Tongue Tied

Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Sophomore Year Part 3

Three days. I waited three days. No response. No call backs. No replies to my texts, dms, snapchats. Nothing. The week after, he started dating Jessica. She made it a whole spectacle, kissed him in front of the whole school. More like she stuck her tongue in his mouth. Literally. She had her whole tongue out, grabbed his head and mauled him. It was all over social media.

Everywhere I went, there they were. Rubbing it in my face that they were in love. As days turned to months, I was a ghost to him. When we walk past each other, he doesn't look my way. It seems his stride was in slow motion when I see him. His gaze was straight ahead, and he didn't notice me. His attention was Jessica and drama. What did I do wrong? I open my locker for my textbooks, waiting for Quinn. We were supposed to go to the study hall in ten minutes. After school I have my audition. I'm sweating, I wipe it on my pants. I have it memorized like the back of my hand. Also written in my pocket in case I forget a line.

"Maya," Sam's voice makes me jolt. I turn around, we're making eye contact. I blink three times, placing one of my hands on my hip.

"What?" I ask, trying to sound as cool and calm as possible and not slap him. But he still looked cute today. His hair is the perfect mix of bedhead, the type you want to run your fingers through.

"Uh, you're auditioning, right?" He squeezes the strap of his bag. His knuckles turned red.

"Yeah. Are you?" I clear my throat from the scratchy feeling.

"Yeah." He nods. This thing between us is weird, I can't look him in the eyes the same way.

"Boyfriend!" Jessica interrupts, wrapping her arms over his neck and kisses him hard. "Where were you?"

"Waiting for you, babe," he says with a soft smile.

"Aww so sweet! Isn't he sweet?" She bumps her nose with his, he chuckles and kisses her quickly. I roll my eyes. I mean I guess why he's with her. Gorgeous meets gorgeous. "Hi, urm Margie right?" She squints and frowns.

I exhale, "Maya." It's not a hard name to remember.

"Right. Huh." She looks down to my feet. "I like your shoes, where'd you get them?"

Looking down, shifting my feet inside my black sneakers I got on sale. "Target," I simply say.

"Adorable." Her smile is full of fakeness.

"Thanks," I have nothing else to say to this off brand Regina George.

"Babe, let's go before the lunch line fills up." She tugs on his elbow.

"I'll catch up with you." He kisses her quickly, she grins in a swoony manner.

"Kay. I'll hold a spot for you. Bye, Naya." She waves with her fingers.

"Maya." I huff and roll my eyes, moving my books around my locker.

"Listen. About that night-"

"Shouldn't you follow your girlfriend? I thought you were ignoring me." I point out.

"I'm not ignoring you." He licks his full lips, scratching the back of his neck.

"Sam, please. You are. You haven't returned my text or calls. I even dmed you on instagram."

"I didn't get any of them." What a liar! It was delivered.

"You saw it. Don't lie. It has a timestamp."

"No I didn't. I changed my number when you called."