Keep Love Around

Four

"What's wrong now?" Julian asked. It was the third time he had asked that in an hour, and it was starting to annoy me.

"Nothing." I said forcefully.

We were on our way up to the mountains for the weekend as we were off school until Tuesday. The break couldn'tve come at a better time, a week after Micheal and I had broken up. I was still torn up, I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't eating, even though I was always tired. Jules had picked me up after passing me on the street half a mile from the beach where I had run away from Micheal, just happening to pass on the way to Natasha's parents' house for dinner.

However, after I told them what happened, they promptly canceled their plans. I hated the fact that I wasn't just wrecking my relationship, but someone else's as well, but they insisted that, in my half-mad state from the crying, the running, and the occasional yelling of how stupid I'd been, that I needed someone to watch me.

So, with all that over, and schoolwork to keep me occupied, Jules suggested that we use our time off to go away and "recharge", as he put it. I was grateful for his help, but I also felt bad that he felt he needed to spend so much of his time with me. He disagreed, saying that he was my best friend, and that he would feel bad if he didn't. Once again, he had twisted my arm, and here we were.

"Buddy, listen, I know this sucks. I've been there. Exactly where you are before. But you're never gonna get over him if you spend your time moping." He said, leaning over to put an arm on my shoulder as he drove higher and higher up the mountain.

"Oh my gosh, I thought I told you not to call me 'buddy'?" I laughed, despite my mood, "I'm not ten."

"So you keep saying." He smiled, scruffling my hair playfully to make me realize he was kidding.

"I'm not even sure I wanna be here right now." I continued to pout, pulling the jacket I had on around me a little more and slouching in my seat for good measure.

"That's it." He said, exhaling, "That's it. Man, it's a break-up. You're obviously torn up about it, and I get it. I really do. I sympathize. It sucks."

"Yeah, and what do you plan to do about it?"

"What do you think? Why do you think I'm driving you halfway up a damn mountain?"

"'Cause you like the trails?" I laughed, even as he got agitated at me.

"Shut up, dude. I'm trying to tell you something."

"And drawing it out sloooower and slower." I kept laughing at him. I was trying to calm him down, if anything. I didn't want to argue right now.

"Look, I've been trying to talk to you ever since this damn thing happened. But you won't talk to me. Why are you shutting me out?"

"Because you're in a committed relationship, and I'm not, and I don't want you to feel bad for me?"

Maybe that was sort of clingy, but it was true. The only one I wanted to be invited to my pity party was me. And maybe I'm a shitty friend for not opening up to him about it, but I needed time to myself. Perhaps going on a trip was a bad idea.

"What, so you think you're the only one who's been cheated on?" Jules looked at me, an eyebrow raised.

"Nah, that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean then, Charlie?"

"I meant that I didn't wanna talk to you because I didn't want to bring you down. Dude, you're happy. I like it when you're happy. I'm happy for you."

"And you can't be happy?"

"That isn't what I meant either."

"Sure sounded like it," he pursed his lips then, though almost immediately perked up, as if an idea popped into his head, "I've got an idea."