Love Letters

Love Letters (Part 26)

Jem

I read Tyler’s letter and felt as though something was weighing me down. When I’d read that he had a girlfriend I felt a small pang in my chest. I shouldn’t have been surprised; I mean why wouldn’t he have a girlfriend? It’s not like we were promised to each other or anything. I couldn’t believe I’d just thought that, what the hell was I thinking? I declared that I was being stupid and I wasn’t in the slightest bit jealous that he had a girlfriend, but I hoped to God that she was ugly. It would ease the vague hurt I was feeling if she was repulsive to look at, but of course she probably wasn’t.

Why hadn’t he told me he was in a relationship? He’d told me so much about himself and his family so why not tell me about this girlfriend of his? It had probably slipped his mind, but then if it had slipped his mind, he probably wasn’t such an attentive lover. Why did I even care? Of course I didn’t care, this was getting beyond ridiculous.

In half an hour I was leaving to go to Ethan’s place for a few days, mum and dad had initially planned to drive me down but I had insisted that I’d take the train there with Benny. Ethan wasn’t expecting us until tomorrow but I thought we'd surprise him by turning up a day early.

I put Tyler and his relationship at the back of my mind as I waved goodbye to my parents, backpack slung over my shoulder and my dad’s emergency credit card in my pocket.

The journey started off as exciting and new until two hours into the journey when both Benny and I became bored. He dozed off as he was prone to do and I watched him while he slept, unable to sleep myself.

His hair was starting to curl at the top; he obviously hadn’t cut it in a while and his mouth lay open as he slept. He had developed stubble too, but I knew that Charlie liked it that way so he kept it.

He was quite handsome actually, he had sharp cheekbones and his eyes were a light brown in colour. My feelings towards him had developed into brotherly affection and he treated me like he would his younger sister. Often his protectiveness over me was annoying and made me feel suffocated but I secretly enjoyed being looked after.

Ethan had never been very protective over me, we were equals. That’s what separated the two of them from each other. When I was with Ethan I was having fun, being reckless and generally happy, but with Benny I felt safe.

Two guys had boarded the train at the same time as us and according to Benny they’d been watching me for a while. He told me he didn’t like it, and if they didn’t stop leering he’d punch a hole in each of their faces. I told him that wouldn’t be necessary since I didn’t believe him at the time.

But then when we were sitting down in our allocated seats, Benny was putting our bags up in the overhead storage areas when one of the guys came and sat next to me.

Benny paused for a minute but didn’t do anything. There were four seats adjacent to each other before another row started and I took the second seat after the window seat, and this boy had seat on the seat after that.

‘Jem, move up. I don’t like the window seat.’ Benny had ordered me, smiling as he did so. He sat himself down next to this guy who was just about to object, but didn’t, after he saw Benny’s expression.

At first I was angry at Benny for trying too hard to look out for me until he explained that the two guys had made a bet with each other to see who could get my number first.

We finally pulled up at the station and Benny dragged our bags off the train and offloaded the lightest one on me. I smiled at him appreciatively until he said, ‘You wouldn’t be able to handle it anyway,’ with a smirk.

We reached Ethan’s house and found that he wasn’t home but his mum settled us in and showed us the rooms we’d be staying in. Benny would bunk with Ethan and I had the guest room. She made us sandwiches which we were wolfing down just as we heard the front door.

Benny and I shushed each other and waited to surprise Ethan as he walked in through the living room door. However, we were the ones who were surprised when he walked in with a bloody nose.

‘Oh. You guys are early. Hi.’ He said hurriedly.

‘Must’ve been some punch.’ Benny told him gesturing towards his nose.

‘Don’t even ask.’ Ethan sighed as he walked back out of the room.

Benny and I shrugged at each other and contemplated why someone would punch Ethan.