Something Unusual

SIX

BECKY LAJU JONES

Leave it to Kesi to bail on her at a time like this.

Jared made himself comfortable on the bench across from, Becky and she avoided his face with all diligence.

Becky contemplated if she could just stand up and walk away. What was the worst that he would do?

Follow her and cause a scene.

"Won't you look at me?" Jared spoke, but Becky was determined not to do just that. Maybe she could ignore him until he left. "Earlier today, you couldn't seem to get your eyes off me. And now you won't even look at me".

She wasn't sure whether it was the comment or the satire laced in his baritone laughter that made her face hot. She wasn't even that fair-skinned, but she was sure her face was all red now.

Was he actually mocking her? Becky looked up and met his gaze with a blank expression of her own. The corner of his mouth twitched.

"So you didn't tell Kesi?"

Tell Kesi what?

Becky did not reply.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be best frien-"

"Jared, what is it?" Becky snapped, jarred by his jeering tone. He leaned forward.

"Why don't you tell me, Laju?"

"What do you want?"

"What's up with you?" Becky looked away, avoiding eye contact. "No oh! Look at me. Look at me squarely and tell me what on earth you're doing to me?"

"I'm not doing anything," Becky countered, keeping her eyes on the army ants marching along the bark of the tree that shaded them.

"Oh really? Okay" Jared scooted forward in his seat. "About four weeks ago, you stopped replying to my text. And I called you and texted you. Becky, it's 2022 and I even sent you letters! But you didn't return even one. Then I come to school and here you are, ignoring me."

Becky shifted uncomfortably. She glanced at Jared briefly before looking away again. Suddenly the plantain chips' nutrition information looked very intriguing. "Surprise, surprise."

Jared let out a humorless laugh. "Darling, aren't you just funny?"

Becky looked up at Jared again, maintaining eye contact this time. Calming her nerves, she asked "Jared, what do you want me to say?

"What do I want, Becky? Becky, I want you to tell me what is wrong" The confusion mixed with pain in his eyes disturbed Becky. So much that she wanted to look away again, but she couldn't now, she was trapped. "Just out of nowhere, you ghost me. I literally thought something horrible had happened to you."

Guilt slowly washed over her, accompanied by many "ifs". If only she had said no the first time. If she had just been more careful. If she had been more rational. Jared reached to hold her hand which was on the table, but she withdrew it.

"Becky, I know we made some tough decisions during this break. It's my fault you had this ab-"

"Jared" Becky cut him off, her eyes widening in alarm at what he was about to say. The last thing she wanted to discuss was this. And especially not at school. Not anywhere at all. "Our relationship is over".

It took him a moment. He first gave her an odd look, like he didn't quite hear her.

Then he looked confused. And finally he cocked his head, as if trying to see if her face would give the joke give away.