Clips

Clip #23: Jealousy

I swear this one wrote itself. I did not plan for anything that happened in this Clip to happen, but it actually blends rather well with the storyline.

And now it has even more twists.

MwAhAhAhA

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South POV

A boyfriend.

"I have a boyfriend."

The words still echoed around my head, hours later. When her face had softened from it's angry mold to that almost kind look, I'd thought she'd say we could give us another chance.

But she didn't say that.

"I have a boyfriend."

And only now can I see the pity that was in her gaze.

Envy, jealousy ground at the pit of my stomach. I still loved Leyla, but any feelings she had once had for me seemed to have evaporated.

"I have a boyfriend."

Then that far-off look in her eyes, the corners of her mouth almost pulling up into a smile despite the tensity of the situation.

She loved him now. Whether she knew that or not, she loved him. What a lucky man he was.

No one loved me.

Not Jill, not Leyla, not Vivi.

Shut up, my brain whispered harshly, Jill did love you, Leyla did love you. Probably still does somewhere in her heart. Stop wallowing in self-pity and try to get the girl!

I picked up my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I reached the name I was searching for.

Benjamin Kidd.

If anyone knew who Leyla was dating, he did. And if anyone could help me win her back, he could. He had women fawning all over him 24/7 anyway, why couldn't he give me some tips?

I clicked "call".

----

I walked across the crunching gravel of the driveway to the red front door, bringing my hand up to knock. I hadn't seen Ben in the entire eighteen months I'd been gone, and I wondered how he had changed. Or not changed.

The door swung open.

Ben had changed, alright. His hair was shorter, he was taller, his gaze more arrogant. But it was Ben, it was my best friend.

"I was wondering when you were coming back to our humble little town, city kid," he said, grinning, "I missed ya!"

I elbowed him. "I missed you too, bud."

He allowed me inside the house, gesturing for me to follow him up the stairs to his bedroom. "My room might be kinda messy," he said, "haven't really had time to clean it lately."

I pushed open his door, and my eyes absorbed the gigantic mess.

Clothes, video games, sheets, and pillows were strewn around the room. Ben closed a curtain, hiding the mess from me. That curtain was definitely new. In this closed-off space, however, was a camera, a strangely-angled telescope, a couch, a bunch of magazines piled on a side table, and a mini-fridge.

"Sweet," I said, glancing around.

"Yeah," said Ben, waving a hand and opening the mini-fridge. "Want a beer?"

I swallowed my disappointment. I had thought that maybe Ben had changed. It appeared not. "No thanks, Ben. You know I don't drink."

"Oh, right," he said, setting both drinks back in the fridge, "I won't have one either, then."