Turning Tides

19. Trauma Bonding!

He was almost perfect over the next few days. Jayden let me walk into school with him on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th day. I knew each specific day because I recorded them on my phone in a note titled: Homework List. Hopefully, nobody would be bored enough to open my "homework" because they could finally prove I should be institutionalized.

Jayden also kept good on his promise to get the administration to change our lunch table. Of course, they had a bigger table perfectly ready for him at the snap of his finger.

Remember, I said, 'almost.' There was still the 6 foot 7 sized Drew problem that he didn't seem to be able to get away from. For example, on each of our walks into school, Drew was in the middle of us. At lunch, Tate and I sat on one side of the circle from Jayden, and Drew sat right beside him. Any conversation with Jayden also meant sharing it with that parasite.

Jayden was bright and bubbly until Drew was involved in conversations, and that depressed and withdrawn personality from the dinner returned. Sadly enough, it seemed that I was the only one to notice it. Their toxic relationship reminded me of smelling the paper mill on my move to the island, a putrid smell to me that all the locals had gone nose-blind to, according to Jayden. 

When he spoke, the table still adored him with wide, beady eyes. Mrs. Rowe still seemed to think of him as a celebrity, but I knew that what he said and did was always curated to Drew's amusement. It was like watching people worship a false prophet. I thought Tate would be helpful in validating my opinion on the school's secret shogun, but she left me with more questions than answers. 

On the 3rd day of school, I was finally able to get some alone time with her during a class change. I whispered so as to not get caught by Drew and Jayden's loyal followers because, let's face it, it was the whole school. "Hey, what do you think of Drew and Jayden's relationship?" 

"Why, you jealous?" She teased.

"No, I'm curious if you see the same thing as me, but I don't want to lead you in any direction. Just spitball things you've noticed."

She popped her gum in my ear. "I think Drew is super annoying, and he always has been. He's cute because I love legs, and he's got them in droves, but his attitude honestly ruins it. I think he brings out the worst in Jayden. There are times when I'm reminded of the hoary-go-lucky boy he was when were close friends, but then I see this popular douchebag he's become since he got hot."

"I understand that. I can kind of see two versions of him as well. Why though?" I looked at her out of the side of my eye to covertly judge her facial expression.

She scanned the corners of the hall. "I have no idea. I guess Jayden is a little self-destructive, and Drew likes to destroy things, so it's a match made in heaven... actually, hell."

"That makes sense, but I cannot help but feeling like there's more to it."

She stiffened. "What are you on about? There's nothing."

Her posture change and dismissal was very strange. I adjusted my backpack. "I don't know. Why are you being so dismissive?"

"I just think it's a waste of time to try to analyze it. They are the way they are, and even if there is something to it, I don't think it's my business to be getting into. As a gay guy, you should know that it sucks to have people probing into your life."

"You got a point. I just was really curious because-"

"I'm sorry, Ellison. I gotta go. This is my class," she ended our conversation early.

I was disappointed but I had a feeling she was right. I remembered people reading into my life telling me I was gay when I was twelve and wasn't sure why I got butterflies around the athletic boys and Anakin Skywalker. Still, there was something strange about her aggressive dismissal that didn't sit right with me.