Love, Boys, and Jealousy: A Typical Romance

Chapter 7

"Hey Erica." Josh said as she walked into English on Friday morning.

"Hey. Where's Mr. Simon?" she asked

"Oh, he's absent today."

"Oh okay. So what we're not doing anything today?"

"Nope." said the sub as she walked in.

"Okay so it's like a study hall?" asked Darren

"Yeah. Just be quiet and you can do what you want. Mr. Simon will be back on Monday."

"Okay." said the class.

"Have you talked to Michael lately?" Josh asked Darren when he walked over.

"Yeah. Yesterday he texted me."

"What happened?"

"Why? You haven't talked to him?"

"No. I've tried but he just ignores me and when I see him in person I get hit."

"He's still mad. You know he has anger issues. And you're the source of his anger so everytime he sees you he tries to take it out."

"On me? That can't be healthy. I understand he's mad but if the situation was reversed, I wouldn't try to pick a fight with him everytime I saw him. That's not the right way to handle everything. I understand that he's upset and hurt and feels like his best friend betrayed him but this isn't how it should be handled."

"I know that, but you're right he doesn't listen. He just wants Erica."

"Well I don't care how much he wants her. He's not going to get her." Erica walked over hearing her name.

"Talking about me?" she asked as Josh pulled her in for a hug.

"Not anymore. We're done." said Darren.

"Okay so then what was it about?" she asked now curious

"Michael."

"Ah I see. He's coming back Monday right?"

"Yeah he is." said Josh.

"Please be careful and try not to start anything." she returned his hug.

"I'll try doesn't mean he will. I can't imagine loosing you like he did."

"But he never had me."

"I know that but he still thinks that he loves you which is how I feel so I can only imagine."

"I know and hopefully that's all you'll have to do is imagine."

"Hopefully."

Lunch came quickly after that. Josh walks with Erica and then heads to fourth period.

"Hey Erica." said Alex

"Hey Alex." she replied

"So hows your boyfriend?" asked Abigail. Alex twinged when he heard the word 'boyfriend'.

"He's good. Michael is still angry at him for "betraying" him." Erica put the quotes around 'betraying'.

"Why the air quotes?" asked Kathleen.

"Because as much as Michael wants to believe that Josh betrayed him by going out with me, it's not true. I wouldn't have gone out with Michael even if he did ask me. But Josh did and that's who I'm dating. Not Michael. Just because Josh and Michael both like me doesn't mean Josh betrayed him. He just had the courage to go for it and ask me."

"Gotcha." said Kathleen.

Everyone started eating. Alex sat there with a blank expression. Same way he always did when Josh's name was mentioned in lunch or anywhere around him. If he ever saw Erica and Josh he just turned and walked away taking a different route.