Lainey's Story

Five

I saw Jake later that day, it was hard to put on a happy face and pretend that I wasn't hurt. He, unlike Bitch Ass, could tell something was bothering me and kept pestering me until I told him. I'd been worried that he was going to be jealous that Krist had gotten under my skin but he was understanding.

"That was low of her. From what you've said about him, it's not shocking that Krist would do that to hurt you. And the fact he's your ex aside,  she knew how abusive he is and still wanted to sleep with him? What kind of friend is that?" Jake asked me as we sipped Slurpees on his front porch.

"A garbage friend," I muttered, fighting back my tears.

He nodded sympathetically, hitting a pre-roll he'd picked up, "Want me to kick his ass for you?"

I laughed, "If you wouldn't mind." Although I didn't see that happening. Jake was taller than me but still all of 5'6 and maybe 130 pounds. I mean...maybe he could bring a baseball bat. I smirked to myself, picturing him taking Krist's knee out, Tonya Harding style.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, leaning his head against mine, "I like you, Lainey."

"I like you, too," I replied, taking in the fall scenery.

Jake lived on this cute tree-lined street, the leaves had begun changing colors and falling to the ground. Reminded me of those cute little neighborhoods you'd see in the old school horror movies, only there were no crazed murderers out killing all the sluts. As far as I knew anyway, and if there was one running amuck, there was a certain slut named Madison he could go hit first.

"I saw Spirit Halloween is open," I told him, changing the subject.

"We should go check it out, maybe get some cool shit for the yard," he said with a smile.

"You need one of those twelve-foot-tall skeletons."

"Yes! If I had one, I'd keep it up year-round and dress it up for Christmas and Easter and shit," Jake grinned with his perfectly imperfect smile.

I laughed out loud, "Oh my gosh, you need to do that!"

We began talking about the the various things we could do with this giant skeleton, the trouble he could get into like an elf on the shelf only its... twelve-foot skeleton...on a lawn. I'm not creative enough to find something that rhymes or sounds funny to go with it but whatever. Still, it was good fun and definitely something that we agreed needed to happen.

I went to use the bathroom and checked my phone. Bitch Ass had texted. I didn't want to read it but I knew it would eat at me if I didn't.

"Heard you went to Madi's today. Just so you know, her ass hmu first I got receipts to prove it lol."

I replied back, "I really dgaf. Yall can have each other. I'm good."

I could see him typing and shut my phone off, tucking it into the pocket of my black leggings and taking a deep breath. I was not gonna let this fucking dipshit get to me, he wanted a reaction and I was going to be the bigger person.

I washed my hands, fixed my pastel mermaid hair, and left the bathroom. Jake was back inside sitting on the old school 70s sectional in the living room, playing Call of Duty on PlayStation with his roommate Zach.

I curled up between Jake and one of the burnt orange velvety arms of the sofa, knees to my chest, toes on his leg.

"Hey, darlin' come to cheer me on?" he asked, eyes glued to the screen.

"More like come to watch you lose, sucka!" Zach laughed, his own character getting shot on the television.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Jake laughed, raising his arms triumphantly, the match ending, "Twenty-one kills!"