My Valentine

Nine

Nightingale Phillips

Do you remember the phrase, "Expect the unexpected"?

I'd heard it a few times in my life and had never taken heed. I probably should have.

On Saturday morning when I walked into Starbucks, I was expecting to see Tammy with Ghanz, not another guy.

That boy who tripped in the cafeteria, Jayden, sat with my soon to be ex-boyfriend with his hand placed over Ghanz's on the table. I remember slowly sitting on the booth, my eyes never leaving their hands.

"Ghanz?" My voice was raspy. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There had to be a logical explanation, right?

"He thought it would be better if I was here when he told you," Jayden smiled a crooked teeth smile at me.

"Ghanz, you're...?" I couldn't say it!

"Ahh," he blushed, "I'm bisexual, Nightingale"

My eyebrows rose.

"I...how?...when?" My brain was scrambling by the minute.

"I've been bisexual for years, I've just never met the right guy," he then smiled lovingly up at Jayden.

"So you settled for me as a last resort!"

My voice rose a notch. Breaking up with your girlfriend was one thing, but leaving her for another guy was completely different.
"I never meant to hurt you and I do like you...I just love him more."

"Girl, you should be glad! At least you know you didn't turn him bi!"

Jayden grinned at me and I gave him my best stink eye. I didn't need his interjection at the moment.

"Shut up, Barbie."

When I turned to look at Ghanz, he looked upset...at me.

"Don't talk to him like that. This isn't his fault."

I sat there gaping. A couple of months ago, that's the exact way he would have defended me!

"How long, Ghanz?"

His eyebrows furrowed.

"Huh?"

The words were almost choking me.

"How long have you been with him?"

I hated the way he looked at me. It was almost as if he felt sorry for me. Who was he to feel sorry for me?

"Two months."

I nodded numbly, "And the rash?" I was referring to the scarf incident the other day.

"He gave me a love bite."

Looking up at them, I saw them about to rub their noses together.

Spare me.

Without another word, I grabbed my purse and speed walked out of there, almost knocking over a redhead.

When I got to Mr. Valentine, Marshall's house, I was full on sobbing. Not because of Ghanz (I'd deal with that later), but because I quite possibly could've ruined my relationship with my best friend.

Oh God, Tammy
I had tried calling her on the bus, but she refused to pick up.

Marshall -the name still sounded odd- told me before he left in the morning that he was going to drop Brooklyn off at a day care center, then go to the gym for a bit, so I was completely alone.

A part of me was glad that Mr. Valentine wasn't home to see me in tears. I ran up to the small room and locked myself inside.

I tried calling her again, but she still wasn't picking up. I'd hurt my best friend's feelings intentionally, and I couldn't blame her for not talking to me. I wasn't feeling like I wanted to be friends at myself at the moment.