Somewhere Else [Damien Haas]

7. Physical Education

-/-/-

"You'll always have me," I say to Jade, waving before the elevator doors close. As soon as they do, and I see the digits on the side of the elevator change to a higher number, which means it's already gone up one floor, I cover my face in sheer embarrassment.

Did I really just say that to my ex-girlfriend?

Lying down on my bed, I smile, panting. I was lost in all sorts of emotions going in all directions, and they just can't be mapped. I told Jade that I was supposed to take a shower when she called, but in reality, I was thinking about asking her out on a date this evening. Since she obviously isn't in the mood, I glance at the flowers I bought just this morning, resting on my desk. I was so prepared and all, I was just waiting for the rain to stop. Now, it's awkward to ask her out after she got held at gunpoint.

Was it a bad idea to ask her out on a date anyway? Maybe she'd hate me even more. After all, she didn't really believe in second chances.

"I don't believe in second chances," Jade told me as she and Kendra sat across me in a diner. "Everyone is conscious of the decisions they're making. Getting drunk is a choice, and so is cheating on someone in the process."

"Wow, you're so angry," Kendra remarked, eating her sundae. "Oh, you probably heard that Taylor cheated on Roman with Jace?"

"Who are those people? I was watching a different show last night," Jade said, drinking her milkshake.

"Taylor cheated on Roman with Jace?" I asked Kendra, drinking some coffee. "And to think Roman was so in love with Taylor too! You just don't see things coming, do ya?"

At this point of the school year, the three of us hung out regularly. By regularly, I meant every Sunday evening. We met up at this one diner that was of equal distance from all our houses, and we did a bunch of homework there. The owners didn't mind as long as we ordered every 30 minutes, and since Kendra worked there part-time, she made sure we got to stay for a longer period of time.

Around mid-December of 2006, which wasn't even halfway of the school year, I already realized that I did like Jade. Like was the first level of falling in love with someone, and somehow, I could always find myself looking at her, knowing what she's doing for the day, and just daydreaming. But then, I just liked her, not to the extent of wanting to date her yet. I didn't even know why I liked her; as we've established, she was closed off, busy, disliked relationships, always wanted to be one step ahead of everyone, and dreamt big enough for two people (which is why she didn't want to have a relationship). But I did. I liked her.

"Well, I should get a move-on," Kendra told us, looking at her watch. "I'm so tired from today's shift, and I got a quiz in Chemistry tomorrow. I need me some sleep. How about you two?"

"I think I'm gonna stay awhile," Jade answered, busy writing an essay for History class. "I just gotta finish this essay on Alexander Hamilton, and then I'll go home."

"You, Dames?" Kendra asked me.

"Eh, I can stay a little longer, " I said, helping her with her things. "I've already finished my essay on Thomas Jefferson, and I don't really have anything to do."

"Oh, good for you, you're finished with your essay," Jade mumbled, sighing before continuing. "Oh my God. This guy just had to cheat on his wife. Now my essay's much longer. I hate Alexander Hamilton now."

"Don't worry, the founding fathers are a bit of douches anyway," Kendra told us. "Anyway, toodle-oo, you two! Don't stay out too late."

When Kendra left, I glanced at Jade, who was probably halfway through her essay. One of the bad parts of liking someone that no one ever talks about is when you're alone with them, you lose all the conversation topics you have when you only see them as a friend. I sat across Jade with nothing to say, and obviously, she didn't have anything to say either because: 1) she was busy, and 2) she doesn't really start the conversations.