Right now I was doing the usual lunchtime routine. Sitting with the popular crowd, picking at my food and wishing I were anywhere but here. At the other end of the table was Caleb surrounded by a bunch of girls and a few guys he seemed to have made friends with. At least it was a little quieter now at my end of the table.
Hannah was sitting next to him as she’d been all week. God, she was such a two-faced bitch. She always acted like we were best friends but, I swear, sometimes the looks she gave me were a mixture of envious and hateful. She didn’t hide it as well as she thought. She was under the impression she was Caleb’s girlfriend. Didn’t she realize that to a guy like Caleb she was just the flavor of the week? I’d heard him on the phone last night flirting with some girl named Monica. It was disgusting listening to him purr on the phone to some stupid girl. Once it started sounding like they were about to have phone sex, I turned on my TV full blast.
CALEB
All high school parties were the same, chicks and dicks getting drunk and hooking up. The girls thinking screwing the boys would get them love and the boys thinking of how much they’d just love to screw the girls. I was gentlemanly enough to steer clear of the innocent looking ones, the ones whose tears and drama weren’t worth it.
“Caleb, you’re not even paying attention to me!” Jesus fucking Christ, this chick was annoying. Whether I hooked up with her tonight or not, it was time to give her the boot.
I spotted Gianna across the room dancing with some random guy to a popular ragga song. I was shocked to see the girl could actually look happy. And damn could she dance sexy. I was getting turned on just watching her.
Before the song finished, I saw Josh walk over to the guy and push him to the ground. Gianna yelled over the music, “What the hell?” at Josh and stormed off. Josh followed at her heels, looking not the least sorry. I felt sort of pissed myself, but because Josh ruined her moment of happiness. Not that I was jealous of the guy, of course. The girl was the most bitchy, unhappy person I knew. Tonight was the first time I’d seen a genuine smile on her face. Not that I cared about her happiness. We didn’t even like each other.
“Caleb, I asked you a question and I want an answer!” Hannah whined.
“What was the question?” I asked, turning my head back towards her. She was pretty, not like Gianna, but doable. It was just her personality which was hard to take.
“Are you going to ask me to be your girlfriend or not?” she impatiently demanded to know. It appeared I’d be giving her the boot before getting laid. When you heard the G-word, it was time to get the fuck out of dodge.
Two hours later and bored outta my mind, I was leaning against the side of my dad’s house smoking a joint when a lifted truck pulled up a couple houses down. I couldn’t really see through the windows too clearly, but all of a sudden I heard a feminine voice yell, “Get the fuck off me, Josh! I said no!”
I realized it was Gianna and ran towards the truck. Opening the driver’s side, I pulled Josh out by the shirt and threw him to the ground. Before he could react, I kicked him in the stomach, glad I was wearing boots. I glanced up into the truck to see Gianna’s shocked and crying face. Turning my attention back to Josh, I continued to kick the crap out of him. I was a firm believer in the saying kick ‘em when they’re down. Who said you had to fight fair?
I heard a car door slam and looked up to see Gianna running towards the house, opening the side fence to the backyard. Good to know she trusted I had this covered. Either that or she was embarrassed in her choice of douchebag boyfriends.
“I hope you learned this lesson, because if you ever lay another hand on her without her permission, I’ll break your fuckin’ face,” I threatened Josh. His response was to groan pathetically.
Taking Gianna’s route into the backyard, I could hear her crying and talking on the phone. I stopped just around the corner to eavesdrop. A person heard the best information that way.
“I can’t take it anymore, Jared. I hate everything and everyone here. I’m so through with Josh and every guy like him. I would tell my mom I just want to go live with my dad in Houston, but I’d miss you guys too much.” A few seconds later she said, “No, Jared, I don’t need you to come kick his ass. My stepbrother already took care of it.” She laughed and there was silence. “Yeah, I don’t think he’ll try it again.” Another pause. “Yeah, tell Cece I’m sorry for getting her worried, I just needed to let off some steam. See you guys tomorrow. Love ya. Bye.”
She sighed loudly as I walked around the corner. She jumped back before recognizing me. “Oh, I thought you were Josh.”