hell of a summer

Chapter four

Jonah Davids

Tessa and I have been in her room and hanging out with our other friends since noon, and all i've thought about is Travis and his breakup.

I mean, it's not that I care, he could get hit by a bus and I think i'd laugh. I just have a lot of questions. Why would she leave him so late in the night? Why did she lie about it? What did he do when I went back upstairs? I wonder if he cried, and then I wonder if he even has enough emotion to do that.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when, Tessa and Payton, start poking me.

"What's on your minddd? You're being so boring!" Tessa exclaims with an exaggerated sigh, making Payton laugh as he agrees, "Seriously, what happened, man?"

Julie and Mj exchange glances at this interaction with small grins, presumably amused at the way this is playing out. Tessa is looking at me with her big brown eyes and smiling, while Payton is looking at her with his darker, almost black eyes with that same smile of affection. She's always seemed to want me, and he's always wanted her. It's funny how people always seem to want someone, only when they're out of reach.

"Nothing happened, I was just thinking," I pause, and Mj lets out an exaggerated, fake gasp as Julie clutches her chest in pretend shock. "You? Think- thinking?!" Mj says, making all of them laugh, except me.

I roll my eyes and shove him from where he's sitting on the bed, pushing him into Julie. However this did absolutely nothing, since all he did was look up at Julie and start that weird couple thing they do when they get nervous around each other.

"Hi." Julie blushes, twirling a piece of his hair in her hand, as his head rests in her lap. "Hey.." He blushes back, and she goes to open her mouth and say hey again. Before she can actually speak me, Tessa, and Payton start making gag noises.

"Can't you two go make out somewhere else?!" Payton says as Tessa shakes her head in agreement. "Fuck you," Mj laughs, holding up a middle finger as he pulls her down to kiss her. Mj and Julie have been dating for a long while now, since 8th grade actually.

They somehow manage to still be hopelessly obsessed with each other, and it's disturbing and endearing. I've kissed many people, but i've never been in love like that; I almost start to think that maybe I'm the problem. Almost.

Eventually, we all get out of bed and head downstairs, and before we enter the kitchen, we see Travis and the three friends he was shit talking me with last night. Axel and Liam are patting Travis on the back while Myka hugs him, and my first thought is, this is so gay. Then, I hear him sniffling, so Travis Hart can cry.

Tessa's eyes widen at the sight of her brother and rushes into the kitchen, joining the hug as they scoop her in.

The rest of us are just watching this all go down, before I whisper to Payton, "I hate when everyone babies him." Making Payton roll his eyes at me.

"Maybe, he's a human with emotions and just needs support right now, I mean did you see how Mason was kissing Lola in this pictures? It wasn't even a day after she left Travis." he whispers back and now it's my turn to be annoyed. I wanna say something like, boohoo, we all get broken up with at some point. But, I decide I don't wanna hear it from Payton. He's always been more  'touchy-feely'.

When Tessa returns and Travis sits at the kitchen table, no longer crying, that's when I take it upon myself to enter and grab a drink. I open the fridge and grab a pepsi, the rest of my friends following me like i'm some leader before I look back to Travis and grin.

"Lola called, Mason is apparently giving it to her good. That might explain why she left." I say, trying to get under his skin but I can't even finish my sentence before Julie is slapping me, Tessa is covering her mouth, Payton and Mj exchange scared stares and Travis looks up at me. Travis and his little minions are looking at me like I just shot his dog.