Bad Luck with Love

Chapter 35: Trick

“Let me see it! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me until now! It’s been weeks!” Jo shrieked, “I was even at your house when he gave it to you!”

“Jo would you calm down? It’s not like he proposed or something,” I said, flinching a little as she twisted my hand this way and that, trying to get a good look at the ring Jake had given me while also doing a very good job at nearly spraining my wrist.

“He might as well have! This stuff is legit,” she said, giving me an incredulous look. “How can you be so calm? And how can you not be showing it off? If it was me I’d have walked into school today with my hand in everyone’s face.”

“That’s the difference between you and I. I prefer not to flaunt it, thank you very much. Now can I have my hand back?”

“Seriously Jo, give the girl her hand. She kind of needs it,” Leena said, giving her a very weird look.

She finally let go and I pulled my hand back. “I really don’t see the big thing about it.”

“How can you not? Exactly what does that ring mean?” she demanded.

“It means he’ll always be my friend, always be loyal and always love me,” I recited with a sigh. I regretted very much telling her about it. Jo loved anything romantic. I mean, yeah I was a little sensitive to swooning at the memory myself, but he was my boyfriend so I was allowed. It was personal and having other people freaking out about it was kind of killing the intimacy.

“And you say that’s not a big deal? How many guys do you know who would make that sort of commitment?” she prodded.

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“A very small few!” she burst, ignoring me. “Why aren’t you jumping and being excited?”

“I am excited and happy. But it’s a Monday morning and it’s the first day back at school. Pardon me for not exactly being a bundle of joy at the moment,” I muttered, fist against my cheek. I wasn’t getting any work done at all and that meant I’d have homework. Which wasn’t cool since I was planning on going out with Jake tonight. He’d decided that since I had such crap memories at that bloody pizzeria that we were going to start making some newer, and happier, ones.

“Romance is wasted on girls like you,” she muttered.

“Are you girls working?” the teacher asked, passing around to our group. I hid my blank worksheet as subtly as I could manage.

“Yes miss,” I said innocently.

She gave us a doubtful look before she continued on.

“Don’t be melodramatic Jo,” Leena rolled her eyes, “Shouldn’t you be happy for her?”

“I am happy she’s with Jake! He’s a wonderful guy." she protested loudly.

“Whoa since when are you with Jake?” One of Shannon’s weirdo friends came up to us, an astonished look on her face. “I thought you were with Chad!”

“I dumped him,” I said curtly. Great, now the news would be all over the school. If you wanted news to travel fast, you just had to tell someone from Shannon’s group of friends.

“What is wrong with you? Any girl would kill to have a guy like him!” she gasped. “Jake cheated on you, why in the hell would you take him back?”

“Are you stupid or just ignorant?” Jo asked bluntly.

“Excuse me?” she gasped.

“Stupid it is,” Jo shook her head. “Look here Powerpuff, Jake didn’t cheat. Chad set him up s Chad’s the creep here. Now run along princess, no one wants you here.”