Group Therapy

Forty Three

Marissa

"We have a bit of an issue," Jared says as soon as I walk in the auditorium for band practice.

"What is it now?"

"Niko quit."

"What? Why?"

"He said he's been too busy lately. He's stressing about playoffs and school and now that he's dating Brenda, he just doesn't have time."

"I can tell Brenda to break up with him. She's my best friend. I can just make up some lie about how Taniko cheated on her or something."

"Nah, don't do that. He's happy with her. Maybe it's for the best," Drew says.

"I guess."

It's Friday and this week has felt never ending.

"There's no band practice. Coach needs me there early and we don't have enough time to figure out what to do. I'll see you guys on Monday," Jared says. David isn't even here and Drew walks out right after him.

I sigh. I should just quit the band too. I mean I only joined it to get Mikey, and now that I have him, I don't need this. But that would be fucked up to Jared.

I walk out the auditorium and down to the parking lot. When I walk out the school, Joshua is sitting on one of the benches. We didn't talk at all except for introducing ourselves when I showed him to the guidance office.

He's cute. But it's not like I would do anything. After all I just did to get Mikey, there's no way I'm fucking it up for some new kid who probably isn't even worth it.

But I feel a need to talk to him anyway, so I do. "Hey."

He looks up and smiles. "Hi."

"What are you still doing here?"

"Waiting on my mom. What about you?"

"I'm in a band and we were just having a meeting."

"You're in a band? That's awesome."

"Yeah, it can be pretty cool sometimes."

"It seems great."

"Yeah."

We get quiet for a second. I hate awkward silence more that anything in the world, so naturally I say whatever comes to my head first.

"Do you need a ride?"

Joshua shakes his head. "No thank you. I'm still in the process of moving here and I live about a half hour away."

"That's okay, I'll drive you. I just got my car and I'm using every excuse just to drive it."

He nods. "Okay."

We walk towards my car and open the doors.

"This is a nice car," he says and gets in the passenger seat.

"Thanks. Barbara and Harold are awesome for buying me it."

"Barbara and Harold?" he questions.

"My adoptive parents."

"Oh."

It's quiet for the first ten minutes of the drive until he breaks the silence.

"Do you know Autumn Morsatti?"

I almost start laughing because I do every time someone mentions her name.

Maybe he heard about what happened at homecoming. Maybe he wants to talk shit about her already.