One aisle down… ten to go. I peer into the long line of Dairy and Confectionary. No sign of a small 6 year old boy with a giraffe. I sign deeply and continue my search. Of all the places for Sapphire to play hide and seek with Harry. It had to be at the beach, next to a busy road, that in turn was next to an even busier shopping centre. Not her brightest idea. As I continue my search, a series of graceful footsteps resonate behind me. I try to ignore it but it starts to get faster. I quicken my pace and so do the footsteps. A hand reaches out to grab me and I yelp in surprise.
"Hey, hey, calm down yeah… its jus' me!" A thick cockney accent cries. My blood begins to boil. I spin around as fast as possible for someone in my turmoil and narrow my eyes in the direction of an evil mastermind.
"Jou' really 'fink now is the time to be messin' abou'?" I cry. He smiles mischievously.
"Sorry? Messin' about? I'm tryin' to find Harry! Wha' exactly are you doin'?" He growls. I'm surprised at his tone, but stand my ground. I cross my arms and nod arrogantly.
"Same." I sneer. He frowns and sighs.
"Sorry I snapped, I'm jus' worried for Harry thas' all." I nod again and smile softly, but still cheekily.
"The great Liam O'Donovan, worried?" He grins and his shoulders relax. Glad that the tension has lifted.
"Yeah, can you believe Sapph?" I giggle, but stop suddenly as I felt a presence behind me. Someone, who I knew I did not want to see. Liam's eyes squint and then quickly relax and crease into a smile.
"Jamie, mate, where you been?" Damn it! Are those the words that had to exit that idiot's mouth? I start to panic and search for an escape route from this impossibly annoying situation. But soon deflated as I could not locate one. I could hear Jamie strolling up to us at a fast pace, stopping as his shoulder rested against mine. I shifted uncomfortably, and made sure he knew it too.
Quickly darting my eyes to set them upon his perfect face, I saw a look of… what was that? Disappointment? Well whatever it was, I didn't care. I was not falling for him. No matter how cute he can make himself to be.
An awkward silence followed, and it wasn't made any better as Liam tried to ease the obvious tension.
"So, Jamie man. How'd it go with Chelsea?" I roll my eyes at this failed attempt to lighten the mood and shift my attention to Jamie, who was at a loss for words. A juvenile, but still affective plan begins to formulate in my mind. I smirk mischievously and set it into motion.
"Yeah, how was she?" He frowns, confused at the meaning of my words. "You know… Chelsea? How'd she take the break up?"
His eyes are so wide now, he's surprised that I know. But I do. He starts to say something. But I interrupt him before he can make a sound.
"Actually, I don't really want to know. It's private. Between you two." He nods, relaxing slightly.
"None of my business!" I add, yelling exaggeratingly towards the ceiling of the dingy supermarket.
He starts to grow uncomfortable at the conversation, growing slightly embarrassed at the scene I'm creating. People are starting to look, but I couldn't care less. I was angry. I didn't even know this girl, I was jealous of her and Jamie's relationship, but somehow… I don't know… I just felt, sorry for her, I guess?
How could he break up with her, just like that? How dare he? But the thing was, I don't even think it was the ice empress's feelings I was defending. I think it was… mine? I think, seeing him so calm after breaking up with her, just diminished any hopes I had for a relationship with Jamie. I mean, who wants someone to dump them, and then act like it was nothing, like the feelings they had for each other, were just gone. Evaporated into thin air! Certainly not me. And I intended to teach that no good player a lesson.
Turns out, getting even? It just leads to a whole lot of trouble. For example…
