I hate him. I hate him so much! Why does he think he can walk all over me and use me like a child’s toy?! Because he can’t. And I’ll be the one to make sure of it. Fuming to myself, I grabbed the latest insult, or in his eyes “harmless prank” which happened to be a pregnancy test attached to my locker.
Enough was enough. The joke was over. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone? I thought, angrily slamming the door shut and picking my purple and black Nike swim bag. Planning to toss out the final remains of his latest practical joke, I turned the corner, ready to fling the pregnancy test into the nearest trash can. Instead, I met with a completely unexpected sight.
“You,” I breathed heavily, “You inconsiderate jerk of– ” I paused, now thoroughly confused. He was laughing. The stupid idiot was laughing through my rant as though I was some comical sight.
“What?” I asked, becoming increasingly annoyed with his teasing smirk and chuckles.
He didn’t respond but continued to laugh. I was royally pissed. So, with the bad habit of acting before I thought things through, I took drastic action without contemplating its consequences.
I hurled the pregnancy test at his face while managing to sneak my phone out of my bag just in time to capture his priceless expression. I waited expectantly, not even bothering to look at him, for my phone to show me the picture.
And what a picture. I burst into giggles, tears of laughter forming in my eyes. It was too good. Score one for me, I thought, cheering for myself inside.
Finally looking up, I noticed his expression – peeved, just as mine had been a few seconds before. His annoyed look only made me laugh harder though.
“Who’s laughing now?” I goaded, in between chuckles. Happy that things had turned out so well, I turned to leave. Unfortunately, it wasn’t before I heard a retort that caused me to halt immediately.
Rolling his eyes, he muttered almost incoherently, “At least I can take a joke.”
Spinning around with an angry glare, I stared daggers into his face, now turned up into his trademark teasing smirk. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“Oh, I think you know perfectly well what it means,” he taunted right back, the corners of his mouth twitching.
In and out, girl, you can do this, I chanted in my head. “Whatever,” I replied, struggling to keep my voice even. It’s okay, you can do this, I know you can, I repeated.
Brushing my golden hair out of my face, I let out a small sigh. I fixed the strap of my swim bag, dropping my phone, with the incriminating picture into the open zipper. I began to walk away but made only one step before a hand shot out to grab my wrist.
“Hey now, it was just a joke,” he implored, his clear eyes piercing my soul.
“It wasn’t very funny,” I muttered angrily.
“Don’t be mad,” he responded placidly before smirking. “It’s no fun to tease you when you leave like this,” he added.
I rolled my eyes, half happy at his lame excuse for an apology, half still upset as unpleasant memories raced through my head. A mixture of emotions and thoughts, ones I’d struggled to lock away began to float back, a result of his idiotic prank.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I recited a silent prayer, asking for help to banish those feelings. But feelings have an uncanny way to never go away. Huffing a sigh, yet again annoyed as it entirely his fault that I began to remember that incident, I told him to go away.
“Please,” I added, trying to squirm out of his firm grasp. “Let me go,” I half begged.
“Why?” he retorted, “I kinda like this position,” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Eww, gross!” I shrieked, yanking my hand away, glaring at him. “Flirt with your girlfriend, sheesh”
To my dismay, he only laughed.
“So am I forgiven?” he asked.
“Nope,” I responded, popping the last syllable.
“You can’t resist this,” he smirked, lunging for me again.
Faster than lightning, I moved away from his attack zone, giggling and shaking my head at his silliness. Sometimes, I wondered if his mother had dropped him as a baby.
Suddenly, a loud noise caused us to glance up from our petty banter.
A familiar brunette with a divalicious attitude sauntered towards us. I smiled at her, pleased to see one of my best friends as she seemed to never have time to hang out anymore.
“Hey guys,” she said, as she reached us.
“Hiya,” I answered, automatically reaching out for a hug.
“I feel like I never see you anymore,” I whispered as we hugged.
“I know,” she squeezed my arm apologetically as we pulled away.
She leaned over to peck her boyfriend’s lips and I smirked at the sight of them. Awkwardly however, he turned his head at the last minute, so her lips brushed his cheek.
I could see her frown, but pretended to be absorbed in a text from my step-mom telling me she was waiting outside.
“Well, I have to go,” I told the couple, as I waved goodbye. Really, I could have procrastinated but the atmosphere in the room was getting to be too much to handle. It felt like there was a giant elephant standing amongst us that no one wanted to acknowledge.
“Already?” they asked in unison.
Everyone laughed, breaking the awkward tension. “Yes, already,” I mimicked the two.
“See ya soon,” he called after me.
"Text me," she yelled.
I waved to signal that I’d heard them before making my way down the hall. Unable to resist, I whipped out my phone and sent him a quick text.
- Trouble in paradise?
Laughing to myself, I stuck my phone back into the zipper pocket but felt it buzz again.
- Shut it, Cookie
Giggling again at his lame nickname and the fact that I won yet another argument, I pushed open the doors. Spotting my step-mom’s car, I began to make my way to it, preparing myself for what was to come.
