The Love Triangle

Mending Gaps

It is 5:30 pm, and I am starting to regret my decision to agree to help Conrad.

I put on my black hoodie and head out, deciding that today is the last day I will have any conversation with this guy. Good for my heart and good for my mind.

I am sitting under my favourite tree, trying to read. Then I get a call from Conrad. He is asking where I am in the park. I ask him to wait at the gate while I come and get him.

I see him waiting at the gate. He smiles a broad smile as he sees me approaching. OH GOD, please don't do this. 

"Hey," he says rather coyly.

"Hey, umm, let's go."

It would be a shame to not call our short trip to my spot in the park a 'frantic' one. It roughly consisted of awkward exchanges of words and glances primarily by me. I could see how hard he was trying to make it less uncomfortable.

But at least he was trying.

We sat together on the soft grass and studied for the next one hour.

" So Arlo, what else do you do in your free time? "

" Nothing much. I mostly stay in and read, write music, binge-watch something, and walk here in the park."

" Hmm, interesting. " He said this in a very mocking way, almost scoffing towards the end.

"What?"

"I see you are not a party person. "

" Nope, I don't like going to parties. Firstly I don't know anyone there, and secondly, I don't know what to do there because I am a socially awkward person, which you would have guessed by now. "

"Oh, alright, I'll try to change that".

I pretended I didn't hear him.

" Umm,  it's getting late; I think I should head home", I said, hastily collecting my belongings.

" Sure. Thank you so much for helping me out. I owe you something for this."
" No, you don't; it's okay, honestly. It's fine. I'll see you in uni then. Bye! "
Well, that was plain and simple. I guess a little blunt, too, ugh.

" Yeah, see you, goodbye. "

I reach home and see Jesse lying on the bed eating Cheetos. Is it weird if I say Cheetos don't match her personality? I am not judging, but I don't know.

As usual, Jesse starts the conversation.
" So you went to study in the park? As far as I know, you usually go there for a walk. " I guess she figured this out because of the books I brought in.
Oh no, I don't know whether I should tell her about Conrad or not. Well, I am bad at lying, and I want to be open with someone. I feel I can trust her, so I will go ahead and tell her.

"I... Do you know Conrad by any chance? "

"Are you talking about Conrad Hall from Sociology? "

" I am. Is he like a thing already? "

" Babe, he is THE guy now."

"What? Why didn't I know this? It's so weird. He was in my class this whole time, and today was the day that I noticed him. He is hot, but..."

Okay, so Jesse seems annoyed at my indifference to him. She is almost about to explode.

" Honey, can we skip the in-between because I want to know what is happening between you and Conrad. Tell me already! "

" You're getting this wrong. Nothing is happening, trust me. He just asked me to help him with a few topics, and that's it. "

" You guys went to a fucking park together to study. I don't understand."

"There is nothing to understand. I am not going to talk to him again, and I am pretty sure he doesn't want to talk to me. I don't want to talk about it, please. Let's talk about you. How was your day? Did you and Emma finally finish the assignment? "

"Are we really talking about this?". I stare at Jesse; she knows I am not ready to talk about it.

"We decided to finish it tomorrow. We are halfway through, though. "

Just then, Jesse gets a call on her phone. She looks at the screen but doesn't pick up. She sits down and continues eating her Cheetos as if nothing happened. I asked her who it was from. She said it was her dad.
I asked her why she was not picking up. She stared at me with a weird look, something I had never seen before. She took a few seconds to answer.

" We don't get along. "

I didn't dare to ask further.