Intertwined

Leon

Leon

"LEON MY MAN!"

I sighed loudly into the telephone, rolling my eyes over-dramatically even though he couldn't see me. Let me introduce my best friend, Sam Bailey, the biggest idiot in Britain and also possibly the world.

"Bailey," I said, because there were always too many Sams in our year for them all to be called Sam. Bailey had been Bailey since Year 1, in which we became sworn enemies and then unwilling allies followed by best friends, all due to a dispute over lunch boxes.

"Leon Leon Leon," he rallied off and I laughed (reluctantly). "How you doing out there in the US?"

"I'm alright," I said.

Now it was Bailey sighing. I am so transparent; it's fucking annoying.

"Come on, what's up," he wheedled. "What's happened now. Why's our usually oh-so-good-natured Leon angry again?"

I didn't reply.

"It's the Big J isn't it?"

"Bails what the fuck? When have I ever called him that?"

"You haven't. I made it up. Creative, huh? Annnd I'm right. God Leon, are you ever amazed by my detectiveness, because I am."

"Shut up. But yeah, I walked in on him. Again. One of the girls in my Biology class. Fuck, Bailey, these girls need some fucking respect for themselves! She knew he slept with Trish on Sunday, the whole class was talking about it in the lesson on Monday, and just what are they thinking?! I mean, the guy's alright-looking but he shouldn't get away with treating girls like this and still get them practically breaking down his bedroom door."

Bailey sniggered.

"You really missed out on your destiny as a protective big brother," he joked, and I tried to laugh it off but suddenly he realised what he'd done.

"Shit. Oh fuck. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," I reassured him, even though it wasn't, because it really wasn't his fault. And then I said, hastily: "Long time ago now. Doesn't hurt."

Which was a lie. It does hurt. It will always, always hurt.

*

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After the dinner I'd asked Jake if he'd slept with Kinley and he said,

"What do you think?", as if it was obvious he had (which I guess it was, statistically, but for some reason I'd been kind of hoping Kinley wasn't one of those girls). So I left it.

Or at least I tried to, but he just wouldn't let it go.

"Why, Leon?" he demanded, and he was smirking slightly. "You interested? Hate to disappoint but you wouldn't stand a chance with Kin; she's mine if anyone's. I could have her any time I wanted."

Seriously, it took a LOT of willpower not to punch him after that.

*

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*

Fast-forward to the next day and there's this girl in art called Corrine (normally quietish, hangs around with the dodgy crowd, the ones whose eyes are never quite focused). She calls Jake Kinley's fuck buddy and I wait for Kinley to correct her but there's seconds passing and she doesn't, and suddenly I'm just fucking angry with her. Because really, Jake?! What is she thinking?

And so yeah, maybe I exploded a little because as much as I've been moaning to her about her super-drama-heel-wearing-bitch-queen persona, that didn't bother me half as much as this did. Jake would call me jealous but I think it's just the hypocrisy of Kinley that gets to me. I mean, I've seen the way she talks down to the sluts of the year and then she goes and sleeps with Jake?! Like, what the fuck. Really??