Jealous *ON HOLD*

Something

The whole world froze.

"No," I whispered softly.

Kayla and Steph exchanged glances.

"No," I said more firmly, more sure of myself. Seth couldn't... wouldn't... right?

No. There was no way that Seth would do that. No. This was just some horrible rumor. I was sure of it.

But then Seth started walking toward us. Kayla pushed up the sleeves of the sweater she was wearing and made a wide stance in front of me, almost like a guard. Steph gawked at Kayla.

Kayla looked at us and shrugged. Then her eyes locked back onto the target. Seth was casually getting closer and closer. He had a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had almost reached me when Kayla stepped in front of him. Then he looked  at me with a guilty expression on his face. And when I saw that guilty look, I knew.

Call it whatever you want. But I just knew.

"May I talk to Lain?" he asked, trying to catch my eye. I glared at the floor. "Alone?"

Kayla looked at me for permission.

"No," I said, knowing that any explanation would only be an excuse. And that, no matter how much I wanted to forgive him, even the smallest wounds need time to heal.

But, hearing my reply, Seth gave me the saddest look, turned, and started to walk away.

That is, until Grant came and punched Seth in the shoulder, enough to hurt but not using his full strength. Seth grunted, but took it.

"Dude, what was that for?" Seth asked, calmly. Too calmly.

"You cheated on Alaina," Grant replied, with a similar calm voice. "And, nobody, nobody does that to my friends and gets away with it."

Seth glared at him. By now, we had attracted a large crowd that was forming a circle around the drama. He then looked at me, and his eyes grew cold and unforgiving.

"That thing? A girl who hasn't even had a real first kiss yet? A girl who has been pining over someone else while we were dating? A girl who has been trying to win somebody's heart by making them jealous?" Seth smirked.

"One that can't even take the fact that I cheated on her?" he spat out, as if every single word was an arrow aiming for my heart. And every single word hit their intended target.

My eyes were blurry, and I felt a single tear fall. And then, I heard a punch. A fist hitting a target. And a crack. But I turned my head and ran.

I ran.

Out. I need to get out of here. And, as if everyone knew, they drifted out of my way.

Faster. The faster I ran, the faster this could be behind me. I heard someone call my name, but I didn't look back.

I just kept running.

Just to my car, a safe haven.

-

I just sat there, in the driver's seat, staring straight ahead, refusing to cry. But everything he said came rushing back to me. Those hurtful words replayed in my mind over and over again. Why? Why would he...?

A few tears dropped. Great. A knock came from the passenger side of the window. I wiped my tears and looked outside the car window and saw Steph. When I nodded, she threw open the car door, jumped into the passenger seat, and embraced me.

"How are you?" she asked, with sincerity in her voice. Then rethought her question. "Remember what we promised each other in 7th grade? No secrets between besties. So spill. Now."

That's all it took.

I told Steph everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything.

-

"Grant punched Seth and broke his nose," Steph said, casually.

"Can we talk about another subject for a while?" I asked.

Steph frowned, then nodded.

"Miss Goody-Two Shoes is finally skipping class. The world is about to end!"

"I'm not skipping class!" I stated, proud that I knew something she didn't. "I already had my last class."

"That's where you're wrong, my dear, sweet child. You forgot that we always go back to homeroom after the last academic class."

"OH SHIT!" I groaned.

"Yep. How are you going to explain that to your mom? More importantly, your brothers?"

"Well, my mother will understand why I skipped. My brothers may go to jail, though."

"Why would your brothers go to jail?" Steph asked.

"For killing a man, obviously," I said as if it was the most obvious thing on Earth. Steph threw her head back and laughed. It the kind of laugh that always brightened someone's day. With that, we laughed together like we were five. Moments like these were ones I wanted to cherish and never forget.

We just sat there for a few minutes until Steph announced that she would be back in a second and left the car.

When the car door opened again, Steph appeared with her makeup bag. I gave her a questioning gaze.

"We have to show Seth what he lost," she said, as she shrugged.

I nodded. It would take guts to walk back with my head held high. And what would be more helpful with that than badass makeup? Not to mention, my face probably looked blotchy from the tears.

I stood still as she applied my makeup. When she was done, she leaned back to examine her handiwork and nodded to herself.

"Perfect!" she announced proudly.

I was about to look in the car mirror when she stopped me.

"Trust me. Don't look now," she ordered.

I looked at her curiously.

"Why?"

"Because if I know you, Alaina Brown, and I do, then you will think the makeup is too much," she replied, matter-of-factly. "But these are the times you need something to help you keep your head up.

"O-kay?" I said, but went along with it.

I opened the car door and stepped outside. I can do this. Steph walked over to my side of the car and linked arms with me.

Strength in numbers, I told myself. Keep your head high and strut. And if anyone judges, screw them.

"Ready?" Steph asked when we reached the front door of the high school.

I took a deep breathe and nodded, and we stepped inside.