The Dating Game

THREE

"Fine, I'll stop." He takes a bite out of the giant tortilla chip from his paper bowl. I watch him in a comfortable silence, knowing I was making him happy as a friend. That feeling is kind of better than any feeling I could ask for.

"Why aren't you eating lunch with your boyfriend?" he asks, reminding me that he's not always this sweet.

I let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know. You're my best friend so I wanted to eat with you."

He just shrugs up and down as a reply. "Okay."

The rest of lunch consists of Issac and me finishing our food and talking more about our classes. As we walk back to class through the cafeteria, I spot Chase eating alone at one of the tall tables by the entrance doors and I can't help but feel a little sorry for him. I mean, I still don't like him and I still don't appreciate him throwing himself onto me like some kind of desperate loser, but he looks lonely over there.

But then he turns around to start talking to some other basketball guys and he looks totally fine. I can't believe I'm pitying him over nothing. I should've known better.

"You coming?" Isaac says from across the hall on the outside of the cafeteria doors. I almost forgot I was supposed to be getting to my next class; I didn't realize how long I've been staring at Chase, thinking he was all alone.

I shift my focus to my locker, where Isaac was idly by waiting for me.

///

When the final bell rings, everyone practically jumps out of their seats to go home, and I can't blame them. If it were up to me, I'd never go to school again. Except that's impossible for me if I want to get into a good college.

I shut my locker door after the school day ends and I make my way over to Isaac's last classroom. He exits soon after I get there, so I wait patiently as he gets his things settled in his locker this time. And as soon as he finishes up, we walk out the front entrance together, until I notice a certain head of curly brown hair awaiting my presence at the gate.

I glance over at Isaac, whose expression I can only read as annoyed.

"Sorry, I should-"

"Yeah, go," he says to me before I can even finish my sentence.

"I'll meet you at my car!" I tell him as he trails off toward the parking lot. He just nods off, opening the distance between us with every step.

I make my way over to Chase, who seems like he's been waiting for me for a while, seeing as he's all leaned up against the brick wall connected to the gate. His eyes scan over his phone as his finger swipes on the screen until I approach him.

"Hey, Michelle," he says casually, as if we've been friends forever.

"Hi." I am not having it.

"You should have a look over there," he says, pointing behind me. No.

I take my time turning around, prolonging the moment as much as I physically can. And when I'm fully rotated, much to my dismay, I fall witness to the very thing I've been hoping all day would just never happen. Perfectly stood in my direct line of sight, I notice a painfully obvious Dylan Price casually kissing an equally obvious Julia King. I feel my chest stiffen at the realization and I instantly regret making that deal with Chase. I really need to be more careful with my words from now on.