Chapter 15

Part 1

The next few weeks after Xela and Chad had officially started dating, things went exactly how I’d expected. The first week was no different than any other and we continued to talk regularly. The second week we gradually began drifting farther apart and started talking less. By the third week, we were complete strangers. Neither of us questioned it but just went about our regular lives.

For her, it meant spending more time with Chad. Time that she spent talking to me after school had been replaced by him taking her to nice places across the city and enjoying their nice, romantic afternoons together.

On the other hand, my life was much different. I went back doing what I did before meeting Xela- heading straight back home after school (with the exceptions of days I had hockey).

Days grew shorter and shorter and life became more boring as I didn’t have Xela there with me anymore. I didn’t know what to do.

I’d occasionally head back to Filip’s Cafe every once in a while, this time sitting on a table completely opposite from where Xela and I usually sat, just in case she decides to come here with Chad.

It just so happens that that’s what happened today. It hasn’t been the first time I coincidentally ran into them two here since they’ve started dating, but it wasn’t very common either. I was sitting on a table for two alone, sipping on my coffee alone and occasionally looking in the direction of Xela and Chad’s table.

Suddenly, a familiar face walks by and sits at my table. I was confused about who she was at first, but shortly after realized she was the barista I was dared to hit on that time we all played truth or dare. I looked away from her and tried to pretend I hadn’t noticed her.

“Hey,” she greeted.

“Hello,” I greeted back, still looking away from her.

“You know, I heard it’s disrespectful to look away from someone when they’re trying to talk to you.”

I turn my head towards her and gave a sarcastic smile. “Hi, long time no see.”

“Funny running into you here again.”

“Can you please not bring that up,” I pleaded.

“Don’t worry, I get that it was just a part of your stupid truth or dare game. It was stupid of me to get my hopes up high.”

“Hopes up high?”

“Yeah, I had actually thought the oh-so-popular Johnny had even a slight interest in me.”

“You know who I am?”

“We see each other every day at school….”

“We go to the same school??”

“Seriously???”

“I’m sorry, who are you again?”

“Dude, we have two fucking classes together!”

“We do? I can’t seem to remember who you are.”

“Here, maybe this will help,” she said while taking off the glasses she was wearing and untying her hair bun, letting her hair run loose.

“OH FUCK! Is that you Alyssa?”

Like she said, Alyssa went to the same school as I and was in two of my classes this semester. We weren’t too close, but we were no strangers to each other either.

“Do I really look that different without my glasses and hair bun?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me, which look do you like better?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Does my opinion even matter?”

“If you haven’t noticed already, I have a tiny crush on you.”

“Want to start dating then?” I asked. As I said that, I couldn’t help myself from looking behind her at Xela and Chad’s table. They were still drinking their coffees and talking with smiles on their faces.

“What’s bothering you?” she asked. She must’ve noticed my frequent glances at Xela and Chad’s table as she also turned her head back and saw Xela and Chad all the way across the cafe. “Oh I see what’s going on here!”

“Nothing at all.”

“Liar.”

“Okay, tell me exactly what you think is going on here.”

“You and Xela fought and broke up and she’s using that guy as a rebound. Now, you’re asking me to be your rebound?”

“No, no, no. How big of a dick do you think I am?”

“Why’d you just ask me out then?”

“I don't’ know. It was just joke, just like how you joked about liking me.”

“Of course you thought I was just joking,” she whispered, allowing me to only barely hear her words.

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“Where’d you even get the idea Xela and I were dating in the first place?”

“You guys are always together and it’s been going around the whole school. Wait, you’re telling me you guys weren’t dating?” she asked with a confused look.

“No!”

“Oh.”

“I’ll tell you what actually happened. Apparently, Chad over here came out of nowhere for the first time in 6 years of seeing Xela and straight up confessed to her saying that he wants to be her boyfriend. Me being the nice friend I am helped her sort out her thoughts and told her to go for it if she really liked him, and here she is now.”

“And here you are now, looking depressed and giving Chad envious gazes while sitting by yourself on a fucking table of two in this cafe. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“What should I have done then?”

“Simply tell her to reject him.”

“I couldn’t make that decision for her.”

“And yet, you made the decision for her to start dating that guy. One month later, and you and Xela have completely stopped talking to each other.”

“At least she’s happy now,” I argued.

“Do you really think this is what she wants?”

“Yes, otherwise she would’ve told me so before.”

“You’re so stupid it hurts.”

“Look at them right now,” I said, pointing behind her to the table Xela and Chad were sitting on. “See, she’s smiling and laughing. How can you tell me she’s not happy?”

“Trust me, I’m a girl. I can tell when people are acting fake or not.”

“So you’re saying she’s just acting?”

“Yes.”

“Still, look at that guy! How the fuck am I supposed to compete with that?”

“Is that jealousy I hear?’

“Shut up.”

“Don’t worry, I’d choose you over him any day of the week,” she said, causing me to blush slightly. “What’s so good about him anyway?”

“According to Xela, ‘he’s kind, sweet, and has a big heart.’ Also doesn’t hurt that he’s like twice the size of me and pretty good-looking.”

“It’s pretty obvious to see that beneath that nice guy act, he’s just some fuckboy trying to get into Xela’s pants.”

“I told her the same thing!” I said.

“But you also encouraged her to start dating him.”

“Yeah.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

“I don’t know.”

Part 2

As Chad and Xela got up from their seats, Alyssa and I watched as they made their way to the exit. Xela had her body leaned in on Chad, with Chad’s arm wrapped around her shoulder.

“So, how does it feel to be replaced, Johnny?” Alyssa mocked.

“Fuck you,” I responded. “Why are you even here? Do you enjoy telling me everything I’ve done wrong and trying to make me feel bad?”

“As much as I love rubbing salt in people’s wounds, I also want to help you.”

“Why? What does this have anything to do with you?”

“Nothing. I’m helping you because I like you,” she said in an unusually casual tone. “Or… you could just forget about Xela and start dating me now.?”

“As flattered as I am, I’m not really looking for a relationship right now.”

“Okay, hun,” she said sarcastically.”Sureeeee”

“For the last time, Xela and I were just friends,” I sighed.

“When did I ever say anything about Xela?”

“I know you were thinking it.”

“Was not,” she said, joking around. “That little friendship of yours is broken now. What are you going to do about that?”

“Nothing,” I replied. “It’s either I stay friends with Xela, or Chad stays as her boyfriend. It can’t be both. That’s just how it is when you’re dating a fuckboy.”

“If you know he’s a fuckboy already, why don’t you just try to break them up already? Isn’t that what a friend’s supposed to do?”

“There’s always that chance that he’s actually not a dick and I mess everything up and suddenly I become the dick.”

“So you’re scared?’

“Yeah.”

“What more did I expect from you? You’re always scared of everything,” she sighed.

“So what if I am? It’s better than not being scared and messing up-”

“Who cares if you mess up?! Everyone makes mistakes every now and then. That thinking of yours is holding you back from doing so many things with your life!”

“Like what?”

“Like actually dating Xela.”

“That has nothing to do with it.”

“Oh really? Then tell me why then you two haven’t gotten together already?”

“I don’t know. Neither of us thought of each other like that.”

“You’re scared.”

“Shut up.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re really difficult to work with? Ah, whatever. I’ll just handle the situation myself,” she said. “Do you think I’m pretty enough?”

“Very straightforward question.”

“I am a very straightforward person. Now answer the question.”

“Whatever you’re up to, I don’t like it.”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

“I still don’t trust you one bit.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Whatever, just don’t do anything stupid.”

“Yeah, I promise blah blah blah. So what would you rate me out of 10?”

“To be honest, you’re not too bad. I’ll give you an eight and a half.”