Since Summers

fourteen : reunion

Jess leaned back in her chair and stayed quiet as she gave it a thought. When she finally answered, I couldn't believe my own ears. "Okay, maybe I did."

"Jess!" I nearly shouted.

"They were talking about a girl who slept with the admission board to get into Columbia so I told them that I have a friend who used to have a relationship with our English teacher back in high school but not doing it to get good grades or any favor in exchange."

My reply sounded like a cliché dialogue from a movie. "How could you?"

Jess shrugged. "What's the big deal? I didn't mention your name and I told them you're smart and your relationship was purely sexual."

"And that doesn't sound wrong? I couldn't believe you really told anyone about it. You know how sensitive I was about this stuff." I saw Colton walk in from my peripheral view but decided that I didn't care if he heard our argument.

"I don't see why are you so angry?" said Jess as she took her bag off the seat beside her so Colton could sit. "It's not like it's a big deal and we all know you didn't sleep with the admission board." She paused and narrowed her eyes at me. "Did you?"

"Of course not!" I looked at her in disbelief. I didn't recognize her anymore. How could she even think so low of me? "So what, whenever you're drunk you blabber around about my secrets?!"

Jess sighed. "I've told you I didn't mention your name." I saw Colton holding her hand on the table, ready to jump in her defense anytime. This was why I didn't want him here. He would always be on Jess' side no matter what. He was her boyfriend and it was as clear to me as if it was written on his forehead.

"And you think they won't immediately guess that once they saw you with me? Are you retarded or medically stupid?" The last part was very mean to me and I regretted it once I said it.

Colton leaned on the table and gave me a warning look. "Hey, you can't talk to my girlfriend like that!"

Jess held his arm. "Babe, don't get into this." Colton looked at me then slid his gaze back to Jess before leaning back in his chair.

"Well, your girlfriend needs to watch her mouth when she's drunk." I leveled his angry glare with one of my own. I turned to Jess as my hand reached for my bag.

"Autumn, we didn't talk as much as we did before. I didn't know anything that happened these last couple of days and the last time we talked about university or New York, you told me that you didn't think you could get into Columbia." Jess shrugged one shoulder as if anything she'd just said made sense. "What do you think I would think, huh, when you miraculously got in?"

"I thought they only accept students with extracurriculars and since I never joined one, I thought they would reject my application." As I looked into her eyes, I knew nothing I said would make any difference. It broke my heart that my best friend didn't even trust me but I sucked it up. I sucked it all up. "You know what, Jess, you were worried that you and Colton were just going to be one of those high school relationships that fell apart once you graduated." I bit my lips and tasted blood. "We are the high school relationship." I pushed my chair back and walked away. I kept on walking even when the tears started to blur my vision. With what happened with Tyler and Jess, I never felt so alone.

TYLER

I just dropped the second package that day when I saw Faith walking down the road with three massive books in her hands. I watched her closely as a girl accidentally knocked her off, causing her to drop all the books she was carrying. I ran towards her and picked up two books off the ground.

She looked up and smiled once she saw me. "Hey. You again." She shook her head in disbelief as she continued, "what's wrong with me today? I met both of my exes on the same day."