FRIDAY'S GIRL ·ϿʘϾ·

Chapter 20

***DRAFT***

I walked down the silent school hallway, while the afternoon wind swept through the closed classrooms, rattling doors and windows. The school, usually bustling with activity, now lay in an eerie calm, a stark contrast to the usual hum of voices and laughter. As I passed by April's locker, I noticed several marker scribbles and a few paper notes with offensive drawings. So many jerks at school! I had confronted more than one this week, without getting into fights but arguing loudly to defend her.

That Thursday, I worked out in the gym for a while, needing to kill some time before my next-to-last rehab session. When I entered the locker room, I heard the faint whispers and soft moans of pleasure. They came from a hidden area behind the lockers.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I tried to make my presence known before walking in. I needed a shower badly; I reeked of sweat but didn't want to catch those lovebirds in the act.

There was a momentary commotion, followed by a quick, whispered conversation. As I walked down the central aisle, I glanced at my wristwatch. I had just over an hour to get to the hospital. When I stopped in front of my locker, I noticed a male figure outlined by the last rays of the setting sun. I was surprised to see it was Oliver, who was fully dressed, though his pants' zipper was open due to his arousal.

"Brad, wh-what are you doing here?" His confusion made me narrow my eyes and look around—. "Shouldn't you be at rehab?"

"My appointment got delayed."

"Ah, I thought so..." My friend's expression was tense, almost strained.

"Were you alone?"

I saw another silhouette slip away behind me, but I didn't turn around in time to identify it; they must have slid quietly between the side lockers towards the hallway.

"Obviously not. My friend here is a bit shy." Oliver spoke with a playful tone, though I could tell his voice was trembling—. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been working out in the gym, so now I'm going to shower or I'll be late for rehab." I unlocked my locker and pulled out my gym bag with towels and clean clothes.

"Need a ride?" Oliver ran his fingers through his messy hair, trying to straighten it. His face was still a bit flushed from the excitement.

"No need, I'll go on my bike." I proceeded to take off my sweaty t-shirt and sat down to unlace my sneakers.

"Well, then, I'm out. I'll see if I can find my friend and pick up where we left off." Oliver winked at me, flashing a broad smile.

After I was left alone, I put on my plastic flip-flops and, with a towel wrapped around my waist, headed toward the showers. Halfway there, a glint on the floor caught my attention. I immediately recognized the necklace with half of a small heart; it was a gift I had given Maddison on our first anniversary.

My trembling hands grasped the silver chain, feeling disbelief give way to anger. I knew without a doubt that my friend and my girlfriend had been together in the locker room until my presence interrupted them. I won't deny that it hurt, though it was something that shouldn't have mattered much. After all, I had slept with Chloe Miller several times and had even messed around with other girls. I hadn't gotten intimate with them, disgusted as much by my behavior as by theirs. They all knew I had a girlfriend, and none of them made the slightest effort to reject me.

My trust in others diminished over time, reinforcing my belief that no one was worth it. Unfortunately, playing the bad boy was one thing; being one was entirely different. Every step I took in that direction corroded me inside, making me drown in a sea of bitterness. I wasn't just betraying my girlfriend, but also something much more intimate and profound.