Page 43 of Don't Love the Boy Next Door
The crowd jumps to their feet when the Dragons score another touchdown. I just sit there, dumbfounded, as I try to figure out what the heck is going on.
“Phoenix, the stream,” Katie hisses.
I blink. Oh my gosh, I totally forgot I’m still live. I have no idea what I was pointing my camera at, probably the field.
Shoving all that aside, I smile at the camera. “Sorry, guys. You wanted footage of the game and that’s exactly what I’m giving you.”
Most viewers tell me it’s okay, some yell that they love me and are so glad to be here, and other positive things. But I’m focused on the haters. Those guys are still at it, each and every one of them.
Is it possible the football team asked others to troll for them on their accounts? But why would they do such a thing? It doesn’t make sense.
TheTman: This team is crap.
He and the others go on to say the entire school is crap and all the people in it.
No way in heck. The football team wouldn’t say that about themselves, would they? Of course not. That means…I was wrong all along. I treated Ethan like garbage because I thought he was one of the bullies. But he wasn’t. None of them were.
And now that I think about it, the trolling started before Thad even asked me to that party.
I can’t do this anymore—put on a brave face when my insides are in turmoil.
“Sorry, guys,” I say to the camera. “I have to cut the stream short. See you later.”
I bend forward, burying my head in my hands. I’m a terrible person. I jumped to conclusions without investigating and making sure my suspicions were correct.
When I think about it further, I realize Ethan was kind to me during our presentation. He saw I was nervous to start and took the reins. I shouldn’t have been so mean to him. I should have been grateful to him for saving me from embarrassment.
But…he’s still a jerk. I mean, I can’t forget all the rude things he’s said to me since I met him. And he still wears that “I am better than you expression” on his face.
But still, he didn’t deserve that from me.
“Phoenix, you okay?” Katie asks.
“Fine,” my muffled voice says. “Just have a headache.”
She places her hand on my back. “You sure? Maybe you should drink something.”
“Nope, I’m good.”
She doesn’t say anything, but I feel her worried eyes on me. No, she shouldn’t worry about me, because I suck as a human being. As much as I hate that jerk, I shouldn’t have treated him that way.
I sit up. “You know something? I think I’m going to head home,” I tell Katie.
She, Eric, and Cody lift confused eyebrows.
“Just not feeling so hot right now. Kates, can you record some footage for my channel?”
“Sure. But do you want me to go with you?”
“No, I’ll be fine.” I hand her the camera, wrap an arm around her, then make my way down the bleachers. Before I leave, though, I turn to watch the game. The guys are killing it out there and the audience is going wild.
Gosh, I really do suck.
Chapter Fifteen
Katie
Phoenix is out with her family on Saturday afternoon and I’m left alone in this huge house. Mrs. Ellis offered me to join them, but I told them I had a lot of homework to do. I appreciated the gesture, but it’s a family thing and I didn’t want to impose. But now, I’m really starting to regret that decision. I always have fun with Phoenix’s crazy, fun family. I guess I have to learn to stop pushing people away.
