The Player Next Door ✓

56 | Your Own Grave

"No you didn't," Luke objected. "That's our story."

When I ran over his laptop in my car.  Seems like ages ago now.

"I moved here a couple months ago and you haven't shown her kindness in the seventeen years before that."

"Jake's been a good friend when I didn't have any," I conceded. It was the truth.

"What the hell?" Luke protested, "It didn't take Jake coming here for me to notice anything. Haven't you met me by now? I do my own thing on my own time."

"OK, but you took a really long time," I said, a little quieter since I was embarrassed to admit it.

"That's true," Bianca remarked. Austin nudged her, but she stuck to her comment, "What? It is true."

"I didn't ignore you," Luke sighed, "I didn't know you existed."

"That makes it much better," Jake smirked sarcastically, "Dig your own grave, brother."

"We are in different years at school! We have completely different friends and hobbies. When was I supposed to have noticed you?"

"We're neighbors," I said, "You used to throw your basketball into our front lawn. We've been in the same math class and... I don't know. Sometimes I think you don't really acknowledge people around you. Do you remember my sister's name?"

There was a very long silence. No one wanted to fill the quiet I left, which made my last words hang in the air.

Suddenly, someone at the door interrupted us. A tall, lanky teacher with an arm full of papers.

"Can you wrap this rehearsal up? I have a class here in five."

He must've thought we were drama club. We are drama.

I suddenly remembered that Luke, Jake and I weren't the only people in the room. Chad, Austin, Bianca and Cearra had all taken seats in the front of the class to watch us. Virtual popcorn being passed around.

Cearra exclaimed, "Now that was a performance. Is it awkward if I clap?"

"Very," Bianca answered.

Chad grabbed his bag and headed to the door. "Y'all have issues," he commented, "but remember my charity event this Saturday. Even you're invited, Millie. I already told you about it."

Bianca delayed her own exit by telling Luke, "I know how you can end all this drama. You end it."

End it with me. That's what she meant.

I glanced back at Luke and Jake. I felt like we hadn't made things better between us. I was bringing my own insecurities into this, which may or may not be fair depending on whether one of these boys is playing me.

Cearra and I left them behind, Jake and Bianca walked off until it was only Austin and Luke left.

Austin whispered, "You're trying to remember her sister's name, aren't you?"

Luke didn't respond.

"It's Julia," Austin helped out.

"No, that's her friend," Luke shook his head, "Damn. It started with an F."

**

Roland Chadwick II hosts his annual charity event at his mansion in Tarlsdale. Chad sent me the invite via text and told me it was circus themed.

Normally, my Saturdays begin with a morning in bed, because I'm productive like that.

This time, I woke up to both my sister and mother at my door.