Something's Wrong With the Different Realms

Twenty: Café Arguments

"So—"

"Let me finish."

"Fine."

"That's why I want to help them out because I feel that I have to do so. I wish I had someone to help me out and they probably want someone to help them out. You don't want to help them out because you're just a selfish, innocent brat."

I scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look at you!" Isla gestured towards me. "You're White, you look White, you're Christian, you're a cisgender male and—"

I lowered my voice even further and leaned in. "Don't forget that I'm gay as well."

Isla crossed her arms, looking at me like I said something dumb even though I don't think I did. "You're straight passing though," she said.

"So are you," I said.

"Seriously?" she sighed.

"What?"

"Compared to me you're quite privileged and you kind of don't recognize that. Compared to Harry and Alexa you're privileged as well. So why don't you take a hint and use your privilege to help them out!"

"NO! I don't want to endanger myself!"

"How are you going to endanger yourself?"

"I just don't want to, okay? I don't feel comfortable helping them. We barely even know them."

"You might want to take back what you said because that is extremely, extremely mean and derogatory. Besides, you don't even have to know someone to help them!"

"You know what!" I slammed my hands on the table, not even caring when the cute barista glared daggers at me, "you can help them if you want to. You don't need to drag me into this. You don't get to make decisions for me!"

Isla blinked rapidly. "Okay. Whatever. This was pointless anyway. And here I thought that we were just going to, you know, confide in each other about what happened as friends do."

"You seriously think we're friends just because we're forced to work on a project together?" I shot back.

I probably went too far because, at that moment, Isla's narrow brown eyes began to shine and fill with tears. After catching my gaze, she turned away and buried her head. Then, she got her drink and bag and got up. I wish I could take back what I'd said. Even if Isla was pushy and it wasn't her right to force me to do something, it wasn't my right to tell her that she wasn't my friend, especially because she had been hurt by her former best friend before.

"You know what," she whimpered, her voice cracking, "I'm going to leave."

"Isla... I'm sorry," I tried.

"Please don't act like a cliché idiot in one of those high school movies, okay?"

"What about our project?" I tried again.

"We'll figure something out at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Isla—"

"Please just let me leave so that I don't embarrass myself and cry in public."

With that, Isla exited the café. I threw my cup away, then caught the eye of the cute barista. He just shook his head at me. Wanting to distract myself, and not ready to leave yet, I took out my phone and texted my best friend Caleb.

Jasper: am i ignorant sometimes?

Caleb: ya

y u ask tho

Jasper: idk, i got into a fight with isla about stuff and she said that i was privileged

Caleb: u kind of are tho and sometimes u don't realize it

what was the fight about anyway

Jasper: if i tell u, ill be spilling someone elses secret

Caleb: ok

r u busy right now

Jasper: no, why?

Caleb: u seem like u need a pick me up so if u wanna u can come over to my place

we can do homework or whatevs but tell ur mom first

Jasper: ya, sure, thanks man

Caleb: np

I decided to get up from my seat. It was getting late and I had the motivation to leave now. As I left the café, I texted my mom can I go to Caleb's house today? After she responded, I turned my data on and shot back a quick text to Caleb.

Jasper: mom said sure but only 1 hr bcs school

so c u soon

I smiled. It was a good distraction and at least for the time being, it would take my mind off whatever happened with Isla as well as the whole Harry/Horizon and Alexa/Allaira situation.