I knew it but I see it at last

 "I think he's going through a lot more than he'll ever admit," Harley said about Brick and his troubles at home. Of course, Izzy didn't think any thing of it. She just thought he was being an immature brat. She was still furious with him about how he'd handled the whole Griffin and Brooklyn thing. 

"No wonder he doesn't have that many friends," Izzy was in a pout.

"Now wait a minute," Harley didn't want to get in a spat over Brick, especially since she felt Izzy was her best friend these days. "It hasn't been easy with him. His mom has always had problems. It's amazing Brick has turned out to be the great guy he is." Also, she reminded Brick had made the varsity basketball team this year and didn't have any time to drive anyone around. She knew how Izzy's mind worked. She still liked a fellow who did all the driving when she could be doing it herself. But no, she would call them to come to Lincoln. So now they just had to make do over the phone. Actually, Harley preferred phone calls, while Izzy only wanted to text. 

"Whatever," was all she got out of Izzy. After Izzy hung up Harley began to wonder if Izzy was really over Brick. She shook her head. She had to be. She just had to. After all, Izzy and Link were planning to move in together this summer and were already looking at apartments. 

Still, Harley had her Brick to cheer on. She was there for every basketball game. Of course, she looked for any of his family, but they were never there. This made her sad, but she knew it wasn't her place to nag him or them about it. But he was so good. She at least started sending his grandmother the pics she got of him on the court. 

It wasn't until now she thought maybe she could be a PR person. Of course, he was always worrying she wasn't eating properly. It was hard to tell if they were each other's cheerleader or maybe they nagged each other too much. But she was there for him. And it wasn't until now she felt it didn't really matter what Link and Izzy were doing without them on the weekends. It was best to stay close to each other. And as much as she still wanted to be Brooklyn's friend, Harley felt she could only do so much. She had a life too, and it was with Brick.

Brooklyn couldn't forget what Brick had said at the New Year's party. She couldn't believe that was the way they probably all felt about her. Did she think she hated all of them? That was the night she also found out that Trent was seeing someone else. She'd seen them together while they were out at the mall. Yes, she still went there. And they were so cozy at the coffeehouse. Of course, he'd never taken her there. No, they never went anywhere. Oh, they were in his car a lot, but that didn't mean it was a date.

At first, she wanted to pour hot cocoa all over him and maybe her too, but she didn't. No, she left it alone, blocked his calls, and hoped he got the message to never mess with her again. What was she? Just an in-betweener? Honestly, she felt as if she needed to be with her friends and of course, they all wanted her to meet Griffin.

He wasn't one of those totally into himself like Trent. He really had a good friendship with Link too. And she liked that. Honestly, she wasn't sure what it was about him that made her feel at home. Maybe it was her friends. Maybe it was the fact he wasn't asking for much, but was happy to know her. Of course, it wasn't like they saw each other every weekend. Still, it was nice to have someone to text and she even looked forward to the phone calls. Yes, they were even stepping it up to Facetime. But not all the time. 

It helped that they liked Harry Potter, but he wasn't into cosplay, and yet he liked to write jokes. Except, he knew he wasn't all that funny.

"I just look like an awkward giraffe," he told her.

"But I like giraffes," she told him in a text. Of course, he sent her a photo of a giraffe every day now, and it always made her smile.