Page 67 of Boys Like You

“I hate to break it to you, JD, but you are kinda looking crazy right now.”

“Shut up, Levi, you were there and heard him. Something is wrong.”

We’re sitting in our own little group, eating lunch. Maximus is on his phone, headphones over his ears, blocking us out. Levi is bouncing his basketball, Rocky is seated on top of the outdoor table, Mercer straddles the bench seat and I’m walking around the table in circles like a crazy person.

“Fine, I’ll try to call him,” Mercer states. “You’re making me dizzy.” I watch as he holds his phone to his ear.

“Hello… Can you put Rory on, thanks… Hey, man, what’s up?” There’s a pause as Rory speaks. “Yeah I would say so. Yeah last night… If she isn’t, I am, it’s not cool…but Cindy, really? It isn’t me you need to explain this to. We don’t lie to each other and that is what’s upsetting her. She doesn’t give a shit about Cindy or what you two are doing, can you believe that? Because if she were with another dude, beside you guys, I would skin him alive. All she cares about is why you would lie…I don’t want to hear it, Rory…” He listens to Rory for a minute and ends the call.

“So, what did he say?” I ask.

“He will call you and explain.”

Now I’m mad, but I try not to show it. I know Rory and Mercer have known each other for way longer than he has me, but I feel like he is intentionally shutting me out. I don’t understand how Cindy fits into all of this.

The rest of the day drags by. I never stop checking my phone; the only messages I get are from Maximus making sure I’m okay.

Savannah corners me after school and drags me to the girls’ toilets.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her.

She checks to make sure all the stalls are empty. “This,” she says, holding out her phone. There is a picture of Cindy wrapped around Rory. I blink in hopes that I’m not seeing what I think I am, even though I feel my heart sinking in my chest.

“I don’t know why he would lie to me.” I feel the tightness in my chest.

“Cindy is a piece of work, I wouldn’t trust her,” she says, clicking her phone off and shoving it in her bra.

“Still, he could have told me,” I whisper, trying to catch my breath.

“They have been friends since diapers. If she thinks she is under threat of losing him, I don’t know what she could be capable of.”

I nod and gesture for the door. When we walk out, the guys are staring at me, they can tell something is wrong. Mercer stands there clenching his fists, he does this when he is trying to remain calm, Rocky looks like he is about to throw me over his shoulder and run away, Maximus has removed his headphones, Levi steps in front of Savannah blocking her path.

“What just happened in there?” Levi demands, looking at Savannah. She huffs at him, removes her phone again and hands it to him. He swipes the screen, his brows furrow as he takes in what he is looking at. “Why would you show her that?”

“You knew!” I snap. He nods, and I look at the rest of them. “You all knew he was with her and didn’t bother to tell me?” I take them all in one at a time. How could they not tell me? What happened to not lying to each other?

“It’s not our place to tell you,” Rocky says, taking a step forward as I take half a step back. He falters, hurt displayed on his face from my reaction.

“I don’t give a shit; this is not how honesty works. It seems the only open one here is me, the line blurs for you guys because you’ve been friends a long time…You know what? I can’t even right now.” I storm off and I don’t bother looking back.

I don’t have a clue where I’m going but I head towards the car park, hoping I see someone I know with a car.

“Hey, pretty girl, where are you rushing off to?” Mac sidles up next to me. At least he’s someone I know, I can ask him for a lift.

“Anywhere but here.” I continue to walk and he falls in step with me. Mac is harmless.

“Do you need a lift somewhere?” I nod and he leads me to his car. He uses a beeper to unlock it, and we slip inside,

“We need to be quick, the guys won’t be far behind and I’m pissed at them right now.” I know it’s childish racing off with Mac when the guys clearly have some kind of issue with him, but they have an issue with anyone that isn’t one of them.

He throws his car into reverse. “You know, when they find out you left with me they will be pissed.” I look over at him. He screams player, from the way he moves, down to his charm.

“Probably, but that is on them for lying to me. I just want to hang out with someone who doesn’t think they know what’s best for me.”

He smiles, as if he is happy that he can help me out. “How about I take you to get a coffee or milkshake and you tell me about it? Would be nice to have company, I feel like I train so hard I have missed making friends.”

I always see Mac with lots of people so I find it hard to believe he doesn’t have friends. “That sucks.”

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