Chapter 4: Officially rivals

"See you tomorrow guys." Simon said and went back to the pub with Neil asking himself why he ran off for the first place. Jay was the only one who should run.

"Si, I think Jay's in love." Neil said a bit absent thinking about recent events. Simon didn't have to think long to answer.

"Yes. This is serious."
"Deadly serious! She's fit but dangerous! What if she's planning to-"

"Stop with the stereotypes Neil. She's not that bad." He smiled because of Neil's reactions. Before they entered he broke the silence. "There's only thing I'm worried abut. Will also fancies Taide."

"Who wouldn't? She's fit!"

"Yes but Jay fancies even more. He's in love for real! This is serious. What if they become rivals?"

"We should ship Taide back to Liverpool before she ruins our friendship and stoles all our valuable things to sell them."

"No! Neil! We should find Will someone else."
"What about Kerry?"
"Does he look happy with Kerry?"

"She has a pussy. That should be enough."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Never mind. I have to find Carli."

Meanwhile Simon and Neil were looking for Carli, Will, Taide and Jay were preparing to leave.

"I can walk you home." Will quickly said to Taide before Jay could say anything.

"Is it in your direction?" she asked a bit held back.

"I doubt that. Will lives on the other side of the neighbourhood in the part where all criminals and people who went mental live." Jay said.

"Don't be so modest Jay." Will said with a bitter smile. Taide seemed to be confused.

"It's ok Will. Honestly. Your mom will probably pick you up anytime now like she always does. I'll walk her home. Bye!"

"No! She won't come. I'll have to walk home. Shall we?"

Jay had no other choice but to walk with Will on his side. He planned to walk Taide home but not tell her he really likes her. He planned just to talk to her like a friend so she'd feel more comfortable in his present. Then he'd slowly move to the next stage until he'd reach his point. Sex. But that wasn't his main goal anymore. Right now he really needed someone on his side just to love him and understand him. He really hoped it'd be her. But Will ruined everything…

"…and it was hilarious how Simon fell in the water!" Will was telling her stories and laughing with his annoying laughter. "Poor guy. He was cold! Luckily he was ok, he haven't cot anything serious, just a minor cold." 'And hypothermia' Jay thought. Will tried to be entertaining but Taide's smile wasn't even faked not even sincere. It was so hard to see under her poker face she seemed to have on all the time. She seemed cold most of the time but when she smiled at Jay it was different. At least that's how she saw that. It seemed a really happy smile. Jay was wondering what she was actually thinking. But right now he was angry on himself he couldn't make a conversation because of Will and because he was ashamed and nervous. But when Will finally shut up Jay found out this was a block close to his.

"I live two blocks down that road." Jay said. "You have to go trough there if you want to get here."

"Really?" She asked and looked in the specific direction.

"Yes, you've probably passed by his house." Will said. "It's the ugliest house with an ugly caravan parked in front."

Jay was pissed. He miraculously managed to hold back his fury and remained quiet. It will make Will look like a stupid mean asshole. 'Great plan!' he thought. Later Will realized his statement was stupid and pointless. After few more minutes of walking they were on the edge of the neighbourhood. Taide stopped.

"Thanks. I can go on by myself now. See you around." She said.

"No." Will and Jay said at once. "I can walk you." They said again and confused looked at each other.

"Really, it's sound."

"It's late. There are pretty freaky people walking around here." Will said.

"Like Neil's dad and you for example." Jay quickly whispered.

"I'm really close to my home. Thanks guys. See you in school?"

"Yeah, see you there." Jay said with a blessed smile. Taide smiled to him, not to Will, but him and walked to the poorest looking house in the street. Jay's smile wiped off his face. She lived there? Poor thing. Whatever. She was fit. Who cares where she lives? But right now he had some other things to settle up. Will. He turned to him with and angry face pointing his finger in Will's face.

"You twat! Do you have to ruin everything? I could've got lucky tonight if your ugly face wouldn't be around all the time."

"Could've got lucky? Yes, could've… but you weren't! And you aren't."
"I saw her first mate. You're train already left."
"Ph! You actually think you have chances with her? You?"

"Not only with her. I had plenty-"

"I can only guess which story you'll tell about your orgies…"

"Whatever! Just leave her alone. She's mine!" he sounded desperate. Will sense that in his voice.

"I haven't seen your name tag on her."

"Listen you bender, I don't have to beat the living shit out of you to prove I'm better. It's visible. And I can tell she fancies me not you."

"To prove that you'll have to do much more. And I'm afraid I won't wait."

"Ok, let's make a deal. The one, who gets her first, wins. Enough simple for you?"

"Fine. I agree. But don't be disappointed on the end."

"Fine!"
"Fine!"

"Bender…"

"Whatever!"

"We're officially rivals." He said when they were leaving. Jay turned left down his street and Will continued towards his home. "Bye…"

"Goodbye…" They both said drearily and left home.

Tensions between Will and Jay loosens after some time but as soon as she comes around they usually start their little battle they're having. But in the future they tried not to bring the topic 'Taide Ronan' up. Meanwhile Jay was raging on Will because of Taide, Simon was trying to make up a conversation to walk up to Carli.

"I can't just walk up to her with nothing prepared. She thinks I'm an idiot already." He desperately moaned.

"Try to think, you'll make something up." Will tried to comfort him. They were standing on the other side of the common room waiting for class to start looking in Carli's direction like two creeps. After some time something unexpected happened.

"Look!" Simon said. "It's Taide! She's talking to Carli."

It was true. Taide walked up to Carli and asked her few things. Both girls smiled afterwards and Taide left.

"They're friends!" Will said. "That's brilliant! A friend of ours is a friend of a girl you're crazy about."

"This can't get any better!"

"I can talk to her! I can ask her if she could somehow bring Carli into our little group."

"Taide isn't really part of our group. She's not here even for a month and we don't see her often. Besides, Jay's crazy about her so I presume she'll soon spend her time with him only."

"Si, hello? He isn't the only one on the world!"

"What do you mean?"

"You actually think he has any chances with her?"

"Oh, not that again."

"Let's admit it Si, he's the biggest virgin of all four of us. Do you actually think he has any experiences with girls?"
"According to his stories, not at all. But still, he's doing quite well with her."

Will rolled his eyes. "No girl would like Jay… why are you so optimistic about him?" he asked meanwhile they went back to the sofas where they were usually sitting. Neil was already there on his not so new Nintendo DS. Jay was as usual a bit late.

"Morning benders." He said as usual with a big smile on his face. He sat down and looked at three of them all confused and surprised. "What?" he asked.

"Jay? Are you ill?" Simon asked.

"No! Why the worry?"

"I expected another juicy story about your banging." Neil said almost disappointed. Jay's eyes widened.

"Well… umm…" he had nothing to say.

"Look at that!" Will said and smiled. "Our compulsive liar has nothing to say. He had no time to make up anything at all."

"Because he was too busy wanking over Taide's sexy ass." Neil said with his dumb grin.

"Shut up Neil…" Jay said without looking at him.

"It's true!" Simon and Neil said at once and started laughing. "Look at his face! He can't hide the truth." Simon then said. "You wanker…"

The bell rang. They headed towards their class. On their way, Jay saw Taide standing in front of her class reading trough her history notes in her notebook. She lifted her gaze and saw Jay. He smiled to her.

"Hi there." He said.

"Hi!" she smiled back.

"Hello!" Will jumped in. "What's that you have there?" he asked and pointed on her notebook.

"History. I'm writing a test in few minutes." She said nervously but still smiling.

"Good luck." They both said at once.

"Thanks. See you later!"

Jay gave Will an annoyed look on his face.

"What?" Will asked. "I was just trying to talk to her. There's nothing wrong with that I suppose."

Jay just rolled his eyes and went in the classroom. He was absent most of the lesson looking out the window thinking about their trip to London. They haven't arranged yet anything. He had to talk to Simon since he was the only one who had driving licence.

As soon as they had lunch break he went to the cafeteria to find Taide. But there was no way for him to do that on his own. Will had to be there so he'd get a chance to talk to her before Jay, Neil was always around Jay and Simon was with them because he had nowhere else to go. Taide was sitting at an empty table. It seemed like she was waiting for someone.

"Hi there guys." she said happy to see them.

"Mind if we sit down?" Jay asked.

"Not at all. Go ahead."

"So," Jay said meanwhile he was sitting down next to her. "How was the test?"

Will rushed to sit down next to her on the other side. Now she was sitting between Jay and Will.

"I was so nervous. I wasn't able to think! But I think I managed to get a C." she said.

"I'm sure you can do way better than that. If you need any help in future I can help you. I remember the entire subject from last year." Will said.

"Oh, how kind. Thanks. I might need also some help with math. Do you have any old test of yours?"

"I do!" Jay said so fast that he didn't even think before he said it. Simon, Neil and Will looked at him confused. "And I can help you."

"But-" Simon stopped Will by kicking him in the foot below the table before he said: 'But you suck at math!'

"Gaffer, because I seriously suck at math. Thanks."

"No problem. Anything for you."

"What?"
"I mean… no problem. Anything is easy… for me."

"Carli!" Simon said joyful when she walked to the table to sit down next to Taide.

"I see you have new friends." Carli said to Taide.

"I actually knu them since I came here."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"You two are friends?" Simon asked in great expectations.

"We signed up for the field trip next week. She decided to join back in the day. It's for obligatory selective classes (some kind of extra hours for other activities outside school)."

"Field trip?" Jay asked and grinned. "Isn't that the most boring activity this school can think of where you voluntarily learn about remote towns? People are seriously still signing up for that?"

"Actually we learn about unique towns of England, their population meanwhile we're on field trips that are interesting. Swanage was pretty interesting."

Jay remained quiet and felt a bit stupid. It actually sounded fun even if they went once and it turned out boring.

"Are you going to sit down?" Simon asked Carli.

"My friends are expecting me there. You're welcome to sit with us Taide. Otherwise see you around. Lovely that you joined the field trip."

"See you around then." Taide said and Carli left to sit with her friends few tables away.

"I didn't know you're going to Pevensey." Will surprised said to Taide.

"You're going too?"
"Of course! I go on every field trip. It helps me get a better grade at geography."

"Where can I sign for it?" Simon and Jay asked at once, of course because of the girls.

"Oh I'm sorry but I think the dead line was few days ago."

"No, it's day after tomorrow. And there are still around six free seats in the bus as much as Carli told me when I signed up." Taide assured not knowing she just ruined Will's plan.

"Great then. Si, we should sign up today after school. Neil? Are you coming?"

"Are we going to Swanage to that old lady that gives boys blo- ow! Si!" Simon stepped on Neil's foot before he could say anything.

"No, we're going to Pevensey." Will said annoyed.

"I heard from a bloke that last year after they went to Swanage they went to Pevensey too few months later and there's also a woman-" Jay stopped when he realized Taide is right next to him. It was a bit awkward because he already started the sentence about another milf. "Well a… uhh… a woman that has denture she pulls out and throws at anyone who lefts any trashes behind. Yeah. Pretty hilarious." He quickly made up.

"That's disgusting!" Neil said disgusted not knowing it was all just a stupid made up lie Jay told just to not appear like a weirdo. Simon grinned, Will rolled his eyes. "Will she do it when we'll be there?"

"Sure."

"Then I'm in."

"It's gaffer that you're all coming. I hope it'll be fun."
"Nah," Jay denied. "School field trips are always boring. But there's always fun when we're around."

"That sounded weird Jay." Will said.

"No it didn't."
"It did."
"No it didn't!"

"Guys, cut it out." Simon said. The bell rang. "Better get going back to class. See you later."

"Bye guys."

"Bye Taide." Jay said with a smile on his face.

"Bye Jay."

"Goodbye Taide."

"Bye Will."

"Bye Taide."

"Bye…Jay…?"

"Will you two stop it?" Simon whispered. Taide also headed to her class. "Jay, you're crazy." Will said with a grin.

"I know. Why?"

"You just offered her help! At math! You suck at math."

"I know. I'll have to figure out something."
"Maybe be honest for example and tell her you have no idea about maths." Will said.

"Shut up. Briefcase wanker…"

"Maybe you should just tell her." Simon said to him.

"Yeah, maybe I should."

"I mean, tell her you like her."

"No! I can't do that!"

"Why wait? It's pretty obvious you're crazy about her. And that you looked at her tits few time now when you were sitting next to her."

"And that you were hiding a boner." Neil added.

"And that."

"What? Will he kneel down and confess his love to her?" Will asked.

"That's actually a good idea." Neil said.

"No Neil. It's not."

"Yeah I knew that."

"I'll tell her on the fieldtrip." Jay said.

"She'll refuse you. Don't even bother to try." Will said.

"You know what briefcase? Nature calls scumbags like you a mistake. Just admit it to yourself."

"Don't be so optimistic."

"Yeah it's true!" Neil said like he discovered something new. "It's called natural selection. I read it in a book."

"You read books?"

"Yeah. I have to be smart."

"Good luck with that…"

I know it's hard to understand Taide's speech so I give you…

~Taide's Liverpuddlian dictionary:

Gaffer – great