Growing Pains ✔

Chapter 26

Jamie walked into homeroom, his head ducked down as it had been for the past few weeks. He was in no mood to make small talk with anyone. He took his seat by Laura, barely murmuring hello.

'Hey,' she said her voice muffled which caught his attention. He glanced at her and she looked away not meeting his eyes, she was clearly feeling as sociable as he was.

'Everything okay?' Jamie asked feeling like he ought to say something in spite of himself. No doubt that was how people felt around him when he was being an anti-social grump.

'Not really,' Laura murmured her eyes flitting over to John before she dropped her head back down. Jamie had heard they'd split up sometime last week but Laura hadn't seemed particularly bothered until now.

'Right, has John done something?'

Laura looked at him biting her lip. 'We split up.'

'I know. I heard it was mutual,' Jamie said trying to sound sympathetic.

Laura shook her head slightly. 'Not really. John instigated it, well the conversation about splitting up. He said he really liked me but he didn't want a serious relationship. Can you believe that, after he chased me?'

She sounded so indignant Jamie had to force himself to keep a straight face. He reminded himself she didn't know John the way he did, he knew what an utter asswipe he could be if the mood took him.

'To be honest Laura, I can believe it,' he said carefully. 'It's what he's like.'

'Yeah, I suppose I knew that. I never even wanted to go out with him in the first place,' she hissed. 'He convinced me I'd misjudged him, and I should give him a chance. In a way, it was a relief when he said he thought we should break up because he was coming on strong but...' She looked at John again and scowled.

'But what?'

'I've heard he's back with Debbie! So he said he didn't want a relationship but what he actually meant was he didn't want a relationship with me.' Her eyes flashed with anger. 'So why lie?' She looked at Jamie as if he'd have an answer.

He shrugged, unsure what to say for the best. 'I guess he didn't want to hurt you,' he suggested tentatively and Laura scoffed. 'It's true. I think he does like you but maybe Debbie's more his type.' Laura's face fell and he knew he'd said the wrong thing.

'You mean I'm boring?'

'No, no of course not, just that Debbie's...' He drifted off not knowing what to say. Laura was too nice for John and too serious, and that probably did equal boring as far as their peers went.

'Debbie's fun, and popular, and gorgeous. She exactly John's type,' Laura said her voice bitter.

'Don't let him get to you,' Jamie said patting her arm awkwardly. 'You're better off without him.' He glanced at John who was laughing uproariously, not doubt at one of his own jokes. He was actually kind of disappointed by how John had handled the situation, so much for thinking he was growing up.

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Jamie was lounging around in the school hallways with Kevin after lunch. Kevin was wittering on again about how he was going to get Lucy to go out with him, and Jamie was barely paying attention.

'Hmm,' he said nodding. However, his ears perked up when he heard raised voices by the lockers. He exchanged a look with Kevin, Laura was actually shouting, something he didn't think he'd ever heard her do before. He couldn't recall her even raising her voice. He sidled over to see what was happening.

'You used me,' she yelled as a crowd began to form around her and John. Debbie looked on smugly, and John stood back folding his arms across his chest.

'Seriously? You think I used you?' Jamie couldn't miss the sneering tone, and he felt his hackles go up. No doubt John was playing to his crowd.

'Yes you did,' Laura said but her voice wavered now, the crowd around them intimidating her.

'Care to spell out exactly how I used you.' John gestured to his friends, and they snickered. Jamie saw Laura's cheeks flush.

'Knock it off,' he said finding his voice.

John turned to him, the old sneer marring his features. 'I thought this would be good news to you, I thought you might want to get with her yourself.'

The anger that Jamie had barely kept below the surface since he'd read his mom's diary flared up, and he was glad to have an outlet for it. 'What is wrong with you? Why are you trying to humiliate her.' His fists clenched as he looked at Laura's still bright red face.

John shook his head, laughing with his friends. 'Humiliate her? I did her a favour taking her out. It ain't my fault she's a bore.'

'A bore?' Laura said, her words barely audible. John looked at her, and Jamie thought he saw a flicker of regret on John's face. But it was so fleeting he couldn't be certain.

'Yeah you're a bore babe,' Debbie cackled, joining in the taunting. 'But John's stories have kept me entertained so I guess I'll give you that.' Her friends laughed as if she'd delivered a particularly witty line.

'Look it was fun, for a while,' John said dismissively. 'But you ain't in my league. Why don't you enjoy it for what it was? I tried to give you a passport to popularity but you didn't make the grade.' Laura's face went even redder if that was at all possible, and Jamie could see her biting her bottom lip while her eyes filled with tears.

Debbie pointed, turning to her friends laughing. 'I think she's gonna cry!'

Jamie looked at John, almost pleading with him to intervene but he opened his mouth and joined in the laughter. Without thinking, Jamie threw his fist in the direction of John's face hitting him as hard as he could. The momentum had them both on the floor, and Jamie tried to hit him again. John was stronger than him though, and he was soon on top, his fist smacking into Jamie's face. Jamie almost welcomed the blow, imagining all his mixed up thoughts being knocked out of his head.

'Hey,' a voice yelled, and Jamie felt the pressure lesson as John was hauled off him. He sat up, seeing the crowd around him was dispersing while John was being shaken by a teacher.

'He started it,' John said rubbing his jaw for good measure. Jamie wiped his nose which was bleeding profusely.

'I don't care who started it,' the teacher said glaring from one to the other. 'You're both in detention today, and all of next week. And I'll be calling your parents.' He looked at Jamie, his face dismayed. 'I'd have expected better from you. Your mother is going to be so disappointed.'

Jamie hung his head, not wanting to look at the teacher or John. His mom was gonna kill him, that was for sure, and he couldn't say he'd blame her. He was no better than his dad, throwing his fists about when he wasn't happy. He guessed it was in his genes.

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