Memory Lane

Part 3: The Threat

I didn't have the luck of being the first person you liked in our small town. Not that being first mattered in the grand scheme of things, but I remembered I was bothered by your crush and how frustrated I felt not knowing why.

It was an awkward year for me. I was noticing a lot of things I didn't understand.

Like the way I stared at other girls. At first, I thought it was just because they were pretty. Beauty begged to be admired. Who could tear their eyes away from a symmetrical face, rosy lips, and glowing skin?

And that was only if I was looking at their heads.

Life was suddenly cluttered with distractions. I seemed to fill hours of my time stupidly staring at girls and it always took embarrassingly long for me to realize I was doing so.

"Nana. Earth to Nana," you said, snapping me out of my trance.

I was doing it again. This time, a girl with caramel skin and gold hoops had my attention.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

You shook your head, an amused smile playing on your lips. "I was just saying that I thought Michael was cute."

That was the difference between you and me. You liked boys. Girls too, as I would find out later, but I didn't feel the same. But in that uncomfortable year, I still thought I liked boys. They just seemed deeply unremarkable by comparison.

There was nothing about them that I wanted to say, but everyone talked about boys that year, especially you. I was careful not to give an opinion on any of them, or at least give an opinion that no one agreed with. When asked about any crushes I had, I always said it was a secret.

That annoyed you, but it kept the questions away. I knew I would get weird looks if I said I liked no boy at all.

"You're not the only one who likes him," I replied.

That was a well-known fact. Michael Blanc had the attention of half the girls in our year. Every time I heard about him, he had a different girlfriend. He was a tanned blond, just like you, but beyond that, I saw nothing appealing. Maybe it was his swagger or the way he seemed friendly with everyone. I could only guess why everyone fawned over him.

"I want to ask him out." Your eyes widened in excitement.

"So does everyone else," I pointed out. "Besides, he's got a new girlfriend this week. I see them kissing in front of class all the time."

"He'll have a different girlfriend next week," you pressed forward, undeterred. "There's no reason why it can't be me."

I pursed my lips, unsure of what to say. There was a rumor going around that his girlfriend was cheating on him, but I took those words with a grain of salt. Michael may have been your flavor of the week, but by next Monday, you would like someone else.

"I'll wait for the right moment," you continued. "She'll break up with him soon."

You didn't have to sink so low if you wanted a boyfriend so badly. There were other guys you could have liked, ones that were properly single. I would even make a better boyfriend than all of them.

But before I could tell you that, I saw Evan approaching our table. He took a seat across from me, placing his tray in front of mine.

"Go away," I said immediately. Ever since the events of the summer, my opinion of him soured. His bullying before his attempt to drown me was bad enough, but now I couldn't tolerate him.

"Let me sit with you beautiful ladies," he said diplomatically. "I promise I won't be a bother."

"Your entire existence is a bother. Consider dying to make my life better."