Tasha laughs, incompatible to finish her own words.
Graham, Iris, Gabriel and I all stared at the black girl, who've since changed her afro puff into cornrows.
"Tash," Julian grab a hold of girlfriend who merely laughs, shrugging him off.
"It's just so funny," she laughs, hands clapped together as she recalls the memory. "It was like, Julian didn't want to have sex one night because he just tried alcohol and he was panicking. It was so hilarious!"
The group was silent as we hear Tasha's story.
"Tash,"
"And, and he was so scared—he didn't want to do it that night so we stopped. I mean, but the whole building to it was so funny!"
"Tash,"
"Okay, okay," she holds out a hand, wiping the tears under her eyes from the consistent laughter. "I'll stop, I'll stop."
No one laughed.
"Babe, remember the time you—"
"I rather not talk about it in front of them," Julian whisper lowly, causing Tasha to frown.
"Why not? They're just your friends."
His eyes shifted to the trio's table for a brief second.
"I just–I don't want them to hear the story. Tash, you know it's embarrassing—"
"It was a long time ago, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," Tasha said, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek. She turns back to us, clapping her hands together and just as she was about to open her mouth.
"—Dean," Graham clear his throat, causing Tasha to run short and stare the white boy. "You going to the practise tonight? Coach said he wanted to tell us something important."
Julian opens his mouth, "he can't," Tasha said, grabbing a hold of his arm, "he's hanging out with me tonight. Right, babe?" She looks up to her boyfriend and Julian looks into his girlfriend's eyes.
"But my coach—"
"Julian," she frowns, pouting her lips, "you promised."
Julian turns back to Graham, and shakes his head. "I can't."
—
"Tell me I wasn't the only one that noticed that at lunch?" Graham asks, turning away from our textbooks to look between the three of us. Iris finishes highlighting a section and Gabriel shrugs, not getting Graham's words. I nod.
"It was weird," I said, "Julian kinda just backed away from everything once Tasha came back."
"Julian always seem tense at our table," Iris added, causing the rest of us to nod. We turn to Gabriel, waiting for his input. He merely shrugs.
"I don't know the dude that well, and I don't know her, so I don't have enough to form an opinion on anything." He explains and I nod, agreeing. I turn back to my friends.
"I mean, Tasha could've postponed whatever she planned for another day, y'know?" I said, holding out a look for my friends as they nod in agreement. "She already made him skip the soccer game—"
"Wait, what?" Graham furrow his dark brows and I forgot I let it slip, "I thought Dean was sick?"
No point lying now. I shook my head, "Dean—I mean, Julian—dammit, look what you made me do," I declare, shaking my head at my friends laugh at my slip-up. "Shut up," I cross my arms, "I meant, Julian was going to the game but in the parking lot, Nick and them had like this whole argument. Tasha said they needed to go somewhere, Nick called names and Julian punched Nick."
"Holy crap," Iris said with widen eyes, "is that why Nick's lip was bruised?"
I nod. "I thought it was because he got hit in the ball or something—I think that's what he's been telling everyone." Iris baffles, eyes in thought. "Is that why they aren't sitting together?"
"I think... I think they've stopped being friends." I fidgeted with my necklace, "I witness it. Julian was like to Isaac and Colin to pick; him or Nick. Seemingly they picked Nick."
"I would've probably picked Ellison too," Graham inputs and I gave him a pointed look. "Okay, a little bias, but still."
"No, I get you, but just," I scratch the back of my neck, "I've never seen this before."
"I have," Gabriel speaks up, and our eyes turned to them. He smiles, "I got something to share with the group, finally."
"Goofball, go," Iris threw a pencil at him. He blocks and laughs, nodding his head.
"Alright," he gets up from laying on his stomach into a sitting position. "I've seen these types of relationships before; the crazy girlfriend, y'know? When Biceps got a text, he would shield it away from her and she immediately looked. She's in a couple of my classes with Biceps, and would hold onto him tightly when she notices that he was getting attention from girls. She's insecure, she wants to secure her territory."
I scratch the back of my neck, "I feel like there's more missing," I said, uncertain to Gabriel's words. "I feel like there's more."
Gabriel shrugs, his gaze settled back on the textbooks. "I don't know," he answers, "that's all I got."
I nod, thanking him for his input when he adds. "But what I do know is we have a hell of finals in two weeks so let's get our asses prepped."