ɢᴜʏ ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɪɴᴇ
𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀 sweep. An 11-0 score pushed us into round two. The whole world was watching us, and for now, in this second, they loved us. We were in the papers. We were in sports magazines. We were on top. It was hard though--to still be a teenager. I felt claustrophobic at times when there were so many people around us. So when Goldberg, Dwayne, Jesse, and Averman asked if I wanted to join them on Rodeo Drive, I was quick to say no.
"You sure, man?" asks Jesse.
"Yeah, I'm probably just going to take a nap anyways. I'm kind of tired," I said.
"Suit yourself," Goldberg shrugged with a sigh.
"You've been saying that a lot," Jesse observed. "Is everything cool?"
"Yeah, it's just Connie stuff," I tell him.
"Well, you know where to find us if you change your mind," Averman finalizes as the four boys push out the door.
Alone, Charlie's words echoed through my mind. Maybe try talking to her about it. Make her jealous back.
As good as it would feel, I couldn't be that guy. I didn't want to be the guy who flirted with other girls while he had a girlfriend. I didn't want to be the guy who had to sink that low. But I think I already did those things. It wasn't right--but it didn't feel wrong. I am an asshole. I'm the asshole who flirted with Maeve Williams. What went wrong? Where did I go wrong?
I didn't know. But I knew I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't do this pointless relationship. I couldn't do the pretending. It's done--it's been done probably longer than I thought. I just wish I had gotten the memo when my girlfriend dumped me.
Giggling in the hallway tore my attention immediately. I could recognize it anywhere. I flung the door open, glancing left and right before I saw them. Connie and Luis, holding hands. I knew it was coming. I knew it was exactly what I was going to see, but it still stung. It was like a dark cloud on a rainy day--you knew the outcome, just not the when. It was a kick to my stomach. "Wow, you two kids have fun?"
"Guy!" Connie gasped, spinning towards me when she heard my voice.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"What?" she questioned. "No, no! Of course not. It's not what it looks like!"
"Okay," my voice sounded calm when really it felt like it was breaking. "So what is it like, exactly?"
"Well, we were just..."
"Did you kiss him?" I cut her off. I really didn't have the patience to listen to more fabricated stories. "Don't lie. Just tell me. You owe me that, at least."
Her eyes said more than her mouth ever could. "Guy..."
I looked at Luis. I don't know what was worse, the fact that Connie couldn't look at me or that he couldn't.
"We're done, Connie," I said. "We're just...done."
"Wait, Guy!" she pleaded, grabbing onto my arm. "Please, just let me make it up to you."
"That's okay. I really don't want anything else to do with you."
I was harsh, and I knew it. But I didn't care. I had every right to be harsh--on both of them. Some fucking team we were. I slowly backed away, watching as anger crept up Connie's neck. "Fine! Go fight with Maeve, or whatever it is you do now! See if I care!"
But I knew she would. It hit me that she was just insecure--threatened, even. She didn't like Mae, and I thought that meant we were good together. I thought she was doing it to protect me, to make me feel better--but she was doing it for herself. She always was. Connie looked out for Connie.
