Just By Chance

29. Still Jealous

Two more days went by and Forth was still ignoring all of his friends except Lek and Chris. Yes, he was still mad, and he was going to stay mad until Beam started talking to him again. He had started sending Beam good morning and good night texts again to which he would receive brief, basic responses to. But at least Beam was responding and not ignoring him anymore. That was progress but it still wasn't what Forth wanted.

He needed something to take his mind off of things so he texted Lek to see if he wanted to go play some basketball or to go kick around a soccer ball or something. Lek agreed to go kick around a soccer ball and they chose to play at the very small field on the other side of campus. Not many people used that field despite the fact that it was covered in shade; probably because it was so far. So Forth changed into some workout clothes, grabbed his soccer ball out of the closet and went to meet Lek down in the car park.

"How are you feeling?" Lek asked as Forth approached.

Forth shrugged and didn't respond. He held up the soccer ball to show Lek that he had it, then started walking again. Lek fell into step beside him. Lek watched his friend for a moment. Forth was walking, staring at the ground which was unusual for him.

"You can tell me, Forth."

Forth finally looked up and gave a sigh. " I just...I just can't stop thinking about him." Forth gave the soccer ball a hard bounce.

"Is he still not speaking to you?"

"He responds to some of my messages...sometimes."

"And are you still not speaking to Oat?"

Forth immediately scowled. "Of course I'm not speaking to that idiot."

Lek shook his head. "I agree, Oat can be kind of an idiot sometimes. But..." He trailed off.

"What??" Forth threw his irritation at him now. "If you get like Chris and start telling me I need to talk to him, I'll stop talking to you too." He shook his head angrily. "I swear, I don't get those two. It's like Chris babies him."

Lek chuckled a bit. "They definitely have their own dynamics." He said in a knowing voice. "But the reason I asked is because I think you should at least let him apologize to you."

"Ha!" Forth barked out. "Oat? Apologize?? Yea right. He probably doesn't even think he did anything wrong, he's so freakin oblivious."

"No, really. He's been trying to call you."

"Just to be annoying as always, I'm sure. Hey Forth, I found a new girl for you." He mimicked in a high pitched voice. "Give me a break." He shook his head, twirling the ball in his hands.

"Really, Forth. Oat knows he messed up this time. Taking social cues has never been his strong point. But you know that already."

"Whatever."

They walked on quietly. Lek didn't want to press the issue because it would only make Forth even more upset. Although Forth and Oat had knocked heads many times before in the past, they had never actually had a division in their friend group. So Lek felt that Forth truly had to be head over heels for Beam in order for this to happen.

In order to get to the soccer field across campus, they had to pass through all the other athletic fields, including the basketball courts. There were many guys out on the multiple courts playing. Forth looked through the gate as they passed and noticed a few guys from engineering and a couple others from the school of business. Forth paused to watch them play for a while.

"Thinking about playing basketball instead?" Lek asked.

For some reason after asking that, the image of Beam lying on the ground with blood falling from his nose flashed through Forth's mind.