My Side

(Part 2)

(Note: I do not own the series. I hope you like it and review if you could. I would love to hear everyone's comments.=)

"Grab me some grub, dude?" Dash asks me when I say I'm going in line for breakfast.

I'm in serious need of some sugar. I feel completely out of it since I saw Reed with Whit coming out of the woods at last night's bonfire. I don't know what happen, once I saw them I felt like a huge dark grey cloud was hovering over me. With the rain seeping into my clothes I felt cold and slightly pissed. I admit I was a bit territorial because Reed is going out with Thomas and even though he acted like a jerk the other night when he was drunk they made up the morning afterwards. This means she shouldn't have been with Walt Whittaker in the woods. But following right behind my being territorial for my best friend, Thomas, I also can't help but admit the pure jealousy I felt when I saw Whit and Reed together. Which I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help it. Reed just does this to me somehow. The girl is like my weakness and I can't help but to succumb to the emotions that wash over me when she's around.

Okay, I figured out why Thomas has had so many girlfriends. It's like a drug so of course Thomas of all people would be addicted to it. Becoming high on love, ha. Explains a lot when you think about it, right? Well it at least explains why I feel so crappy this morning, hangover.

"Sure." I say as I get up. "The usual?"

"Yeah." Dash says.

"Get me something too, dude." Gage adds. Then before I can manage to leave, every guy at out table is telling me their orders like I'm a freaking waiter or something.

Thomas is an ass. I mean just running off like that without telling me or anyone. I think to myself as I walk over to the breakfast line. Not even Reed I think, and she's supposedly his girlfriend. I mean that's what he's always saying. That Reed is his and that he loves her. And that Reed loves Thomas…

But now he's gone with no word. I wonder if he had the common decency to tell the girl he supposedly loves where he's at.

Speaking of which…

As I walk into the breakfast line I see her. Reed…

I quickly grab a tray and start placing food on it and slipping my way past people ahead of me and hope they don't notice I'm cutting them in line.

Before I get to say anything Reed turns around like she sensed me or something. I'm about to say hi but when I see her face I say the first thing that comes up in my head.

"Ouch. You look like crudge."

"Crudge?"

Opps, didn't mean to say that, oh well. "I make up words when no existing terms seem fit to rise to the occasion." I shrug. "Therefore, crudge."

"Well, I'm honored to have inspired a new word." Reed says but I can tell she's lying. For the short time I've known Reed she has never been the kind of girl who seemed like she spent hours getting ready for school. Not that she didn't look nice everyday because she does, usually though she dresses sort of laid back but today well, she looks like… crudge.

"Are you okay?" I ask. "I was a little worried about you last night." More like I was freaking pissed off and Whit is lucky I didn't beat the crap out of him when we got back to our dorms.

"Did Thomas ask you to look out for me or something?" Reed asks looking entirely too hopeful.

I blink. "No. Thomas didn't say anything to me before he left, actually." Well, anything comprehendible anyway, on account of him being drunk off his ass that night.

Reed looks deflated. "Oh. So you really have no idea where he is?"

"No. You?" I say.

"No." She says grimly.

So I was right he never told her anything about his whereabouts. Uhg! Thomas is such an asshole! Then again I really wasn't expecting him to have said anything. So it's not really a surprise.

"Typical Thomas." I say under my breath.

"What?" Reed says as she turns to look at me.

"Nothing." I say. Crap she heard me, damn. "It's just… you'd think he'd at least let you know where he's going." Pointing some emphasis on the you, thinking about Thomas saying how much he loved Reed and all.

"But I should have known, he's never been one for thinking of other people."

Reed swallows hard and looks like she's about to cry but then she says, trying to lighten the mood I guess, "Lets talk about something else."

Shit. I'm such and idiot, criticizing Thomas like that in front of Reed. "Right. Sorry, I'm sure he'll call you." I lie. "Eventually."

She looks down at my tray, her brows shoot upwards. "So what's all that?" She gestures to the mound of food on my trays. "Bulking up for winter?"

"Nah. Some guys were still hungry, so…" I trail off and shrug.

She looks confused with her eyebrows scrunched together adorably. "I don't get it?"

She's so perfect… I can't help but think. No, don't think that. Bad, Josh! Bad! I mentally scold myself and quickly grab a chocolate chip muffin and place it on my tray. "Get what?"

"Why are you always doing stuff for them?" She looks down at the floor. "It's not like you have to."

"I have four younger brothers and sisters and only one older brother, who was allergic to helping out, I explain to Reed as I continue to walk in line to pay. I think doing stuff for people is hardwired into my brain". Unfortunately. I think to myself. Oh, and there's my new found problem of falling for my best friend's girlfriend!

She picks up a bowl of cereal. "Ah."

I narrow my eyes slightly. Suspicion, crawling up my spine. "Why do you do it?"

"They make me." She says just like that.

Whoa, rewind. "Huh?"

She bites her lips - Which I try my utmost hardest to not stare down at- obviously looking like she said something she wasn't suppose to. Wait. What're they making you do?

"Oh, nothing." Reed says trying to make her voice light and failing as shrugs.

"Reed-" I start to say.

"Josh". Giving me the eye, like it isn't my business.

Hmmm. Secretive girl business that involves Reed as its slave girl.

Billings.

"You can't tell me." I smirk, then I kid. "Or you could tell me but then you'd have to kill me."

She struggles with her trays. "Don't worry about it."

But I can't help but worry about it. I think to myself. Worried thoughts have invaded my mind since I first saw you sitting with the Billing Girls. Like a sweet, innocent bunny rabbit, surrounded by a bunch of hungry man-eating (literally) cheetahs. But instead of saying what I feel I just say, "Well, if it's bad you could always spit in their coffee." Hoping she really does it. At least she can get some revenge on those bitches.

Reed looks down at the mugs of coffee and honestly looks tempted but like I knew she would she shakes her head and says, "Uh, no."

"Well, just… be careful. I mean, don't let them make you do anything, you know…"

Crazy, dangerous, and stupid. I think to myself. Which by the look on Reed's face seems to have already happen. Shit.

"I won't." She lies. As she handles the coffee, looking to about to drop everything she's carrying.

"Here. Let me help you." I offer, reaching for one of the trays.

She tries to pull away. "Thanks, but I-" She cuts off and looks up at one of the tables. Her body instantly grows rigid. Her eyes widen and her lips part a bit in a horrified expression. One of the trays she's holding start to slip from her hands and I make a grab for it before Reed drops it and let it splatter on the floor which would cause the whole dinning hall to stare at her and letting everyone see that expression on her face wouldn't be so great. If I didn't know any better I'd think she looks like she's about to barf. "Hey! Watch it!" I warn.

"I gotta go." Reed says dropping one of the trays she was still holding and running for the door.

I guess I was right.

After I watch her leave the dinning hall I turn around and look over to where she was looking at, wondering what would have caused that reaction to stir up in her. Immediately, my eyes fall down to Whit.

I make my way over to the Billings table where Whit is sitting at. When I get there I drop the two trays on the Billings table. Everyone looks up at me. Whit is the first one to speak. "Good, lord, man. That was oddly rude. "

I narrow my eyes at him. So was hooking up with a girl who was completely drunk off her ass last night!

"Here's you're food." I say flatly to no one in particular.

Noelle arches her right eyebrow. "Wasn't Reed suppose to bring us our food?"

I grimace as I turn my hard glare from Whit to Noelle. "She had an emergency to attend to."

"Emergency! Is she alright?" Whit demands.

No, no thanks to you. I think menacingly. "I think so, she just had to skip breakfast today, that's all."

"Peculiar. I was quite looking forward to having breakfast with her." He looks like a wounded pup now and I can't help but feel a bit of sympathy for the dude.

"Maybe you'll see her at lunch." Preferably, before she has time to eat… while her stomach is still empty.

"Of course, he'll see her at lunch." Noelle says. "Reed was just saying this morning she couldn't wait to see Whit again."

Yeah, right. According to Reeds face just now I sort of got the impression Whit was the last thing she wanted see… ever. As I think this I can feel that suspicion crawl up my spine again. Why is Noelle so determined for Whit and Reed to get together?

"Are you just going to stand there like an idiot as we eat our breakfast or leave?" Noelle asks sarcastically.

I shake my head causing my blonde curls to slap against my face. "See ya." I turn around and walk away. Whatever it is I'll find out soon enough.