The Smell Of Spray Paint

Twenty Six.

We went to see Janice a lot now. We were in that bar at least three times a week and he always looked happy to see us. He and Mika were the only other two that really knew about the relationship between Gilbert and me, but no matter how much emphasis Gilbert and I (mostly Gilbert) put on it, he would always put on a smile and humour us by saying congratulations and wishing us well. Janice was great guy.

Gilbert had had a few beers next to me and I was fiddling with the label of the bottled water that I had brought in with me. It turned out that this place didn't serve anything that wasn't alcoholic but water was okay. I liked water.

"Oi!" Gilbert exclaimed getting the attention of Janice and I simultaneously as he put down his third beer, "Where is my friend? He should be back here!" Maybe he was drunk.

I tapped his arm, "What are you talking about?" What was 'back here' supposed to mean?

He laughed. He was definitely tipsy, "My little friend! Janice, bring him here!"

Lucky for me, Janice knew what he was talking about, "He is back in home." Janice told him.

Gilbert raised his arms and gave a loud cheer, "Let me see him!" He turned to me, his eyes wide with excitement, "Mattie! You can meet my special friend!" By the way he was talking about it, I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

I tried to look for Janice in the hopes that I could get some support from him but he had gone and I was left sitting here beside a tipsy Gilbert who was rambling about something I didn't understand.

I leaned on the counter and looked at him. "Care to explain?" I asked.

He grinned and winked, proving to be a little more sober than first presumed. "You will meet him, Mattie, he is too cool."

I didn't respond instead I felt an unnecessary, unprovoked kind of anger well up at the bottom of my throat. Gilbert never called me cool. I started to tear at the label on my water feeling some spiteful satisfaction when paper ripped. He called me cute but never cool. I tore of a strip of the blue paper and rolled it in my fingers. He was meant to like me the most, jeeze, what was he talking about?

"Do you like him?" My question was probing as to how Gilbert felt about this guy in to comparison to me. It was stupid though... He liked me the most. Me.

"Huh?" Gilbert looked at me like I was asking a dumb question. I probably was. I clenched the paper label in my hand, "Duh!" He looked out for Janice coming back, "I love this little guy!"

Oh.

I glared at the side of his head. I was offended by that answer. Like, a lot.

Was this me getting jealous?

Whatever it was- I didn't care, I was getting mad at him for saying all that. Who was it that he loved so much anyway? Probably some stupid little immature child totally making eyes at Gilbert. They could leave him alone, Gilbert wanted me, not that...

I then realised that I was describing myself?

Ugh.

Why did he even like me?

Still! There was no way that Gilbert would like someone more than me! He said all those things to me, not to some little...

Sigh.

Why bother getting mad? The guy Gilbert apparently loved oh so much was gonna either be the same or better than me if my description of a weedy kid really was as I had been thinking - not Gilbert's type.

I just looked at Gilbert's excited face glumly as we both waited for whoever Janice was taking over.

Janice came hurrying back seconds later and I perked up in mild interest.