Chapter Seven
Tyler
I text Layla’s phone.
Me: Hey u. Text me when u get this.
I wait.
“Dude, what the hell are you doing in there, powdering your nose?” Austin shouts.
Damn it. I need to warn Layla that the messages Mark sent to Juliet are out there for everyone to see. Not that I particularly care but I’m certain Juliet didn’t want those messages exposed. She would have done it already if she had. Even if Mark crying like a sap was amusing, it seems pretty f’d up.
I step back into the game room with three Pepsi’s. “Quit your bitching. I got your damn drink.” I set his down in front of him while I take a seat and hand Jared his. I pop the tab on my can and take a sip.
“This guy is still kicking our ass!” Austin complains.
Jared stares at the screen and then mutters, “Damn it. I almost had him.”
“Bullshit. That shot was way off. Tell him, Tyler,” Austin says.
“Screw you,” Jared says. He reaches for the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and tosses some in his mouth.
“Did any of you see the new game controller they came out with?” Austin asks.
“Yeah, I actually got one for Juliet. I should have bought one for myself.”
Jared pauses mid-reach for more popcorn. “What do you mean you got one for Juliet?”
Austin stares at me from his side of the table, probably waiting for a fight to break out or something. He has this stupid smirk on his face. “Layla broke her last controller. I was being nice,” I answer.
“Being someone’s bitch is more like it,” Austin says. “You totally just wasted your money. What kind of games does she play? The girly kind?”
I ignore Austin. Jared doesn’t have that look like he’s about to go postal on me. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen the type of games she plays but from what Chase has said, Juliet is totally badass.”
Austin snorts. Jared glares at him. “Well guys, I hate to do this but I gotta bounce,” I say. I’m not going to tell them it’s because I need to find Layla. I’ll never hear the end of it ditching my bros.
“What?” Austin huffs.
“I promised I’d get this one thing at the mall for my mom.” It’s a total lie. I get anything my mom wants online and have it shipped to the house. Next day delivery is awesome!
Jared smacks my arm. “It’s cool. I have to head out too.”
“Man, you guys suck. This is my only day off, and I thought we were going to all hang.”
“Bro, you can totally come with,” I say.
Austin shakes his head. “No thanks, man. Rachel’s at the mall, and I’m not in the mood for all that.”
I exchange looks with Jared and then ask, “I thought you were into Rachel? Earlier when you were busting my balls about Layla, I figured you’d be all over seeing Rachel; did I miss something?”
“Yeah. I’m into her,” Austin says while rising. “But I’m not into her rejections.”
Jared slaps a hand on Austin’s shoulder. “I think you can do better.”
“Better than Rachel Little? She’s one of the hottest girls in school. What’s the matter with you?” Austin scoffs.
“She’s not that hot,” Jared mumbles, tossing his game remote aside.
He’s right. I don’t think she’s hot at all.
Austin steps toward the stairs then glances back. “Hey, are you still having your holiday party? You know the one where you invite the whole school over while your parents are in Aspen, or some shit?”
I nod. “Yep, that will be on the twenty-ninth, bro.”
He nods and takes to the stairs. Jared stays behind, and I ask, “What?”
“How’s Juliet doing?”
“Not good, man. She had Cheetos in her hair the other day.”
He clenches his fists. “I swear Mark better not be at your party. I’ll put him in the hospital.”
“I feel you. You know how my parties go though, people just show up. But hey, with those text messages of his out there, maybe he won’t even show.”
“Since when has something like that ever stopped Mark? It’s probably going to fuel his need to get her back.”
I shrug. “Then you need to make sure he doesn’t get her back.”
Jared doesn’t say another word. He just leaves the house.
Layla’s name pops up on my phone. I slide my finger across the screen and say, “Hey, thank God you called.”
“Is your girlfriend with you?”
“What? Lay … Juliet?”
“Yeah. She still has my phone and isn’t picking up. I assume that means she’s with you, or she’s avoiding me. I know what she did, so there is no use protecting her. Just put her on the phone.”
I sigh. “Juliet, I’d love to help you out, but she’s not with me. Also, I don’t have your number, so I can’t call her.”
“When you see her, tell her that when I agreed to hand over my phone, it did not mean I wanted her to go through it.”
“I’m not an errand boy. But if she does stop by, I’ll let her know to call. You can’t be pissed off though. Right? I am sure it was an accident.”
“I know it most likely was, but it still shouldn’t have happened. The both of you could never get this. You two can get away with crap like this, and it won’t really affect your social life. Me though? I can’t. She just ruined any kind of social existence I had.”
“It’s fine, Juliet. I’ll fix it, but this means you owe me.”
I hear her mumble something.
“What was that?” I ask.
“I don’t owe you anything!”
“You do. It’s nothing big, I swear. Just be ready when I need you.”
The phone line goes dead. My football wallpaper appears. Dammit.