The Jock's Secret [3] |Ongoing|

❂ Chapter 5 ❂

❂ Chapter 5 ❂

"Can you just like, not? Thank you."

Kelly had a hand on her hip. She glared at Chad. Chad had both hands on his hips. He seethed at Kelly. It was after school. We were in the boys' locker room. I sat on the bench by the lockers. I watched the two fight about the same thing they always fought about. Jeremiah.

"I'll do what I want," Chad said and with some bitterness, he added, "You're welcome."

"You know, this whole bullying thing you have going on?" Kelly paused as if to add some dramatic effect. The two of them in general were dramatic. "Very unattractive."

"And you know this whole, 'I like him but I bully him' thing you have going on?" He spoke with air quotes. "Very hypocritical."

"Argh!"

"Hmph!"

I looked between them. Bored. Apparently, mom and dad are fighting. I rolled my eyes. That was a stupid joke. Kelly and Chad are good friends. Nothing ever romantic. The only thing they argue about is this. And since I've started agreeing with Kelly, Chad's been worse about it.

"Honestly Chad, you're pissing me off. What did Jeremiah ever do to you? That guy is a freaking saint."

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back. Wrong words to say.

"You need to stop putting him up on a pedestal Kelly because he's not a saint."

I shook my head. Also, the wrong words to say.

She threw her hands up, clearly frustrated. She grabbed her backpack and threw it over her shoulder. She stormed out.

Chad sighed. He looked down. He messed his hair up with his hand. I stood up and walked over to him.

"She could do better," he said quietly.

He wanted me to agree. I didn't have that much of an opinion. "She didn't even get him," I said.

"He's an idiot."

I shrugged. None of this really had to do with Jeremiah. I've realized that. But it's not like I could tell him that. I chewed the inside of my cheeks. "I told you to stop messing with him."

He breathed in through his nose. He seemed to be holding himself back. "I was going to. He just makes me so angry."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it."

"We're friends."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Does it have to do with this?" I returned. I wanted him to think about that.

It's important. To let people know what type of relationship they have with you. Especially when they have uncertain relationships with people who should be certain. Like a parent. It's hard.

And I think that the reason he hates Jeremiah so much is because of me. Not because of who Jeremiah is. Because of what middle school was like for me because of him. That isn't fair. Jeremiah is a good person.

Chad avoided my question with one of his own. "Did you take your medication yet?"

"You're not my keeper," I reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah. So you didn't yet."

"I'm going to."

"Good."

I watched Chad with a frown. He was still angry. He wouldn't look up from the floor. His eyes were filled with something I didn't understand. His jaw ticked.