Nineteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Hi, Emory." She says with a smile on her face. "Are you here to see Clark?"

"Um. No. I'm here to see Bailey."

She makes a funny expression, showing her confused thoughts.

"Oh. He went down to get lunch, but you can stay here until he gets back, if you want." She points to the room, but I shake my head and decline.

"No, I'll just come by later." I turn to walk away right as she says, "Are you dating Clark or something?"

"What? He's just my friend." I say over my shoulder as I continue to walk.

I start down the stairs right as I run into Bailey. 

"Hey," He says, carrying two bags of food. "Where are you going?" 

I walk past him but he grabs my hand before I can completely move on.

"To class. It starts in 15 minutes. Who's the food for?"

"Me and Clark." He answers fast.

"Clark is at weight lifting." I respond.

"Oh. I must of forgot. He'll eat it when he gets back, I'm sure."

"I doubt they'll be anything left after you and Jade." I say and then begin to walk away again.

He doesn't say anything. I don't turn around to look at him, either. I walk across the sidewalk to the building with my next class.

I sit down in a seat next to the wall, still fuming with what I just found. I take a deep breath and try to calm down and enjoy this class. I'm sure it will be my favorite, because its a creative writing class.

As I get my books and paper out, I notice someone sitting beside me. 

"Hey, I didn't know this was your next class." Link grins.

"Yeah." I plainly state.

We sit in silence until class begins and ends.

As we walk out the doors, Link says "Are you excited about your first journal entry?"

I don't respond.

"Is that your last class for the day? Do you have any plans?"

I still don't respond.

"Are you okay?"

"No. My boyfriend is with another girl and I found out about it this morning. I'm not sad or upset, I'm just mad at myself for putting up with it."

He stops in his tracks, "You caught him cheating on you? And you still refer to him as your 'boyfriend'?" 

"Ex-boyfriend," I correct myself.

"That's better," we begin walking again.

"I'm sorry about that. I would threaten to beat him up, but we both know I'm not the fighting type." He laughs.

"Yeah, well, neither is he." I laugh at the thought of Bailey fighting anyone.

"Maybe your mechanic friend could do it." He states.

"He definitely seems like the fighting type," we both laugh and walk through the campus.

Link walks me back to my room and says goodbye at the door. I walk in and find Jade sitting on her bed, "Hey Emory." She smiles at me.

"Did you know you're dating my boyfriend?" I say without thinking of anything else.

Her eyes get wide and say, "Oh my god! Bailey is your boyfriend? We're not dating or anything yet, I've spent a few nights with him when Clark was gone. I didn't know he had a girlfriend!"

She stands up and walks over to me until we face to face.

"I'm so sorry, Emory, I didn't know." 

I took at her and I can tell she means it, or she's a really good liar.

"I believe you. But trust me, he's not a great boyfriend." I tell her and show her the bruise on my arm.

She grabs my arm and looks at it close, "Oh my god. Did you tell someone?"

"My friend, Link. He didn't think much of it. Oh, and I told my other friend Collin. He got kind of mad."

"As well he should," she says as she drops my arm.

"I'm gonna go cuss him until I'm blue in the face, see you later- oh, and please tell me next time you get a boyfriend." She laughs as she grabs her bag and closes the door.

I grab my phone right as Clark calls.

"Hello?"

"Hey, there's a party tonight, not as many people this time. Do you want to go? I know you don't have any classes tomorrow. And what a better way to start a long weekend."

I really don't want to go, but I can't sit in my room and sulk. "Sure, but I'll drive myself."