by Sarah Tork
“Oh yeah, say hey back to him, should I say hey to Jenna for him too?” I chuckled and I could hear Dean ask Joe if I should pass a message along to Jenna for him. I couldn’t hear Joe’s response but Dean laughed.
“That would be a no,” Dean laughed back into the receiver.
“He should just come out and say he loves her, I mean I’ve never seen a guy slobber over a girl before.” I laughed explaining. I was about to say something else when I felt my hair being tugged back.
“Owe.” I yelped quietly.
“Everything okay?” Dean asked, concerned. I turned my body and came face to face with the one person I didn’t want to see today.
James.
He stood behind me with two of his friends, smirking to themselves. I scowled at them and turned around.
“I’m okay, just some asshole who thinks he’s being funny.” I said loud enough so that he could hear.
“I wish I was there right now, they wouldn’t be doing that stuff to you if I was there!” Dean growled.
I could hear their laughter escalating, I was pretty sure it was about me.
“Dean, I have to go,” I said, feeling my face heat up.
“I’ll call you later, give those guys hell okay!” Dean said. I hung up and tucked my phone into my pocket.
The line moved forward thankfully and I entered the restaurant quickly making my way to the refrigerator to grab a salad. I could feel him right behind me as I opened the sliding door.
“Stop acting like this.” James whispered.
“Leave me alone.” I said back, grabbing a salad.
“No.” He said back. “There’s something wrong with you.”
My head snapped up and he stood there with his arms crossed, a snide look on his face. He was so beautiful in his dark blue shirt, his messy wavy hair tucked underneath his signature backwards Baseball cap. His green eyes sparkled. I snapped out of my momentary daze, remembering his recent betrayal. “There’s something wrong with me?”
“You’ve been avoiding me all day. I thought you wanted everyone to know that we were together.” James sneered.
“Well, thanks to you, I don’t want that anymore!” I snapped quietly.
His eyes widened. “Why are you acting like this?” He exclaimed, sounding annoyed.
“You lost your chance last Friday.” I snipped back.
“Oh I see what this is about, you’re pissed that I didn’t ask you to come out to the lake with my friends.” James sneered, shaking his head.
“You said that everyone would know on Friday that you were mine. You didn’t show up. You didn’t even say anything about leaving.” I fumed.
“So just because we’re together that means I can’t hang out with my friends anymore. You can’t have it all. You need to stop acting jealous and get over it. This is how it is.” James explained condescendly.
My eyes widened. “I’m over it, don’t worry.”
“Are you sure about that, seems to me you’re ready to burst.” James said, then leaned forward whispering. “Just like last Thursday, right?”
I leaned away from him. “I had a nice time with you, but now I see that’s probably all you’re good for, let’s leave it at that.”
“Stop!” He pushed, looking sullen.
I shook my head. “No, you stop. You, leave me alone from now on. I don’t want to have anything to do with you, ever!”
“Are you sure about that, because once I’m gone, that’s it, I won’t even look at you.” James warned.
“That sounds great.” I snapped.
“You’ll be back.” James smirked, sounding sure of himself.
“I won’t.” I snapped one last time before circling around him and paying for my salad. I walked out of the restaurant and headed towards Jenna. I slid on to the bench, fuming.
“What happened?” Jenna’s eyes widened.
“It happened!” I breathed, wiping sweat off my forehead. “Am I red?”
Jenna shook her head. “You had it out with him, where?” She asked.
“In the restaurant,” I told her, trying to take the lid off my salad, but my fingers kept slipping. I was shaking too much.
“Hey – hey, you’re shaking.” Jenna noticed, grabbing my salad bowl. “Let me do it, your hands are out of order. What did he say?”
I watched her easily slide the lid off and push it back to me. “That there was something wrong with me and that I was being unreasonable, and that I should get over it.”
Jenna’s jaw dropped, her left eye twitched and I think I could hear a growl coming out of her. “That asshole! I’m going to kick the shit out of him!”
“There’s no need, I told him I wanted nothing to do with anymore, he followed that with a threat,” I sighed.
Jenna’s jaw clenched back tight, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean he followed that bullshit with a threat?”
“He said once he’s gone, that’s it, he’s gone forever.” I explained, digging into my salad.
Jenna snorted. “That’s not a threat, that’s a reward!” She started laughing. “That douchebag got it backwards, he actually thinks he’s some sort of prize possession that needs to be nurtured at all costs, no matter what. Dare to dream asshole! He gave my girl exactly what she wanted!”
“Yeah,” I told her in mock – enthusiasm, staring transfixed at the logo around my water bottle. “Exactly what I wanted.”
Jenna tilted her head. “Don’t!” She urged, desperately.
“Don’t what?” I asked, confused.
“You’re having reservations. I can totally see the pain all over your face. Dude, I understand you cared for that jerk off, but come on, you can’t feel anything remotely warm towards him now, not after the way he played you, used you. You get a bag of mixed messages and he goes off to the lake with his boys and those skanks.” Jenna exclaimed dramatically, rolling her eyes multiple times.
“I’m human, what can I say?” I told her, finishing my salad. I chugged down the rest of my water surprisingly fast.
I guess the argument left me dry.
*~*~*
“Anna.” Jenna whispered behind me.
“What is it?” I asked as I tucked my notebook into my bag and shut my locker.
“Don’t turn around.” Jenna ordered, sounding urgent.
My eyes widened. “Why?”
“Because, there’s a show going on behind you, one that I don’t think you’re going to appreciate very much!” Jenna stated, sounding pissed. I could hear the disgust in her voice.
I exhaled loudly, looking at my closed locker. “Is it James again?”
“Yep, and a certain skanky skank shoving her boobs from left to right, you’d think there was a freaking compass in them.” Jenna laughed bitterly.
I chuckled at the thought of Donna’s boob’s acting like a compass. “Can I look now?”
I waited a few seconds, but Jenna still didn’t say anything.
“Well?” I asked, impatiently. I wanted to leave school and go home. This day was already exhausting enough as it was, I didn’t need another reminder of how crappy it was.
“Yeah,” Jenna began to say. “They don’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon, the whole lot of them. Why are they even chilling in this part of the hallway anyways? School’s over, they should all be in the parking lot banging each other, quoting Beavis and Buthead, or doing whatever it is that they do.”
“I don’t care.” I muttered, turning around anyways, even if they were there, I wasn’t going to allow them to make me feel nervous, not in my hallway. A row of lockers away from mine, James and his boys, plus Donna and her hot girl crew were crowding around each other, laughing loudly and play fighting. Donna apart from the rest of her hot girl crew was showcasing her boobs. They were popping dangerously out of the low cut pink tank top she’d worn to school today. They started to pop up and down even more after James and his friends said something to her then laughed. In response, she tried to jump and hit them, but
failed, miserably.
“You think she’s doing it on purpose? Pretending to try and hit them or is she really that weak?” Jenna pondered beside me, leaning on the locker next to mine. I leaned against mine and stared at them with her.
“I don’t know, all I do know is that she’s crazy about him.” I exhaled, not looking away. “Why doesn’t he just make it official with her? Things could have been so much easier for him. He wouldn’t have me always accusing him of things that he was guilty of and he’d have a popular girl by his side, which, by the way he’s been acting, seems to be the only thing he cares about.”
“Being one of the cool kids?” Jenna snorted. “Screw him. You’re amazing, he should have counted his lucky stars he got to tap this.”
I laughed and faced her. “Jenna!”
She tilted her head back and laughed. “What? It’s true isn’t it?”
I shook my head, amused, feeling my face go warm from embarrassment. “I can’t believe you said that!”
“And you’re lucky that’s all I said!” Jenna exclaimed loudly. She grabbed my arm and pushed me forward. “Let’s go, my mom’s waiting for me out front, and I’m tired of staring at the dumb squad!”
“Great.” I muttered, not laughing anymore. I’d have to walk passed them now, which was the last thing I’d wanted to do. I didn’t want to be in close proximity to them like for the rest of my life. Why couldn’t graduation be today, then we could all go our separate ways and never have to see each other again.
Crap.
“It’s going to be okay.” Jenna assured, moving around the crowded hallway towards the exit, which was inconveniently located all the way down the hall.
“I hope so.” I muttered, following her, feeling butterflies in my stomach as we got closer to walking passed the loud group.
“Be strong.” Jenna whispered. “Pretend they don’t exist, especially Mr. Douchebag.”
“I’ll do my best.” I murmured shakily to her. I needed to remember to breathe, this was going to be hard enough to do and I didn’t need to faint from the lack of oxygen.
Here we go.
Even though the hallway was crazy busy, for some reason there was ample space around them. I guessed, they intimidated the hell out of everyone here and nobody wanted to be in the same space as them for longer than they had to.
Just like me.
We were passing them and I stared straight ahead. All of a sudden their laughter dimmed noticeably quieter.
I think it’s because of me.
“Hey Anna!” One of them snickered, I couldn’t see who, but it was one of his boys. I ignored him.
“Awe James, she’s ignoring me too.” The guy laughed.
James didn’t say anything to his friend.
But what could he say? Saying something would actually require him to announce to his entire group, not just to his boys, that he knew me more than they’d like to think.
God I felt pathetic.
I didn’t deserve this crap. I shook my head, breathing fire-y air from my nostrils. I wished it was fire, then a certain somebody would have had some explaining to do and he’d actually have to say it or else face a terrible burning death.
We were almost passed them completely when I saw Tom walking down the hallway, heading towards us. He glanced past my shoulders to the group and then eyed me, smirking.
Great.
They were all in on it.
Tom stopped right beside us, grinning. “Hey Anna, long time no see.”
I looked at Jenna who looked like she was about to burst into flames, she was that angry. But I shook my head at her and turned to Tom. If this was how they all wanted to play, well, I could play too.
I think it’s time for James-y boy to have a little taste of his own medicine. I pulled Jenna to a stop. Using every ounce of courage I had inside of me, I casted aside any reservation I would have had speaking to a boy from this particular group (besides James) and smiled at Tom.
You know, the kind of smile that says ‘I find you attractive’.
“Hi Tom, yeah it’s been awhile, a whole ten minutes since History finished.” I giggled, doing my best to sound dimwitted and flirty. “You take notes?”
He peered over my shoulder looking stunned for a few seconds He blinked back at me and our eyes met. He smiled back, clearly amused that I answered him, considering everything that’s happened. “Yeah, but a whole ten minutes, that’s a long time. I took notes, you wanna borrow them.”
I smirked. “Nah, I’ve seen your handwriting.”
His jaw dropped, amused still. “My handwriting rocks, I’m a pro at note taking!”
I smiled at him suggestively. “Bet that’s not all you’re a pro at.”
“You got that right!” He roared, pumping his chest out.
“I’m sure. I saw you play during the game last Thursday, you were great.” I told him, staring deep into his blue eyes. Tom was the same height as James, and he was cute too.
“Thanks,” He smiled, sweetly, looking sheepish for a second before glancing past my shoulders again.
“You looked really cute in your Baseball uniform that day too,” I grinned at him, making him visibly nervous as he kept glancing over my shoulder.
“Thanks,” He stuttered then glanced again past my shoulder, gulping. “Bro, what’s up?”
I turned my head, finding James and a few of his bro’s standing behind us. James’s green eyes met mine and he narrowed them accusatorily at me. I shrugged at him, doing my best to seem indifferent.
Keep it up, or else he’ll know how much pain you’re in! I told myself as I mustered every ounce of strength I had to not blink.
“What’s going on here?” One of his boys’ asked from beside him. I think his name was Roy. He was shorter than Tom and James, and had blonde hair and brown eyes. He was cute, but not as cute as James and Tom.
I answered him anyways. “Oh nothing important really, we were just talking about History class and other stupid stuff.”
“Sure you were.” James sneered, giving Tom a death glare.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why do you care anyways?
“I don’t.” James smirked, eyeing his boys like I was crazy. “I think she’s on something!”
They started to laugh behind him. He looked back at me and raised both eyebrows as if to say ‘Game, set, match’.
I felt Jenna tug my hand, motioning for us to go. I looked at her and she was looking away, but I could tell she was about to blow by the way her hand shook around mine. So for her sake and mine, I’d better wrap up this little party.
But not before I said what I needed to.
I shook my head and stared at James seriously. He stopped laughing and motioned for me to go ahead by tilting his head slightly to the side.
“Did you have something you wanted to say?” He sneered.
“To you? No, I have nothing to say to you, ever!” I told him forcefully. All of sudden, Donna and her hot girl crew joined the boys. Donna wiggled her way next to James and raised an eyebrow at me.
Just perfect!
This is just what I’d needed right now.
“Hello Annabelle,” Donna said acidly.
I eyed her. “Hello Donna, you look nice today.” I told her stoically.
She blinked back her shock. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, pinks a great color for you.” I told her, and then eyed the two of them. “You guys look great together.”
“What are you talking about?” James grimaced, sounding confused.
I eyed him, smirking. “Well, I’m talking about you and Donna. You guys are together right? You guys look real good together.”
Donna eyed James for a few seconds waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, she faked a laugh like she thought it was crazy too.
She tilted her head to the side and sighed, looking at me like I was a stupid idiot who didn’t know any better. “We’re not like that sweetie.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh you�
��re not, oh I’m sorry, my bad. I thought, you know, you two spending so much time together, that you guys were involved like that.”
“Like what?” James pushed acidly as his nostrils flared.
“You know, special.” I smirked.
“There’s something wrong with you,” James declared to me before eyeing his boys as if I were unstable.
I shook my head at him. “Maybe I am. I’ll get my brain checked out, maybe next weekend. I’ve got the time.”
I eyed Donna and she started giggling, eyeing her girls sneakily before glancing back at me. “You should have a lot of free time from now on, Fireball!” She bursts into laughter, as did her girls. I heard gasps coming from James’s boys.
I blinked, feeling a wave of shock over take me. What?
He told her too?
My eyes felt watery in an instant. I felt my cheeks heat up as I gulped a strong force of bile down. I slowly eyed James. “You told her?” I asked him meekly, shaking my head.
He clenched his jaw and said nothing.
“Alright! I’ve had enough of this crap!” Jenna declared loudly, turning and joining my side. She pointed to James. “You, are, an, Asshole!”
Then she pointed to Donna. “And you are a little skanky skank!”
Donna’s jaw dropped. “What did you call me?” She hissed, her eyes flaring with immediate anger.
Jenna placed a hand to her hip and jerked her head forward. “You heard me!” She snapped back, enunciating every letter slowly.
Donna stepped forward and tried to push Jenna but her girls grabbed her shoulders stopping her. “Don’t Donna! You’ll get into trouble!” They screeched.
I couldn’t look at her anymore. I couldn’t look at any of them. I was still in shock. I couldn’t believe he told her too. His nickname for me was supposed to be private, only for him to use. I wiped the newly flowing tears away from my cheek. “You told her?”
He shook his head, grimacing. “I didn’t, she heard it from somewhere else.” He snapped.
“Bitch, you better step back!” Jenna announced loudly at Donna who was struggling to break free from her girls. Jenna raised both her fists and pointed them to Donna. “There ain’t nothing fake about these babies, yah hear me!”
