Short Story: "A Little Too Late"

Hey! This is a rewrite of a story I wrote in October, all polished up and better. I rewrote it for Valentine's Day. It's actually a spin-off on a novel I began to to write. I hope you enjoy it, it's not your traditional Valentine's Day story.
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A Little Too Late

Sometimes, I wish I had never met him. Then, I could go to sleep at night not knowing that a boy like him existed.
    It's like I've been stabbed in the chest repeatedly. When I followed Alaina and Caleb out of the gym, I could immediately tell that someone would get hurt. They were fighting with each other, and I'd never seen either one so angry. But I didn't expect that it would me.
    "You said that you hated me," Caleb began sternly. "And then you whispered that you couldn't work on that assignment in Spanish with me because you had too many butterflies in your stomach. Then you say you like me, just not in 'that way'. You change the way you feel about me when it's CONVINIENT for you. What the heck is going on? Tell me. I'm sick of your lies. TELL ME."
    Caleb refused to turn around and face Alaina. I watched as her face twisted around, as if she couldn't make up her minde. It was a combination of anger, hurt, and sadness, as she was obviously holding back tears. The sharpness of his tone had caught both Alaina and I by surprise. Caleb never gets angry at people, never.

    "I like you," she answered. "And I didn't know what to say or how to act! I'm sorry that I didn't have the courage to tell you but maybe, just maybe, I'm tired of being rejected, and also tired of being alone!"
    She quickly turned around, heading to either the gym or the restroom. But then Caleb started after her.  He spun her around and pressed his lips to hers.
    Time stood still. I almost wanted to cry, although crying over boys was stupid. I had been mentally preparing myself for weeks on how I'd bravely tell Caleb my secret. That I'd been in love with him for a very long time. I was just about to do it. Then, Alaina had to ruin everything. Oh, how I wish that I could be the girl he is making out with at this moment.



    "Violet?" What are you doing out here?" Caleb's voice cut through my pained.
    "I needed some room to think," I lied.
    "Something wrong?" he asked.
    My chest felt really tight all of a sudden. I just couldn't tell him the truth. He's my best friend, but I just can't tell him what's really on my mind. It'd be stupid to tell Caleb that I'm in love with him now.
    "It's stupid," I spit out without thinking.
    "What's stupid?"
    "Well, I'm just slightly upset because I saw the guy I like kiss another girl," I answer, trying to stay vague.
    "Who?" he asked.
    I hated the way he was acting so concerned about me. If only he knew it was him.
    "It doesn't really matter," I reply glumly.
    "Yes, it does," he insists.
    Then, Alaina comes and saves me.
    "We should get back inside before people start wondering," Alaina told him with a giggle.
    "You're right," he smiles. "I'll talk to you later."
    And she leaves, taking what I never got to have with her.


   
    One night, I wished on a star. I wished to meet my Mr. Right. Low and behold, Caleb came.
The second I laid eyes on him I could tell he was different. And I did start crushing on him, but then we became friends. After a while, the crush came back. He's just so perfect in every way, it's unbelievable...
    At Glenn Rogers' christmas party when him and Alaina kissed, I was hoping with all of my might that it'd be just a one-time thing.
It's not that I don't like Alaina, it's just that my attraction to him is so deep, that I can't see myself with anyone but him.
    Everytime I see him, my stomach gets so many butterflies that it feels like it's going to explode. Every night, before I go to sleep, I just stay up and think of him. And I wonder if he's awake at that moment thinking about me too. And when I go to sleep I dream about the days in the future when we're happily in love together. Thinking that he's a wish come true.
    And now part of me wants to sue Disney, though it's a very unrealistic idea. As a little girl they had me believing that I would find my Prince Charming one day. And so, when I finally think I've met him, this happens. I should have known that wishes don't come true...
I hate logic and wish it would just go away and let me fume, instead of reminding me that I have no valid reason to sue Disney. Frustrated, I head into the bathroom to try and compose myself.

    "Violet?" a voice calls.
    "Yep," I reply.
    "Oh, thank goodness!" my friend Alexis says. "I've been looking for you. Why'd you leave the gym?"
    "I was following Caleb and Alaina," I answer, my voice falling into a monotone.
    "Ooh, any updates?" she asks with a stupid giddy smile on her face.
    "They're in love now," I reply.
    Her smile falls.
    "What do you you mean?"
    "They kissed."
    "It was probably that one guy Chester," she replied. "He looks like Caleb."
    "But it wasn't!" I exclaim.
    "I know that you like Caleb too, but that's no reason to lie!" she yells.
    "I'm not lying!" I exclaim.
    "Yeah, right," she sneers. "You're lucky that I don't just walk away and end our friendship now. I said it was Chester."
    I walk up in front of her and get right in her face.
    "You're not the one who saw the kiss," I remind her. "Can't you just admit you're wrong for once?"
    "Nope," she answered. "I can't believe you'd do this to me."
    "You're not always right," I remind her. "Caleb doesn't even like you. He told me."
    "But I'm irresistable," she grinned.
    "Not to him," I mutter.
    "You're just jealous because I'm better for him," she says softly.
    "But you're not!" I yell. "He'd never date you in a million years. It's not about me, this conversation is about you. Grow up, Alexis. He said he doesn't want you, and now he has a girlfriend. Give it up."
    "But I'm changing," Alexis protested. "And I called him. He's mine. ALL MINE."
    "No, he's Alaina's," I reply.
    "Violet, I can't believe you'd do this to me. Our friendship is over," she screams and runs from the bathroom.


    I never asked for any of this. I thought he was the one, I really did, but I guess I was wrong. Tonight I was hoping that I'd have the opportunity to make a move on him. But I was just a little too late. The numerous daydreams of us kissing and holding hands on the beach this summer began to shatter into reality. Those things weren't going to happen, probably not because he's got a girlfriend now.
    I can't stay in the bathroom forever. I should at least PRETEND to go and have fun, I suppose. So I step back into the gym, the anger and pain still pulsating through me. There's a couch in the gym with no one on it, so I sit there to just think for a few minutes.
    "Would you like to dance?" a voice asks out of the blue.
    "Sure," I reply, looking up to Riley Davenport. I follow him out onto the dance floor. I don't want to dance with him all that much, but it might help me get my mind off of things. At this point I feel like anything's worth a shot. If things couldn't get worse, L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole began to play.
    "My favorite song," I whisper. Riley grins. This song has always made me think about Caleb, and I thought that was a good thing. Now, it's just mocking me.
    "Mine too," he smiles back. "Hey, I'm sorry if this seems sudden, but you just looked kind of lonely."
    "It's fine," I reply. "Might as well try to have a little fun before my night can get any worse, right?"
    I sound like a desperate freak.
    "What happened?" he asks.
    "Well, let's see. I was hoping to finally make a move on my crush tonight, but I was a little too late," I answer, staring up at the ceiling to hold tears back. "I walked out of the gym just in time to see him and another girl kiss. And then, when I tried to tell my friend who likes him, she didn't believe me and won't talk to me now."
    "That sucks," Riley replies. "But yeah, just go out there. Have some fun. Forget him for a little while. It'll make the pain easier to deal with in the long run."
    "Sounds like you've been through this before," I joke.
    "Yeah. My freshman year, I was excited for the Valentine's day dance. But my date ditched me. Long story short, I was pretty upset. But then, I saw a girl crying, because her date stood her up. Her friends had convinced her to come anyways, though it was against her will.  So, I asked her to dance, and you know what? We had the greatest time. It even helped her get her confidence back. A couple of weeks later, she started crushing on another guy. They became boyfriend and girlfriend. They're still dating today, actually," he told me.
    "I should have listened to the warnings of the upperclassmen," I muttered. "But that's a really cool story."
    And I think about taking his advice, just forgetting about Caleb for a while. Just the thought of seperating myself from all romantic feelings for him sounded..great right now. My night was beginning to look better. Well, as good as it can get after your crush gets a girlfriend and your best friend goes psycho on you. But then, my eyes shift over to Caleb and Alaina, smiling and laughing and dancing. Already so happily in love.
    I was just a little too late...
    And then I realize that it doesn't change the fact that I feel completely dead on the inside.
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There it is! Hope you enjoyed it. Not necessarily my best work, but I still enjoyed writing it. And I hope you enjoyed reading it.

If you'd like to read the original version, here's the link:

A Little Too Late (ORIGINAL)

Until next time!