear a word about guy problems. These facts didn't take away the fact that I had barely spoken to either of them since I woke up though, I couldn't even properly remember the last time I held a conversation with them.

"Fine, maybe you told me that you like this, uh, what was his name again? Jack?" I nodded. "Okay, so you told me, but you haven't told him, you haven't told Jack."

"I freaking kissed him." I told her, my voice a bit heated and I threw my hands up for emphasis. "I kissed him, not the other way around. Me, I did it. Couldn't he have figured out that I like him? And then afterward, he stinking asked me to make sure, and I nodded. So I kind of did tell him, that counts. Trust me on this one, Maddie, Jack isn't dumb. He knows I like him."

"Hey, no need to yell at me, Lexi. It's not my fault that you started seeing this guy and didn't even bother to tell me, your best friend, until today." It got kinda quiet after that.

"It's not like we're dating, me and him." I mumbled after awhile.

"Yeah, you mentioned that. But god, Lexi. It just hurts to not be in the loop about things like this, and it's about a guy, one you like. No offense, but you having a crush on anyone is definitely something I never thought would happen." I half smiled and shrugged.

"Some of us don't grow out of our boys are gross phase as quickly as others do."

"Well, i'm glad you finally did. And to think, it all happened because of the boy Mary set you up with." I don't think I would ever end up telling Maddie the actual reason behind mine and Jack's kinda relationship, the test. So, for now, she could believe all she wanted that I fell head over heels for Jack through his brother. "It's pretty romantic actually."

"Oh yeah, like the greatest love story of the century." I said, followed by a light laugh.

"But I would like to meet this guy sometime. He has to go through the approval process." I rolled my eyes at her and got off the bed, the cookies somehow coming with me and spilling onto the floor.

"Darn." I bent to pick them up and put them back in the package, now known as their coffin because I would definitely have to throw them away. But Maddie's words gave me an idea, not that she could meet Jack. Who knows how that conversation would go? No, instead I would introduce her to someone else. "Hey, Maddie." I started.

"Huh?" She asked without really looking up from her phone that I realized she was on, probably texting.

"Your mom still decided to get you your drivers license this summer, right? My being in a coma didn't mess that up?"

"Ha, I may love you, Lexi. But that didn't exactly stop me from doing that." Then she turned to me. "Of course I got my license. How do you think I got here, flying ponies?"

No, my guess was actually your mom dropped you off, but way to have an imagination.

"So, you have a car and it's here? As in, you could drive me, and you of course, somewhere?"

"Depends." At this point the phone was put away. "Where exactly did you want to go?" I didn't answer, just smiled and grabbed her hand, leading her out of my room and eventually the front door, saying a quick goodbye to mom and Marcus as I did so.

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I seriously needed to get my license, or my permit, just something. Having people drive me around was one, getting annoying, and two, making me realize that I actually never ever want to drive. Which kinda defeats the purpose of actually getting something but my point still stands, I think.

No offense to them, but of the people i've gotten in a car with, John sadly drove the best, Jack drove like my brother which was okay, and Maddie, well, no. Just no. She was the reason I never wanted to drive, causing me to have to save myself from people like her. But I kept my freaking mouth shut, after all, it's not like she was trying to kill me on purpose.

Unlike some people.

"Okay, so where are we?" Maddie asked, barely missing a ditch, and a mailbox, as she pulled into the driveway, practically smacking into the car she parked beside of. 

"A friend's house." I answered, already unbuckling and getting out, kinda anxious to see Annie. I've talked to her multiple times on the phone since I have been to her house but in all actuality, I missed her a lot. She was probably the next in line when it came to best friends, that is if I don't already count her as one.

Plus, I still felt like she should hear about the paper me and John have been discussing. Now may not be a good time though, what with Maddie and all.

"Come on, follow me." I said, watching as she got out as well and walked toward me.

"Um, what friend exactly do you have here?" I just smiled and made my way to the door. After a few knocks and what seemed like some yelling from the other side, the door was opened, revealing Annie in her miserable glory.

"Lexi? What are you doi-" She cut herself short, noticing Maddie. Raising an eyebrow, silently questioning who this chick was, she just opened the door more and welcomed us in.

"Annie, don't think we're finished talking about- oh, i'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was here." A woman said, me turning around to see her, purse in hand and a stern expression.

"I told you I heard someone at the door. Normally that means someone's here." Annie answered.

"Well, um, are you friends of Annie's?" She asked me and I guess Maddie as well.

"Uh, yeah, me and Annie go way back." I found myself saying.

"Understatement of the decade." Annie mumbled. 

"That's nice." Annie's mother continued, either ignoring Annie or not hearing her. "I'm Katie." Me and Maddie introduced ourselves before Katie quickly dismissed herself, saying she was late for work already and couldn't exactly stay around to chat. "But we will be finishing our conversation when I get home, young lady." She added as she walked out the door, both of her eyes fixed on Annie as she went.

"That was, um, different." I said without really thinking.

"Yeah, different is one way to put it. Another way is to just call her my mom." Annie told me. "So, what's up?" She may have been talking to me but Maddie must have heard it directed to her.

"Just an animated film about an old man whose wife dies and then he decides to go on an adventure in his house that he made float with colorful balloons. And then there's this kid and he gets in the house-"

"Okay, that's enough, Maddie." I cut her off. "Sorry, Annie. My friend is a bit wacko. She always answers that question like that." To which I sent Maddie a slight glare.

"Eh, don't worry about it. It was entertaining at least." Annie said, brushing it off. "Besides, when I first met you, Lexi, you were a bit out there." She sent a look that basically reminded me about my freaking pixel mark and my desperate need to stay away from Jack that day. Oddly enough, I was kind of avoiding him now too. And for the same reason, to clear my head.

"Oh really, miss holy penguin juice. I was the weird one?" I teased.

"My point," Annie continued, a grin etched on her lips. "is that i'm used to unusual people. They're actually kinda cool. It's the morons I can't stand."

"Then don't go near Lexi's other friend John. God, I wanted to punch that guy." Maddie added.

"I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine." Annie replied, her smile now bigger.

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"Oh my god, you kissed him! I need details. Lord knows you spilled nothing the first time." Annie shreaked.

"What do you mean first time? Has she kissed him before?" Maddie asked.

"Uh," Annie messed up. "It's a long story. Anyway, back to Lexi." I didn't feel like revealing my entire personal life in one day, and definitely not in the one minute it would take for Annie to push it out of me. I told her the same basics I told Maddie; he took me on a date, I like the guy, I kissed him. Yes, i'll admit, it was a big deal. But I don't want to talk about freaking details.

How would one even go about that kind conversation?

Oh, you know, our lips meshed together in a beautiful fireworks kind of kiss. And he didn't spit on me or anything. 

It wasn't exactly something I wanted to discuss. And as I realized this, I found it stranger and stranger that I even came here anyway. My first idea was maybe the three of us could help with my problem of what in the heck to do about this Jack thing. Maddie being involved just because I wanted her to and Annie because she knows about the history between me and Jack and would hopefully understand the problem in what I did, even without me saying I single thing about me mentioning Reid. But Annie's reason has flown out the freaking window, leaving her mind in the land of boy.

God, I need different friends.

"Fine, whatever, don't say anything, Lexi." Annie huffed. "How much did you get out of her?" She asked, turning her attention to Maddie. If there was something you needed to know about Annie, it was this: The second she met you was the deciding point. That was when she either decided to forever treat you like crap, or act like you had known each other since birth. Luckily, I fell in the range of the second one, as did Maddie. But for an example of the first, just think about how she feels about Reid. 

"Well, I did try to get her to realize that she actually hasn't told the guy she likes him." Maddie said.

"What? Lexi, you have to tell him. Guys are idiots, if you don't tell him, he'll be completely clueless." Annie ranted.

"Do I really have to say it again? Jack isn't an idiot, he's smart. You of all people should get that, Annie." I made sure to give her a fierce look as I said it. "And fine, i'll admit, I haven't outright told him that I love him but I freaking feel it okay. And it's stinking scary as heck and I just...." I trailed off. I didn't like getting angry, especially over something like this. But this was way to important. Feelings could be harmful, really harmful. "So, could you two just shut up and listen instead of trying to push me on the guy?"

But then Annie asked in a soft, calm voice, "Did you just say that you love him?"

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I would like to start with thanking everyone for understanding my not updating so quickly. And i'll be deleting my kinda sorta author's note about my not updating(not that it's really important that I bring it up) because it just seems weird to me to randomly have an author's note in the middle of my story. And in case you were wondering, yes, the migraine has gotten much better and now i'm just left feeling really tired but i'm fine. So, yeah, thank you everyone. Seriously, you guys are awesome, every last one of you. 

Also, just to bring it out, I got my TFiOS movie today and am totally freaking out(and may have already watched it twice). But yeah, lots of tears, lots of tears. Okay.....

......Okay, bye guys and vote, comment or whatever if you liked this and talk to ya'll later.