Chapter 3 (Lana) – Me and my used-to-be Best Friend, Nori…

The schedule for the next tournament was months away. But I decided to jump into some hardcore training so that all I can think of is my aching body and not my heart. 

I just didn’t know that it would be harder than I thought it was, especially when my trainer turns out to be Nori.  

“Lana!” Nori called out my name, “You can do better than that!” He added shouting. As my combat partner sent me flying and my back hitting the mattress of the training room.

I am beginning to hate this day. First, I had Dana shouting at me for being a mediocre mage. Now, I have my best friend shouting at me, for being an awful fighter. I stayed down not even bothering to move. I was too tired of this bullshit. I was doing fine when a shadow fell over me. 

“What?” Nori said in his all bossy tone that I hate so much, “You’re quitting now?” he asks angrily. 

“I am resting,” I replied as I placed my arms over my eyes so that he won’t see the pain I was feeling. Nori and I had been friends, best friends for the longest time and I have never seen him look at me that way. Like I was some kind of a failure that he hated so much. 

“Don’t tell me you’re crying?” Nori said, mocking me. 

I gulp down all my frustration, as I stop myself from crying. The last thing that I want him to see is me breaking down because of him. I know that I have brought all of this to myself, but that doesn’t mean that he has no fault in it when he made me believe that we can be so much more than friends. 

I hate how he made me misinterpret the kindness that he had shown me. How he made me believe that he felt the way that I did. 

I hate him so much right now that it was so hard being in the same room as him.

“Stop it, Nori,” I hear Calvin say as he comes beside me, “What is wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?” Nori asked angrily as if he was picking a fight, “I just want the best for Lana,” he shouted back. 

“You’re pushing her too hard,” Calvin shouted back, “Everyone here can see that!”

“She needs to learn how to protect herself,” Nori blurted out, “And she needs to learn it fast.” 

“What makes you think she can’t protect herself?” Calvin asked angrily this time. Nori is my best friend, but so is Calvin. Well, the truth is they were already best of friends before I even came into the picture. But I guess, I felt closer to Nori, than to Calvin. Maybe because Nori is more outgoing and easy to converse with. Calvin on the other hand was the quiet one, hard to read and more aloof to others unless he was with Nori and the rest of his Alpha friends. 

But things have changed ever since Nori and Dana became a thing. It comforts me to know that I have at least one person willing to take my side, no questions asked.

“With her performance so far isn’t it clear enough that she can’t handle herself?” Nori responded, “I can’t always be around her to protect her. And you know that!” 

“Then, I will be there for her,” Calvin replied. 

I have never thought that I would hear those words coming from Nori. I should have known about it earlier but I was so caught up with my own issues and with what was going on at home that I missed seeing how Nori and I were slowly falling apart. 

“I don’t remember asking you to save me,” I said to Nori standing up, this time everyone in the training room was looking at us but I don’t care anymore. 

“If this is your performance how can I not be concerned about it?” Nori asked, his tone gentler than it was earlier, “You’re my best friend, Lana, of course, I am concerned about your safety,” he added. I saw the training door open as Leon and Drake came rushing in. 

“I don’t need your protection, Nori,” I said as I look at him straight in the eyes, “I am not some kind of damsel in distress who would need your protection. I am just not feeling well today.” 

“What if the rogue wolves attack and you are not feeling well?” Nori asks, and his taunting voice is back. 

“Then Calvin, Leon, or Drake will save me,” I replied as I walk away from him towards the benches where my duffle bag is located. I opened the zipper and found the food that my mother had packed for him and the rest of the team. I pulled it out of my bag and walk toward him.

“You can’t depend on other people, Lana,” Nori said as he run his hand over his slicked-back hair making it messy. 

“Yup, I won’t,” I replied, “that’s why I am not depending on you.” 

“By the way, my mom wants to give you this,” I say as I handed him the food that my mom packed for him and the rest of the team, “Give some for the rest of the team. I will be leaving early today. Not feeling well.” 

I turned and walk away from him as I headed for the training room door. I hear someone jogging toward me and my senses relax after knowing that it was Calvin and not Nori.

“I come with you,” Calvin said with a smile. Seeing Calvin with a smile is really a rare sight. I hope that he knows how handsome he looks when he’s smiling. Maybe then he would smile more. 

“Sure,” I replied as I let the training room door close behind us. 

We walk toward Calvin’s black truck and he opens the passenger door for me to get in. Once inside and when he was sure that I had my seatbelt on, he turned and look at me before he start his engine. 

“I got the feeling that you wouldn't want to go home yet,” he said.

“How did you know?” I answered him, acting surprised. 

“Stop it, Lana,” he replied sadly, “I want you to be yourself, at least with me. Stop acting like you are okay even when you’re not.”

“I am okay, Calvin,” I said. 

“You know very well that I am not the person that you should lie to right?” His question isn’t really a question. Because I know him very well to know of all the people who know me, he’s the person who can see right through me.

“I am trying to be okay, Calvin,” I said finally as I look out the window.

“I know,” Calvin says, “And I know that things haven’t been easy.”

“You know that I am very much used to it by now,” I replied, “Ever since I was born, nothing was easy for me. Sometimes I just wish that I wasn’t born at all.”

“Don’t say that,” Calvin said, his voice sad, “You know that you were born for a reason. Everyone one of us.”

“Well, if the reason that I was born was for my twin sister to steal the only man I have loved and cared for, who by the way thought it was better if we just became best of friends and nothing more, well reason can just shove it up to his ass,” I said angrily. 

“I wish there was a better way to comfort you,” Calvin said sadly.

I turned to him, “I’m sorry Cal,” I said, “I guess this is the reason why I prefer to be alone. I don’t want to dump all my shit on another person.” 

“You’re not really dumping anything on me,” Calvin said smiling, “And I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I guess, I just really wanted to see you happy. Because you deserve to be happy Lana.”

“Thanks, Cal,” I said as I sat back on my seat and look out of the window once again, “ Thank you for reminding me that I deserve happiness too. Because there are times when I forget that I deserve it.” 

“Rest assured that I will always remind you,” Calvin said smiling, “So, where do you want to go?” 

“Just drive,” I said, “As far as we can from here.” 

“Got it,” Calvin replied as he turned on his radio and played some music as he leaves me alone. 

It’s funny how Nori wanted us to be best friends forever. How he always says that he never wants to lose me. But ever since he and my sister started dating. Why do I feel like I didn’t only lose the man that I love but also my best friend? With each passing day, I am slowly drifting farther away from my best friend. 

I can’t help but wonder, where it started to go wrong.