Leave it Unread

Chapter 18

CW: Just a content warning that there is a brief mention of sexual harassment in this chapter. Please proceed with caution. I love you all and I'm here to talk with any of you if you ever need someone to talk to. <3 -SA

Kathleen doesn't bother talking much on our walk back home, but I'm beaming as I think about Adam. He's my friend, and for once, he isn't on a side where I'm the one left in the corner. For once, I have someone to advocate for me.

You mean, advocate to make someone jealous because you're too afraid of Kathleen to admit you're into her supposed boyfriend?

"I want you to text him telling him that we should watch a movie in our dorm." She says it while never once glancing at me and I stand there in shock. When she sees she's walking alone, she turns around and glares. "What?" She spits out and I refrain from responding to the anger bubbling inside of me.

"You don't need me to text him anymore, Kathleen, it's over. He's yours, you got what you wanted."

"Oh no, no, no," she smiles, taking a few steps to reach me. "Don't think I'm stupid, Noelle. Don't think I don't know you're trying to sabotage me."

"Sabotage you? Okay, maybe you're a little tired, Kathleen, you sound delirious." The dancers in my mind come out in neon pink, cheering for me. You stood up for yourself, Noelle!

"You're into him." She doesn't state it as a question, but nearly comes face-to-face with me as she states it. "And you're never going to win, Noelle. Guys like that don't-"

I pull out my phone and pull up the app. When I spot Ben's name, I type up a quick message.

Kathleen Jones:

Come over to my dorm tomorrow? It'll be just you and I ;) And after the success of tonight, I can't wait to see how everything goes from here.

"There. What else can I do for you?" 

"Stay away from my boyfriend."

"Oh, did you two make it official? Does your boyfriend know it's me who-"

"Do you think I don't have a little plan, Noey?" I see this dark persona reveal itself as her lip quivers in anger. This kind of look made its way into my memory when we were sophomore's in high school and Luis Marcel told me he liked my braids, tugging on them. It was the first time a guy in high school gave me any attention, and he happened to be Kathleen's crush that semester. Let's just say I got a stern talking to and Luis never looked at me ever again.

"Just consider this, Noelle. You tell Ben that it's been you texting him as me and he'll hate us both. And, I mean, Ben's hot and I'm completely invested, but he isn't the only man out there. And if you try to save yourself and tell Ben I was the one who set you up to do it and I might just reveal a tiny little secret of your dad's to the university. I think we both know we don't want that to happen, do we?"

I freeze in my place as she chuckles a harsh one, pulling me in for a hug. "Noey, you're going to make Ben Jacobs fall head over heels for me."

Before I can respond, she turns to keep walking and I'm standing there, thinking about my dad and the secret that could tear the only family member I have left.

***

"Noelle? Earth to Noelle. Come on, I got you an extra shot in there so you could catch me up on this Ben/Kathleen/Noelle drama."

It's Saturday morning and Adam had invited me for an early coffee to discuss making Ben jealous. When I make it to the coffee shop in the union on campus, I had noticed that it was scarce, so few students studying after the first week of classes.