Hollywood and Mr. Popular (the original)

Chapter 18

"Word on the street is that someone has a date with Dylan Friday." I shut my locker, revealing a smirking Ashlyn. I frown.

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"He's been gushing about it all morning. So are you two official now?"

"What! No!" I say, a little too sharply. She raises her eyebrows. "Oh, don't give me that look. You know nothing."

"Only because you've told me nothing. Look, I know that Ashley girl is supposedly your best friend and you're not looking to replace her anytime soon, but you and I we're still girlfriends. And that means,I get all the juicy details. So spill." She says, poking my belly. I roll my eyes playfully.

"There's nothing to discuss. I mean, we're going out this weekend but not like an actual date. You know it's the same situation if I was going out with you." She frowns.

"Um, maybe you and Dylan should talk or something. I'm not sure you two are on the same page."

"What are you talking about?" She shuffles her books in her hands and we head off to class.

"Well, I just don't think you're taking this as seriously as he is."

"Why would I take it seriously? We're not actually dating." She bites her lips.

"Just talk to him?" She says, dropping me off outside of Mr. Jacobs' classroom. As soon as I enter the room, 2 very distinct pair of eyeballs immediately catch my attention. The first is Dylan, who smiles and waves; I give him a friendly wave back. The second is Eli, who appears to be glaring at me. I make my way over to my seat and sit down, turning back to look at him. He avoids eye contact.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, even though Mr. Jacobs hasn't even entered the room yet. He blatantly ignores me, so I cross my arms. "Silent treatment. Real mature." He opens his mouth to say something but then shuts it. I turn back around in my seat.

What the hell is up with him?

Oh God. If Dylan had been going on about our "date" this weekend, that meant Eli had most likely heard. And that would mean that he was...jealous? No, to be jealous required him to have feelings for me, which I'm sure he didn't. Mr. Jacobs passed us a worksheet and it takes me ten minutes to complete mine before I turn back around in my seat.

"You're mad at me." I state. He glances up before averting his eyes back to the half-completed worksheet.

"What could possibly make you think that?" He asks in a sarcastic tone.

"Why?" I asked, hoping he would confess his undying love for me right then and there. Instead, I was met with another question.

"Why are you going out with Dylan this weekend?"

"Because we're friends." He gives me a blank look before bursting out laughing.

"Friends? You're not going out as friends, Angelface. He likes you."

"Dylan does not like me." I say, trying to reassure myself more than I was him. "Friends hang out, Eli. You and I hang out all the time."

"But he didn't ask you to hang out as friends. He asked you out on a date and that's exactly what he thinks it is." I sigh before going back to my previous argument.

"So you're mad because I'm going out with Dylan this weekend?" Not realizing that I'd pretty much trapped him, he blurts out,

"Yes." Then he realizes what he'd admitted and quickly changed his words. "I mean, no. No, that's not what I mean." He sighs, "look, go on your stupid date, I couldn't care less. Just, leave me alone okay?" He goes back to working on his paper, but lucky for him I'm stubborn. I snatch the paper off his desk, forcing him to look at me.