I woke up in a pretty good mood. Well, even if my eyes looked puffier than usual because of all the crying last night, I felt good. Mostly about myself.
Brandon picked me up for school. Leo had swimming practice, so Nichole carpooled with us. We were quiet the whole ride, but as I stole glances at Brandon, I could see his lips twitching, as if he was forcing himself not to grin too weirdly.
I could sense all the good vibes emitting from his aura, and Nichole did too.
"Okay," she said, breaking the comfortable silence. "I know I'm the third wheel here. Just pretend I'm air. Go on, manslut. Go flirt with my best friend."
I laughed at her accusing quip as Brandon rolled his eyes. "I don't like an audience. I like to keep things for my eyes only." And then he sent me a wink.
Nichole scoffed and waved an airy hand. "Sure. Don't you have swimming practice today too? Leo said your coach gave you a week's worth of make up practices for your absences."
"I'll come by later," he shrugged, not caring at all. "Gotta drop off some pretty girls to school first."
She scoffed even louder this time. "If you're gonna start flirting again Brandon, make sure not to get me involved. It's disgusting."
"You're disgusting." He bit back.
"At least I don't suck on stranger's necks. No matter how thirsty I am."
Defeated, Brandon released a frustrated sigh. But I knew he didn't really get mad or anything. His mood was far too great to be shaken by something like this.
After he dropped us off, he sprinted for the pool, to catch up on practice. I gotta come to their practices some time. I'm interested at how well he swims.
"Hey Mira," Nichole called my attention. I turned my look at her after I shut my locker close and sliding my bag behind my shoulder. "I need to tell you something."
This tone. That look. This was serious.
"What is it?"
She avoided my eyes as she replied, playing with the hem of her shirt in the process. "Well. Leo and I are kind of... Um. How do I put this... Things aren't going pretty well."
My eyes widened like saucers. This is the first time I'm hearing this. "Why? What happened?"
"Long story short," she sighed, meeting my eyes now, somehow hopelessly. "I'm getting exhausted. I love him, I really do and I want us to last. But he's just so overprotective. You know? Maybe that's just natural for him as my boyfriend, but I feel so trapped. He gave me a list of things I should and shouldn't do, and a list of stuff I should and shouldn't wear. Am I a dog? And he's always getting mad at me for the smallest things, and we argue all the time. I don't know Mira. I don't know where this is going."
I felt like I was the one gasping as she didn't even pause once in her explanation (despite the punctuation marks I put there for effect). She said it all in one breath, believe it or not (ignore my punctuation marks. I'm serious).
I quietly nodded as all her words sunk in my brain. I always thought Nichole was the dominant one in their relationship. It was actually Leo? I never knew he had this side of him. Frankly speaking, I didn't know what to say. First, because I have no experience in this things, and second, because I got nothing bro.
"So what are you planning to do?" I asked. I was walking her to her classroom before I go to mine.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I'm happy with him though. I guess I can still tolerate the small stuff."
YOU ARE READING
So On
Romance"You'll like me. That's just how it always ends." He said, the smug look on his face was beaming with confidence. "And if you'll like me first?" I challenged, feeling confident myself. "Unlikely," he chuckled. "But do try." "Oh...
