Eight Boy (Jeremy Shada)

twenty

"How long has it been now?" Vanessa questioned, playing with her food. I sat across from her with no food, I wasn't hungry. I hadn't particularly been interested in anything the past few days.

"He hasn't spoken to me since Monday, so three days," I replied as flatly as I could, without making eye contact.

"Has he tried calling you?" Vanessa asked, this time with a forkful of salad in her mouth. My eyes focused on the bits of food flying out.

"I wouldn't know, I blocked his number." I was still a little pissed at Jeremy but we hadn't talked in three days, not that we talked often anyway.

"Poor guy," she laughed. A small part of me wished that I hadn't blocked his number. Even though I wouldn't have answered his calls it'd be nice to know that he was trying to call. "Have you seen him today?" I shook my head. "He doesn't look that good, he looks like he's having a bad day." I shrugged, trying to seem like I didn't care.

These past three days had been just as hard for me. "Hey, I'm going to go to class now," I told Vanessa.

I just needed a break from thinking so much about everything. I needed to breathe, without Jeremy disturbing my thoughts.

She attempted a smile but settled with an "okay."

I began the slow journey in the direction of my next class, which wasn't for another 10 minutes, 12 minutes to be exact. I walked passed Maddison and her friends. None of the girls knew how to be subtle about their staring and once they were behind me, whispers followed.

I heard footsteps from behind me. I turned to see Maddison angrily walking towards me. "Tell me what's going on between you and Jeremy," she demanded with her hands balled in fists.

"Nothing, nothing is going on between me and him." This was exactly the opposite of what I needed right now.

"Oh really? Because he hasn't been talking to me the past three days." By this point her friends had joined around her.

"And you think he's been talking to me?" I asked amused. Maddison froze in confusion. "Maybe if you talked to him, or asked him how he was every once in a while you'd probably know what is going on with him at the moment."

"Well if you hadn't-"

"Hadn't what?" I asked with a smile on my face. "Hadn't been partnered with him for a school assignment that forced him to hang out with me so I could unknowingly show him what it feels like when someone actually cares about him?"

"You're so fucking stupid, I do care about him, that's why he's my boyfriend," she yelled getting closer towards me. Her friends watched in suspense which annoyed me.

I inhaled a breath calmly before opening my mouth. "What's his favourite color?"
Maddison laughed at my question and rolled her eyes. "So what is it?"

"Purple," she replied with a smug grin on her face.

"Actually he likes the colors red and black. You had two possible right answers and you still got it wrong. He's not a fan of purple, you'd know that if you asked him about himself as much he does with you." Maddison stood silent, her cheeks grew extremely red and her eyes were focused behind me.

"I'm not too fond of purple," his voice mumbled behind me. I grew stiff and slightly awkward. "Paisley, just let me explain." I faced him without a reply.

"Explain what?" Maddison angrily questioned.

"Nothing," I said towards her before walking passed Jeremy. "I have to go to class." I walked fast enough so he wasn't able to grab onto me.