Elisa

7

I decline his call as soon as I see his name appear on my phone.

He calls again. I decline it. He calls again.

"What do you want?" I say aggressively into the phone.

"I need someone to talk to." His voice is low.

I roll my eyes, even though he can't see me. "Dude. I'm like the last person who wants to talk to you."

"You can't pick sides, Ellie. It's not fair." 

"Yes I can." 

He sighs through the microphone. "Emily doesn't even like me, she likes him."

"Then why was she fucking you?" I ask. 

"Remi was being a pussy and wasn't makin' a move on her and she definitely wanted him to. So she used me to make him jealous." 

"She told you that?" I think back to her being at my front door five minutes ago.

"No, but I know that's what she was doing." 

I'm angry again. "So if you knew that's what she was doing why did you go along with it?"

His voice gets quiet. "Because she's hot." 

"You are literally unbelievable," I scoff. "So you just ruined a friendship over a girl you think is hot?" 

"I didn't ruin the friendship."

"Do you know Remi at all? That kid is done with you. He hasn't left his room since he got home." 

The line is quiet. I guess he really didn't think about the consequences of his actions.  "I thought I was helping him by pushing him to come claim his girl." 

"Imagine you were deeply in love with someone, if you have the capability of loving anyone other than yourself, and another guy sticks his dick in her. I'm pretty sure you would be beyond upset too."   

He sighs. "I fucked up didn't I, Ellie?" 

"Yes, you did."

"Do you think I can come over and try to apologize to him?" 

"Uh, I think that would be a really bad idea." 

"Why?"

I laugh. "Because Remi has not left his room since he got home. We're all really worried that he's going to kill someone if anyone tries to talk to him." 

"What if I want to see you?" 

"Are you serious? I should just go because you can't take anything or anyone seriously. It's just Romeo land with butterflies and fairies." 

"No no don't hang up! I'm sorry." His voice becomes sincere, which is a sound I haven't heard in a long time. "I do want to see you though. You're the only person I can talk to." 

"Don't you have guys on the soccer team to help you out?" I shove a glob of ice cream in my mouth.

"They all hate me." 

I watch Matthew McConaughey on the screen. God, he's so sexy. "Why?"

"I've slept with all their girlfriends or pissed them off in one way or another." He tells me, guilt ridden in his voice. 

"Why am I not surprised?" 

"So can I pick you up? We can go do something. I can't sit in this house anymore, especially because of my parents. They're so mad." 

I look into the foyer, thinking of Remi and what he would do if he found out that I went to hang out with his new ex-best friend. He either won't talk to me for the rest of his life, or beat the shit out of me too. For some reason I feel sorry for Romeo, though. Maybe I can try to help him and Remi. Our parents are all best friends and it's going to be extremely awkward if the two of them don't make up.