The Sitter's Sister

Chapter 50

Jesy was scrolling through Tiktok that Saturday night.

"I think that next time I'll ask if I can come watch her process 'cause she's not here and I feel sad and lonely." Joe was lying next to Jesy in her bed with hands on his chest.

Jesy tsked while liking a video of a guy dancing in a hot dog costume. "I'm sure she'd love to have you around when she's doing her . . . what is it? Game designing?"

"Yeah . . ." Joe sighed. "Do you think that she'd get so close to Jade from this that she'd forget about me?" He pouted. "She's closer to her age."

Jesy frowned. "Jade's helping her design that thing?" She looked away from her phone to ask.

Joe tried to look at her but it was hard with how he was lying down. "I said so after I came home from the event and announced to everyone that I got Sairah to enter that contest. I said that Jade would be her partner? Don't you remember that?"

Jesy did not. "So that's what she's doing now eh?" She sat up and looked down at his face. "Hmm . . ." She remembered when she had heard that Jade was on that trip with Sairah on Sunday. Why was she getting so close to the woman who broke her heart? "Think she's tryna make me jealous?"

Joe sat up too and faced her with crossed legs. "Jade? I don't think so. I think she just likes Sairah." He looked to his side as he remembered what Sairah had shared with him about her 'soul searching' journey with Jade. He knew that they had shared personal things with each other and that Sairah had gone back to her hometown but that was all. It sounded like they got into a lot of deep stuff while travelling together. "They've got a lot in common."

"What?" Jesy frowned. "How?" She thought of her edgy ex. "Because Jade deals with drugs and Sairah came from a place that was most likely crawling with drug dealers? Because they're both from the streets? Is that it?"

"I don't know. Sairah said they have a lot in common but she didn't explain. Maybe it's because Sairah's been the breadwinner for her family and Jade is the breadwinner of hers? Doesn't she do the drug dealing to take care of her mum? Sairah said something about that." Joe told her.

Jesy's mind flashed to a time where Jade had been telling her about her mother's illness. What did I say to her? She could not remember. "Oh okay. So Sairah would rather be with someone who's endured the rough and tough while Jade would rather be with Sairah. Or more like Jade knows that Sairah rejected me and hates me for what I did while I felt ill so is hooking up with her just to spite me!" She pointed to her chest.

Joe took a deep breath then let it out. "Not everything is about you."

Jesy's shoulders fell. "Why else would they be spending so much time together and even leaving you out in the process?"

"Because they've got a connection. And I know that Sairah needs to focus on making her game. This is the first time she's doing this so she's got a lot to learn. Plus, if I ask I'm sure she'd let me tag along." Joe said the last part shyly.

Jesy folded her arms. "Doesn't feel so good to be the one left out huh?"

Joe raised an eyebrow. "She's not trying to be mean. She's just got work to do and I understand that."

"Join the club buddy, join the club." Jesy patted his head. "It's not so bad. I mean, you get used to being your own company."

"But all of your friends are still friends with you. You even said that Perrie and Jade sat with you at lunch all week even though they didn't talk to you directly. Your guy friends have been being nice. You're not lonely or left out." Joe tilted his head.

"Yes I am because all of them are rising on the ranks of Instagram and on the social ladder at school while I'm way at the bottom. People think they're doing charity. Ooo look at the cool kids hanging around that moron who's mum deleted her Instagram! Wehheheheh." Jesy was hurt and sad. "And let's not forget that they have group chats without me but including that insolent girl. Grr!" She punched mid-air. "The moment she and her sister walked into my life was when it all started crashing down! Everyone likes her more and not me!"