Chapter 16: Rumours, Reactions and Shopping Rehab
The next day is a Monday. My Dad knocks on my door to tell me that he understands if I want to take the day off, but I don't.
In fact, I feel great. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my back. This is not because Alfie has been hospitalised, but because I know that we will not carry on dating. I want him to get better, but I don't want us to carry on being friends.
Three dates. One down. Two more to go.
A voice in my head whispers 'but you don't want them all to go. You don't want a certain Matty Miles to go.'
"Oh yes I do, annoying voice in my head. I want them all to go. I want things to go back to normal."
'Yeah, but you and Luke... It's a little one sided, isn't it? Whereas Matty and you, that's chemical. Gurl he is smoking -'
"And I want to smoke him on a spit. I hate him."
'But you know that wont last long. You'll forgive him...'
"Forgive him my ass!"
"Jessica, who are you talking to up there?"
"No one Dad!" I say, pulling on my blazer and tie. I run downstairs and bump into my Dad, walking around with a half eaten bagel in his hand.
"Jessica if you're still ill I really think you should stay at home..."
"Ill? Why would I be ill?"
"Did you know that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness? Because maybe you hit your head or something when you passed out, I don't know..."
"No I didn't Dad, I'm fine," I say, heading to the door.
"Aren't you going to eat something?"
"No I'm not hungry," I say, and I make my way to school.
I see Luke at school, and I run up to give him a hug. I have missed spending time with my best friend more than I thought I had.
But to my surprise, he doesn't hug me back. Instead he pushes me away slightly, and makes an awkward 'humming' sound.
"What's wrong?" I say, a little confused. He pulls a face and puts his hands up.
"Well, I heard this thing today and I don't know whether we ought to be hugging too much. In public."
"What the hell?"
"You know... I heard about you and Alfie..." He trails off and I stare at him silently. It feels like someone is slowly shutting off all of the switches inside of me one by one. The happy feeling I came to school with has evaporated.
"Jessica? Don't look at me like that. Hey!"
I start to walk away and he taps my arm quickly, and I turn around to see him looking around him warily, as if someone might catch him talking to me.
"I don't understand Luke. What are you on about?"
"Well, I heard that you slept with Alfie, from this girl... And that you knew he had a girl friend. And there is other stuff, too... Stupid stuff, like you, pushed him into the road on purpose, but I don't believe that... You may be several things but you wouldn't do that, ha, ha..."
Luke continues to glance left and right and I look at him in the eyes, willing him to look back at me.
Is this what three years of friendship have come down to? I tell myself that he's joking. It has to be a joke, or a dream, or another nightmare...
YOU ARE READING
The Dating Club
Humor"You will go on a series of dates with randomly selected guys in our school. And, if you like them enough you can choose to go on another date with them if you wish. We're doing this for your own good, honey." The word sounds absolutely vile comi...