Thanks so much for all your reviews you guys, you're the best! Hope chapter 10's just as good!
OK Josh, you can do this. Just walk in, and stare straight ahead. This is no big deal. This is easy. You can do this.
I've been repeating that mantra in my head for the better part of a minute now, while me and Ivy stand outside the doors to the cafeteria. But despite the repetitive words, I knew in my gut this was a bad idea. First of all, seeing Reed in general is painful as hell, and also, I don't like the message me having lunch with Ivy is going to send to her. A big, giant Screw you Reed! But there was no more putting it off, Ivy was right there with our arms linked, and I was wearing my favorite sweater. I might as well just get this over with.
"You ready?" Ivy asked, looking plenty ready herself. She was wearing a black coat that matched her black hair and eyes, and it almost gave her a scary effect. Like right now she should be stirring a pot full of potions, or riding on a broom stick, rather than be here with me.
"Yep," I said quickly, mentally preparing myself with the mantra again. With one last smile, she opened the door and we entered the lunch room. I know I should've expected it, but I'm not exaggerating when I say we had every eye on us. I felt Ivy close in the space between our heads and whispered, "Now just stare straight ahead and don't look at anyone".
Her face was so close it was slightly touching mine, and I tried my best to not blush. "Got it," I told her. I did as she said, making my way towards the lunch line, but as I passed by Reed's table I couldn't help but notice her out of the corner of my eye. She looked stunned, if not hurt, and that annoying twinge of guilt came back. Despite all she's done, I didn't like that I was hurting her. But then I thought about Dash, and West, and Hunter, and then thought what does it matter if she sees me with Ivy. If all these guys were any indicator, she's probably moved on anyways. Finally we made our way to the lunch line and I sighed, feeling like I had just stepped out of the spotlight, which in a way I had.
"Well that was fun," Ivy said with a grin, looking pretty pleased with herself. I was really sick of Ivy being so damn happy about all of this, and how she kept getting her jollies from Reed being in any type of pain. Like when Reed ran out of the room crying after I basically called her a slut, and Ivy mocked her and then flirted with me. Ivy says Reed deserves this, but does she really? I mean I know she kind of screwed me over, but what has Reed ever really done to Ivy? I definitely knew one thing, though, any hope I've had that Ivy was only doing this because she liked me just flew out the window.
After filling my tray with the usual amount of crap I consume, Ivy and I walked over to small table and sat alone together. The second we did I saw Reed getting up from her table. Oh god, she wasn't coming over here to slap me or confront me was she? But as me, and well, everyone else watched her progression, I saw she was going towards a table where Hunter, Trey, and West sat. She pulled out a chair and sat right in front of Hunter. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but by her body language and the look on her face, I could tell she was flirting.
Was she kidding? She was flirting with Hunter right in front of me? I guess it makes sense, a Screw you Josh! response after what I just did to her, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Because not only does that confirm the fact that she had started something with Hunter, it also reminded me of what she did with Dash. The memory I've been doing a good job of suppressing until this moment came back. Reed and Dash in bed, both half dressed, both continuing to rip off each others clothes like sex-driven maniacs, came back like some kind of disgusting porno in my mind. It was like my own personal torture chamber, all those images being forced over and over into my screen of vision, and when it cleared up for a second to let me see what was going on in front of me, I saw Reed pressing the numbers on Hunter's phone ever so slowly. She must be giving him her number.
OK that's it. I've had enough of this program. So not thinking of Ivy, or how hungry I was, or the fact that half the cafeteria just turned around to look, I abandoned the table I was sharing with Ivy, and got the hell out of there.
That night, I was in my room, alone and doing homework, when Trey came back from his soccer practice.
"Oh, hey dude. I didn't think you'd be here." He threw his muddy cleats in his closet, and emptied out the contents of his bag on his bed. "I figured you be with-". He stopped suddenly and looked snagged, like he shouldn't have said that.
"Thought I'd be with who?" I asked, feeling genuinely curious.
"Never mind, forget I said anything," he said quickly, making me feel like something weird was going on here.
"Seriously man, just tell me," I said impatiently.
"OK fine," he sighed turning around to face me. "A couple of the guys during practice were talking about you and Ivy, so I don't know, I just thought you might be with her."
I honestly didn't know what to say. People were talking about me and Ivy already, which means it must've gotten around that I'm with her now. This was so not good. That means that it probably got back to Reed, I mean her being the Billings president and all means she gets the gossip first, doesn't it? So Reed probably thinks I hooked up with Ivy a couple days after dumping her. I suddenly hated myself with a passion, because I knew this must be slowly killing Reed. Yes she cheated on me, yes she broke my heart, but that doesn't mean I wanted to do that right back to her.
"Josh, what happened with you guys?" he asked sitting down on the side of my bed. Shit, I need a way out of this conversation. I didn't want to tell him, for obvious reasons alone, and because, well, I promised Reed I wouldn't. I know, it's stupid to hold onto that after everything that went down between us, but I still made a promise. That means something to me, even if it doesn't for some people.
When it became clear I wasn't answering any time soon, Trey decided to press on. "I mean, one second you guys are all happy and in love, then the next you're with Ivy, and she's going out with Jason-"
"Wait, what?" I interjected suddenly. I couldn't have heard him right. Did he seriously just say Jason? As in Jason Darlington?
"Yeah," he said looking at me guiltily. "He, um, told me that Reed agreed to go on a study date with him." I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and I felt like I was at the risk of throwing up. Jason and I were pretty close earlier on this year. He's a nice guy, and we've hung out a lot during soccer practices and other times. And now I don't even think I can talk to him again, especially if he becomes Reed's boyfri... boyfrie... God I couldn't even think of that word. So first Hunter, and now Jason? Was this Reed's new goal, to get with every guy I come in association with? I tried my best to keep the pain off my face, but judging by the sympathizing look on Trey's, I saw it was in vain. "Sorry, I, I shouldn't have told you that," he said finally, as if any of this was his fault.
"It's fine," I lied, and prayed to God that Trey would just leave it at that.
"You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," Trey said, obviously pitying me, but that was fine. Maybe everyone feeling sorry for me was my key out of horrible conversations like this one.
"Thanks," I replied sheepishly, and then went back to my homework. And seeing as he answered my last prayer, I prayed to God one more time, asking that I wake up tomorrow morning and find out that this was all just the world's most terrorizing dream.
Eh. Not my best chapter, I know. Sorry you guys, this was kind of just a filler since I've been really busy lately, but I promise next time I'll update faster and the chapter will be much, much better. Oh, also I just made a private cast on my profile and it took me a while so if you guys could tell me what you think of it that'd be incredible! Thanks!