The Art of Being MX

20

"He what?" Ms. Dian asked when I told her what Brody had done. "Oouu, he's lucky he doesn't attend this school."

I was back on the couch, my eyes once again glued to the ceiling. I was hoping for the couch to suck me in.

"Is this how I die?" I ask her, or maybe the mighty angels. "Am I going to finally see my dad?"

The room surrounds us in silence. I know my comment was the cause of her sudden muteness, but I needed answers. After a few minutes, she finally speaks "No, don't say that." She stands up from her chair and comes to the couch, I move my legs, and she sits down. "Look, I know things are hard right now, you have a boyfriend who doesn't know boundaries, and a world growing desperate by the minute to meet MX, but why don't you fix the problem you have with Brody, and then focus on the MX situation, and I'll be here for it all?"

I shift on the couch, sit up, lean back, and nod. She was right. "I have to break up with Brody," I look at her. "I love someone else, I was wrong too, to lead him on."

She gasps. "Are you going after the other guy?" I shake my head. "Why not?"

"Because he's dating my sister." Her eyes widen.

"Oh my god, your life is like a movie girl." I breathe out a long breath as I look across from me where a bulletin board sat above the wooden bench. I look at the fliers, as she continues to talk. "Do you think he likes you too, that's what always happens in movies?"

I look at her. "Even if he did, I can't do that to my sister." She scrunches her eyebrows. I look back at the board.

"Now hold on, if your sister cared about you at all, she'll let him go and let you two live happily ever after. If she gets mad, she'll get over it and realize that you deserve happiness." I don't turn to look at her. If what she's saying is true, which sounds logical, my solutions seem to be right in front of my face. And the only thing stopping me was me.

"But if he likes me, isn't he an asshole for leading my sister on?" Now I look at her.

"Yeah, but life goes on, and you'll have to forgive him, maybe that wasn't his intention. Plus you did the same to Brody. If you're meant to be you will be. I know you don't believe in love right now, but eventually, you'll see that love isn't the enemy, but the people who don't know how to love. Those who think love is a game." I nod. Then I look back at the flier I've been eyeing this whole time.

"What's that?" I point to the black flyer with the white words Singing Competition printed on it.

"A singing competition, you should sign up, it's online. It's at that college in the center of town." I look at her. "I can help you."

I smile and say "Let's MX the crap out of this."