Moving on

19. Past Talk

"What's the saddest thing that's ever happened to you?" Jayce asks, handing me a Cherry Coke. I smile like he just handed me the world and eagerly begin sipping on it before realizing he had asked me a question. Those usually required responses.

"Saddest? Huh, I don't know if that's something I feel like talking about." I answer. Saddest moments for me were when I was forced to go Bronflynn and that wasn't something I was ready to talk about just yet. I liked Jayce, but...it was a sore subject.

Aw, half the Coke is already gone and I wanted to last. That, and Jayce just snatched it from me to take a big gulp. Not even pouting earned me that delicacy back.

"What if I go first? Then maybe you'll feel more comfortable telling me?" He offers.

"That seems fair. A story for a story." I agree. Wait why did I agree? I really need to think before I speak.

"Alright, but this is kind of on the down low. Only my friends from lunch know about this, so don't tell anyone, okay?" He asks looking a bit emotional.

"I won't." I promise.

"Well, I had a lot of skateboards before the one I have right now, but my favorite one was one of my first ones. It was metallically painted and had the signature 'Rocket boy' on it. It was my favorite because I'd never lose a race against someone with it. So one day, some idiot, Charlie Mulbush or something, he challenges me to a race and I agree. So before the race, he makes a bet. If he wins, he gets to keep my board. If I win, I get his. I was younger and even dumber than I am now, so I obviously said yes. He played dirty, but that's how he won and I almost shed a tear when I handed him my lucky board. He looked so proud that fucker." Jayce stops here because he's frowning at the memory. Suddenly, a thought strikes me.

"Wait. Charlie? As in Charlie Mulberry?" I ask, widening my eyes. That was the boy I had a crush on before Piper moved away. He was so kind. I can't imagine him partaking in such petty competitions. Not that there's anything wrong with Jayce doing it. Just...I didn't expect it from Charlie.

"Yeah, actually that was his name! You know him?" Jayce asks in alarm.

"Er, kind of. Not really. I mean I've seen him around." I shrug. I'm not about to activate Jayce's angry jealous side by explaining that I had a monster crush on the guy who swindled his board at one point.

"Get on with the story." I encourage, swiping the Cherry Coke and finishing it up. Charlie Mulberry was just a part of my past that I didn't feel like bringing up for no reason.

"Right. So he takes my board, smirks right at me and my friends-they were obviously with me for support-and then tosses it into the lake behind the rec center without blinking an eye." He says, grimacing. I gasp.

"He didn't!"

"Did so. My friends almost attacked him, but I held them back. I nearly jumped in that lake to get that skateboard back, but then they held me back because it's outlawed to swim in there; private property and all that jazz. Charlie laughed in my face and said I was pathetic and honestly, that's exactly how I felt. He played me like a fool." Jayce said bitterly. I bite my lip because I think I actually remember this happening. Like I said, Piper and I used to hang out at the halfpipe a lot and when something this big happens, we tend to hear about it. Word gets around fast. I remember someone totally humiliating a guy and chucking his board out. This had to be the same story. If only I'd known it was Jayce. I might've been able to convince Charlie to get it back. We were pretty close at one point.

"Then Mulberry went on to just agitate me and made his way over to-

"Diane? And he kissed her proudly, laughing in your face?" I ask, giving him a sympathetic look. Yeah, Diane was my competition when I had feelings for him. She was gorgeous, but sometimes she didn't make the best choices.