Witness to a Love Story

Seventeen: Uh Oh

Thursday rolled by faster than I thought it would. Third period just ended and fourth period is going to start soon. So, I'm nervously hanging out by my locker waiting for the thumbs up from Rebecca. I stop as I see Rebecca emerge from the crowd. She stops by my locker and leans on the one next to mine.

"So?" I ask slowly, trying to keep my nerves from showing.

Rebecca looks at her nails. She had repainted them to a purple color. "I talked to Jay."

"And?" I try to rush Rebecca. She looks over at me, stalling. "What?" I snap at her. The worst possible thoughts forming in my mind.

She gives me a small smile. "Your hair is messy." Rebecca says, taking a strand of my messy, wavy brown hair in her fingertips.

I pull my head back. "What does my hair have to do with this?" I say, making a face.

Rebecca's smile widens a bit more. "You can't see him with messy hair."

I swore, I kept the smile off my face. However, the smile was evident in my eyes. Rebecca's smile widens more when she notices it. "Shut up." I tell her.

I push off of my locker and make my way to the science room. I'm a bit giddy, which hasn't happened since my elementary years. It's strange. A bit too strange for me. I'm never this happy just at the thought of talking to someone again. Especially someone who's mad at me. Soon, a pit of worry grows in my stomach and smothers my brief joy.

I stop abruptly around a corner when I hear hushed voices. I strain my ears to listen. I can't make out most of the words, but it sounds like a couple arguing.

"You've been spending too much time with that loser." A male voice says in a tone teeming with jealousy.

I can't make out what the girl says in response. It's silent for a few moments. Suddenly I hear click of heels on tile rapidly approaching me. I press myself against the wall as a distressed Rene hurries past me with a hurt expression.

"Rene?" I whisper, a bit confused.

I hear the man mutter, "What about me?" I look around the corner, quite curious to see who Rene is fighting with. After all, Rene is surprisingly single.

To add to my confusion, I see Nathan Markey around the corner. My brain skids to a halt. Nathan and Rene? Together? Maybe I don't need to get involved to ruin this relationship. But I'm going to anyways.

I smirk to myself as I walk over. "Tsk, Tsk. Someone's been naughty." I say smoothly.

Nathan gives me a shocked expression. "Beatrice."

I nod my head. "Yes. That's me."

"D-did you see what happened?" Nathan asks, pointing a finger at the corner. The Nathan I know, doesn't stutter. Maybe my suspicions were right. I better play this cool.

Walking over to Nathan, I run my fingers up his arm. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." I say, my voice a bit hushed.

Nathan grabs my wrist and removes my hand from him. "I don't want to play your games, Bea."

"Well that's too bad because you are the prize." I give him a malicious grin. Nathan gives me a cold look. I pull my wrist away as the bell rings, meaning fourth period started. "I do love our chats, Nathan. But I have to run. I'm late for a meeting."

I walk away without glancing back. A small smirk is on my face, glad to know I'm still me. Good job, Bea. I stop, once again, when I see Jay in front of the room. He's glaring at me.

"Jay?" I ask softly. My eyes dart away from his. Why am I looking away? What's wrong with me now?

"Sorry. I thought you wanted to talk to me." Jay says coldly.

I sigh. "Don't say it like that. I do want to talk to you." I say, managing to walk over to the door.

I enter the science room and Jay follows behind me. "Why?" He asks harshly as he stomps by me. He sits down on the old teacher's desk since all the tables and chairs are placed near the wall.

I cross my arms. "Do I need a reason to talk to you?"

"You kind of do, since we aren't friends." He stresses out the word 'friends'.

I flinch and grimace. "Well, it's true." I mutter.

"Then what the fuck am I doing here?" Jay nearly shouts and stands up.

Boy, do I suck at conversing. "Wait. Let me explain." I say quickly as Jay makes his way past me and to the door.

"Explain what?" He asks without turning around.

My words stumble to a halt. I wasn't actually expecting Jay to stop. I was expecting him to get the last word and leave. What do I do now?

What do I say in this situation? Do I spill my guts? Tell him the plan and how I was using him? Or do I admit that we are... friends? Admit to who? Myself?

Maybe I do think of Jay as a friend without meaning to. And maybe that isn't so bad. I lower my head knowing Jay is patiently waiting for me to respond. Maybe it's not so bad to have a friend. To have someone to talk to. Someone to eat ice cream with. Someone to cause trouble with.

"Well, it's just..." my words trail off as the worst possible person ever walks through the door.