Chapter Twenty-One
Layla
He didn’t call. He hasn’t texted me for the rest of weekend. Monday morning my phone lies restless in my palm. I don’t understand.
I need to get to the bottom of this. What if he got a girlfriend at his mom’s lunch event? Maybe he doesn’t feel the need to tell me if he did because we’re just accidental text buddies. It’s not like I proclaimed he was my boyfriend. How could I? I never had a face-to-face conversation with him.
“You’re doing it again,” Rachel says.
“What?”
She shakes her head at me. “You’re being super quiet. What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s it. I’m calling an intervention. There is something going on with you.”
I absently spin my combination and pop open my locker. “Don’t be ridiculous I’m just not in the mood to talk.”
“See, that might work on your sister, but it doesn’t work on me. I’m your best friend; you spill things to me. So spill!”
“There is nothing to spill.”
She snatches my phone away. “Hey. Give that back!”
“It’s him, isn’t it!” She enters my passcode, which I totally regret giving her, then she snaps, “Who’s R?”
“No one! Give it back.”
“No. Tell me who he is and I’ll give it over.”
I glare at her. “Fine. He’s a wrong number, okay? Happy?”
“What do you mean? You’ve got like over hundred texts here. If it’s a wrong number how come it didn’t end after you figured it out?”
“Because I like talking to him. But it doesn’t matter anymore because he obviously lost interest.” I snatch my phone back and she frowns.
“So, if you never met him, have no clue who he is, why do you care?”
I sigh and grab my books from my locker. “I don’t know. I guess I just liked that he never made fun of my dyslexia. I liked him not knowing me as Adam’s girlfriend. He made feel like a normal person.”
“Okay. So did you ask him what’s going on?” she asks.
“I texted him four times and he didn’t respond. I pretty sure that means he’s done. Right?”
Rachel throws her arms around me and gives me a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay Lays. Oh, I know what will cheer you up. A date to the winter formal.”
“No.”
“Yes. Come on. We haven’t missed a dance since freshman year.”
“I know.” She tugs me down the hall. “I just don’t think I’m up for it.”
“Please. I’ll find us dates. Please just say yes.”
She clearly isn’t going to give this up, so I nod. “Fine.”
Rachel squeals and jumps up and down. I wish I could get her to stop. people are starting to turn our way and stare. “Okay. Okay. Quit.”
She stops hopping and smiles. “This is going to be great! You’ll see.” She breaks off and goes to her first class.
I truly doubt her words. I feel like nothing will be great for me again. Ever since my breakup with Adam everything has turned to crap. The only bright side were my texts from R and now I don’t even have those anymore.
My mood is gloomy at best. I glance at my phone but there are still no messages waiting. It might as well be dead in my hands. I swipe a tear strolling down my cheek and enter first period.
At lunch. I can’t take it anymore.
Me: Are you mad at me?
Nothing. No dot-dot-dot waiting. Nothing.
I’m not going to cry. Why am I getting so worked up over someone I’ve never met? It’s not like we had soul-touching conversations. I just … I want him to tell me why. If he found someone, I’m okay with that. My heart doesn’t like that idea, but at least I’d know it wasn’t something I did.
Rachel sits down beside me. “Hey. Stop the moping.” Then she looks at my phone and takes it away. “This is depressing you. I’m going to do you a favor and take this from you for the rest of the day. Out of sight, out of mind.”
“What if my mom calls?”
“When has your mom ever called during school hours?”
“Never. But it could still happen.”
She rolls her eyes. “Listen. If your mom calls I will tell her you went to bathroom and left your crap behind. I have your phone because I mistakenly thought it was mine. Then I’ll get her to call the office or excuse myself from class and give it back to you.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea. I know you’re trying to help but I really just want my phone back.”
“Well, you aren’t getting it back. Not until after cheer practice today. If you’re worried I’ll lose it or something I’ll give it to someone I know you trust.”
“What? No. Don’t hand it off to Juliet.”
Too late. She calls Juliet over. “Come here, Spaz-o.”
Juliet glares at her and heads over to our table. “Rachel, please don’t call me that,” my sister says, her voice was actually nice.
Rachel looks annoyed. “Whatevs. Your twin needs your help, she’s just too proud to ask. Hold on to her phone until the end of the school day.”
“No. Why do you want me to take your phone?” Juliet asks me.
“I don’t,” I say.
She looks over at Rachel. “Why?”
“Because it’s making her depressed waiting for messages that aren’t coming.”
Ugh. Leave it to Rachel to tell my sister all about my problems. Awesome. Just awesome. Now Juliet is glaring at me. “I told you it was a terrible idea to keep texting him. Hand it over.”
Rachel slides my phone over to my sister and Juliet stomps over to Mark and his friend’s table. I hope Juliet doesn’t tell anyone about this.
“So, about our dates. I was thinking a senior or sophomore for you.”
I push my chicken Caesar salad away then rest my head on the table. “Why can’t I get someone from our grade?”
“Um … because most of them are friends with the dumbass who cheated on you.”
Speaking of Adam, right then he enters the cafeteria and comes over to our lunch table. “I need to talk to you, Layla,” he starts.
I look up at him. “Go away.”
“Yeah, you ass. Get moving in another direction. For the twenty millionth time, she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Adam smiles at her. “Hey Rachel, do me a favor and shut up. Unless you want me to tell Layla about you and me last weekend. Oops.”
I look over at my best friend, who suddenly pales. “What is he talking about?”
“It’s nothing.”
Adam takes a seat next to me. “It’s not nothing.”
His words practically smack me in the face. I stare at Rachel. “You’re joking, right?”
“Lays, look.” Rachel says. “I was super drunk and I was actually telling him off, and then one thing lead to another and I don’t know what happened.” Adam snickers.
I can’t comprehend this. First, he cheats on me. Then my best friend hooks up with him. And the only person I want to talk to right now isn’t talking to me. I push away from our table and storm out of the cafeteria.
“Layla! Come on!” Rachel shouts. I don’t look back.