Chapter 42
Their eyes met briefly, and Haley quickly put away her compact, Ellie stepped aside to let her in, then walked straight out of the room.
Haley’s quick makeup touch–up at the door before visiting Alex was telling. It was hard to believe she was just there to her parents and didn’t care about Alex. Even Haley might not have been entirely convinced by her own story.
appease
“Ellie. Haley called out, catching up to her in the hallway.
Ellie stopped but didn’t turn around. Their friendship felt strained now. They had become close because their families had lived across from each other for years, and Ellie had easily become friends with Haley, who was from a wealthy family.
Ellie remembered when Haley first started pursuing her brother, Aaron. She had been worried, but Haley had promised, “No matter what happens with your brother, we’ll always be best friends. Haley had won over Aaron, but their friendship had changed.
In the hallway, Ellie stood with her back to Haley, barely a step between them. Haley’s eyes flickered nervously.
Seeing Ellie’s reluctance to face her, Haley mustered her courage “Ellie, we’ve been friends for so long. Are you really not going to talk to me anymore?”
Ellie listened, unsure if her sadness was due to their strained friendship, her brother’s situation, or the complicated feelings she had for Alex that she couldn’t quite put into words.
“Haley, I was desperate for you to give my brother a chance. If you’re really done with him, just tell him. He deserves some respect,” Ellie said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Haley paused and then replied, “I did give him a chance, but he was always distant. There’ve been rumors about Alex and me, but Aaron never checked if they were true. He’s the one who walked away, not me
Ellie’s eyes welled up as she stared at Haley. “He’s the one who walked away? Aaron quit a job you didn’t like and saved up to propose, But on your birthday, you ignored his calls. How was he supposed to be more proactive?”
She added, “At your party, when you saw me with him, you were so panicked that he couldn’t even admit he was your boyfriend. How could he make a move then?”
“I had my reasons,” Haley said, looking away. “My parents wanted me to break up with Aaron. I know what I did was wrong.
but I was trying to prove you both. What if there was a fight”
“From the start, Aaron told you about our family’s struggles, Ele said, her voice shaking “He couldn’t provide everything, but he could stand by you. He asked if you wanted that, and you said yes, so firmly.”
Haley’s eyes filled with tears, and she avoided Ellie’s gaze. Their friendship, once so strong, was now broken.
