"Hey pretty boy!" Ariel jogged up to Jeff's car.
She had heard his teammates say practice was cancelled today so she figured he would be leaving early.
Jeff looked up seeing Ariel approaching him. He furrowed his brows as he too a step back from his car.
"Really?"
Ariel immediately could tell he wasn't in the playful mood. And who wouldn't be when your girlfriend ghosted you for two days after you were supposed to have sex for the first time.
Ariel shifted feeling the awkwardness settle in now as Jeff's eyes fixed on her, no pleasantness at all in them.
She felt lighter after her conversation with Justin. But of course it was stupid to believe things would automatically go back to normal after that.
"Okay." She breathed out. "I know - I uhm, have a lot of explaining to do."
"Yeah, no kidding." Jeff spoke.
He folded his arms across his chest looking at her.
"I'm sorry about Friday night." She blurted out.
Jeff looked away then shook his head. "I don't know what you want me to say." He muttered.
"That I'm okay with it? Because I'm not Ari."
Ariel took a step forward and sighed.
"Jeff - I'm sorry - Justin needed me and -"
"He needed you Friday night and he needed you Saturday and Sunday. I guess he needed you all of today too because you couldn't even spare a second to talk to me?"
Ariel had never seen Jeff this angry. She deflated and a panic settled in.
She had really messed up.
"What the hell is it with Justin freaking Foley?" Jeff asked in exasperation.
Ariel looked around hoping none of the other students were overhearing this.
"He's my best friend." Ariel spoke in a small voice. "And this - it's not his fault. It's just -"
"Just what, Ari?" Jeff asked harshly.
Ariel felt her lower lip tremble.
Jeff noticed. He let out a breath.
"I'm sorry." He muttered. "But I can't do this. Not when it's always going to be me or Justin. Especially when you keep choosing Justin."
***
"Foley!"
Justin turned around. His hands were stuffed in his letterman jacket pockets.
The Mustang driving beside him on the road only pissed him off.
He had opted to walk home today instead of getting a ride from Zach or Bryce. Firstly, because he was in no rush to get home to his mother probably still passed out from her wild late out yesterday. And, he just needed to think.
So seeing Tony Padilla driving beside him and calling out his name did nothing but tick him off.
"Not in the mood, Padilla." He grumbled.
For a second he thought it worked.
The last time he had a proper conversation with Tony was when he was shoving the tapes back into his arms and telling him to get lost forever.
The car was no longer driving beside him. Instead it had stopped and Justin heard a car door slam shut.
He muttered a curse before turning around just in time to see Tony marching up to him.
