When Trouble Meets Trouble

[ C h a p t e r - T w e n t y - T h r e e ]

Jonah and I went back to his room and I was preparing to crush his spirit and his soul in the game. When we got into his room and sat down on the couch, he turned to look at me. “Can I ask you a question?”

I immediately started thinking about the possible things he wants to talk about. Maybe West told him! Maybe Georgia hinted to him and he actually understood! Maybe he’s going to tell me to leave!  Maintaining a calm demeanor, I replied with a nod. “Sure.”

“Who is Arthur?” he asked me, taking me by surprise. I stared at him, only capable of blinking. He shook his head after a moment. “Forget it; it’s not my place to ask.”

“No, it’s okay,” I replied, shaking my head. “Arthur was my boyfriend,” I explained as I pressed my back into the arm rest and lifted my knees to my chest. I rested my head on my them.

“So he’s your ex-boyfriend?” he questioned, earning a nod from me. The unasked question sat in the air for a moment.

“You’re wondering why he’s my ex-boyfriend,” I stated and Jonah nodded.

“At first, I thought he was a bully. And he moved away, so I assumed that…Francis tried to take over but when…Francis started bringing it up and you kept getting angry- I thought that maybe something else happened," he explained, struggling to speak about Francis. He was still a touchy subject because it’s the reason that our friendship deteriorated slightly.

“Well, Arthur cheated on me,” I clarified. “Actually, he cheated on me twice: One time with my ex best friend, and the other time was with my worst enemy. It turned out that his sudden interest in me was all a prank and he embarrassed me in front of the student body by breaking up with me.”

Instead of letting silence take over, I continued: “He was the head football player, which was amazing because he was only a sophomore, and he was the sophomore president. I should’ve suspected that a guy like him couldn’t like a girl like me but no, I was on cloud nine. I thought that maybe he might actually like me but he didn’t. As one of his jobs as president, he was supposed to do morning announcements. He would talk about upcoming events, fundraisers, and other important things pertaining to the sophomore class.”

I sighed and looked at Jonah who was listening intently. “One day, instead of announcing the usual messages, he called me out. Everyone knew who I was; I was the sophomore class president and head football player’s girlfriend. He told me that it all was a joke and that I meant nothing to him. He explained how he cheated on me, too. Everyone took pity on me and the football players laughed in my face.”

I rested my head on my knees for a minute, trying to block out the memories of what they’d say. “Anyway, he was leaving the state a week and a half later. I spent the whole weekend coming up with a plan. He convinced his parents to let him stay for the biggest football game of the year. A few hours before the football game, I snuck into the boy’s locker room and put itching powder in all of their football equipment.”

Jonah winced at the thought of being itchy all over. I laughed lightly. “Anyway, I snuck out of the locker room without being seen, or so I thought. Anyway, I attended the game, which surprised many people. They constantly apologized for what happened and I just shrugged it off. When the game started, our team came onto the field and not even five minutes into the game, they started itching themselves.”

“They were so itchy; they had to forfeit the game and somebody ended up saying that I did it, that I planted the itching powder for revenge. Of course this was just an accusation, but then the person who saw me came forward with this piece of information and before you know it; the majority of the school was shunning me. I made the football team lose their place at the state championships all because of a ‘lousy breakup.’”

“That’s why you sat alone outside?” he asked me and I shook my head.

“It was partially the reason, but it was also because everyone inside is an idiot; or most of them, at least,” I explained and Jonah sighed. I was staring at the rug, void of emotion. 

“That kid was a jerk,” I nodded my head at his statement. “If I would’ve been there, I would've beaten him up.”

I turned to look at him before I laughed. “Seriously, I would’ve. I would’ve beaten him up just like I beat your character up," he joked.

I went to punch his shoulder playfully but he caught it in his hand, wrapping his fingers around my fist. “You didn’t deserve that, Savannah. What he did was wrong and cruel. You’re better than him. Any guy is lucky to have you.”

I stared at him, shocked at his words. Did he really mean that? If any guy is lucky to have me, is he a part of that group? He’s a guy, right? As far as I know. So he qualifies, right? I was pulled away by the sound of my phone ringing.

I answered it quickly, my face blushing. I seemed to blush a lot around Jonah now. “Mom wants you home,” Jer stated in a sing-song voice.

I went to speak but my voice cracked. Jonah let out an unattractive (but still very attractive snort) “What I meant to say was: I will be home in about an hour.”

“Whatever,” Jeremiah replied before hanging up the phone.

I turned to Jonah. “Well, I have to go,” I explained, standing up. He stood up beside me, grabbing my bag and walking with me down the stairs silently.

After saying bye to Diane and Gregory, Jonah walked me to my car. I turned to him. “Thanks.”

“For what?” he asked me, shivering slightly.

I shrugged, staring at him. “For listening.”

He stared at me before suddenly wrapping his arms around me tightly. It took me by surprise but I too wrapped my arms around him; I felt his shivering stop as I held him for a moment. It felt good to be able to tell someone about Arthur without them saying that what I did was wrong or something along those lines. He didn’t push me to tell him sooner and I appreciate that. I really do.