Living with Pain

Chapter 14: The Bitch

Sky

"Stupid dance team, stupid trips, stupid Hawaii."

"It's not that bad. They'll only be gone for a week," I try to reassure a pouting Mayson.

"Easy for you to say! It's not like your boyfriend is leaving you for an entire week. He's going to be around all those dance girls, who you know are all flirts. What if he forgets about me? What if he decides I'm too boring and plain and he meets a hot Hawaiian chick and runs away and elopes?"

I try hard not to laugh, I really do, but I can't help it.

"Stop laughing!" Mayson throws a pillow at my head.

"Rude!"

She sticks her tongue out. As quick as the happy moment came, she's back to pouting. "I just miss Dillion already."

I roll my eyes. "They don't even leave until tomorrow."

Mayson shrugs. "Aren't you going to miss your boo?"

"He's not my 'boo.' We're just... friends?"

"Mhm. Sure. Friends who hang out almost every day. Who hug and cuddle. And I know he wants to kiss you."

It's my turn to throw the pillow. But, like the graceful athlete I am, I miss by feet. "We're taking it slow. And that is perfectly fine with me. I've never done the boyfriend thing before. Besides, I haven't told him about my... health issues yet. I don't want to lock down a boyfriend if he doesn't know what he's getting into."

Mayson sighs. "I guess that makes sense."

We fall into a borderline depressing silence.

"C'mon," Mayson jumps up from the couch. "Let's make the boys cookies. If we start now, we can meet them at the dance studio after practice. It will be a great excuse to see them."

Two hours and a host of dirty dishes later, we have a container filled with warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies. Mayson texts Dillion to let him know we are on our way.

We pull up in Mayson's small sedan to a parking lot party of dance kids. Mayson jumps into Dillion's arms, squealing as he picks her up and spins her. I hold the container tightly, feeling out of place among all the energetic teenagers.

"We brought cookies," Mayson shouts. She takes the container and soon it's being passed around. Kids I've never met gather round, talking and laughing in a mass of energy.

I scan the crowd, searching for Cash. I see him across the parking lot with a girl. I wave and he waves back. I debate about walking over to him, but he turns his back to me to continue his discussion. I frown.

My feeling of annoyance grows into hurt when he walks off with the girl, completely ignoring me.

Mayson appears by my side. "Dillion and a bunch of dance kids are going to Rush's house to hang out. Please, please, please can we go? We won't stay too late." She gives me a pleading look.

"Fine," I sigh, attempting to push Cash's weird behavior out of my mind.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. Mayson is too engrossed in Dillion to recognize my extra quiet behavior. I sit in the downstairs tv area, half paying attention to the movie, half paying attention to my phone, and half trying not to cry.

Cash was here, but again, he ignored me. No more than a small wave and smile. I know we weren't "boyfriend/girlfriend," but I thought we were at least friends. It hurt more than it should, seeing him pay more attention to that girl I saw him with earlier. Maybe he was getting bored of me and my need to take things slow.

"You okay?"

I look up from my phone. Rush plops down onto the couch next to me.

"Yeah."

"I don't believe that."

I shrug. Rush studies my expression for a minute.

"He's being a jerk and an idiot."

"Who?" I pretend not to know.

Rush rolls his eyes, "Cash. I don't know why he's acting the way he is. It's not fair to you. And that bitch doesn't deserve more of his attention. She keeps stringing him along and he follows like a sad puppy."

"His ex." I state it to clarify.

"Yup," Rush pops the p. "He said he was done with her, that she wasn't the one anyways, and I believed it. But now she wants to talk and make up, again. She pouts when he ignores her, and he's too nice to make her go away."

"Oh." Knowing that almost made it worse. The girl who broke his heart is the one getting all of his attention tonight. "He is an idiot. Why give her attention when he's over her." I pause, barely daring to ask the next question, "Is he over her?"

Rush contemplates. "I think that's a question for Cash. I wish I could offer you some words of wisdom. If it helps, I can beat some sense into him. He will be stuck with me on an island for the next week."

I laugh, touched by his offer. "As sweet as you are, I don't want to be an accessory to a crime. I guess I'll just have to face this issue like a grown-up should by talking to him." I glance down at my buzzing phone.

Mom: Don't stay out too late. Remember Dad's coming home and is taking us and your brothers family to the zoo tomorrow.

I sigh. I have no idea where Mayson ended up.

"You look like you're ready to go home," Rush guesses.

"Yeah, but I don't know where my ride disappeared too."

"I'll take you."

I quickly take Rush up on his offer. As we leave his house, I ask, "Do you think I should try to talk to Cash tonight? Or wait until after the trip?"

"Up to you, but if it was me, I'd wait. Make him do a little work to show that he cares about you. It's not fair to ignore you all night for another girl. You deserve better."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for being such a great friend."