Chapter 17

Part 1

After more weeks of seeing Xela and Chad being all lovey-dovey together, I can finally admit that jealousy got to the best of me. I couldn’t stand seeing Xela and Chad together at Filip’s, laughing and acting all happy, but at the same time I couldn’t help but keep staring either. It wasn’t so much as to making sure Chad doesn’t do anything to hurt Xela, but more because my eyes were fixated on them- I couldn’t help but think about all those times it was me on that table, arguing and laughing away with Xela.

After some time, I started considering what Rebekah said to me, and thought that what she said might’ve been right. There was no doubt in my mind that I fucked up by encouraging Xela to go out with Chad. I knew that much already, but now I was starting to think whether talking Xela out of that relationship might actually be the right move.

I weighed the pros and cons of going through with it. On the plus side, there was a small chance I’d be saving Xela from Fairbanks’ biggest teenage playboy and our relationship would return to how it was before. Alternatively, Xela will probably, actually, most likely end up hating me even more than she does now and I’ll end up looking like a dick.

Then, the thought of Xela and Chad together appeared in my head. And the thought of them doing you know what, and then the thought of Chad breaking it off with Xela only to do the same to another girl, and then the thought of Xela shutting everyone out for a while and thinking to herself how stupid she was for dating him. I’m not a fortune teller, but it was obvious to see that this was how things would end up at this rate.

My head rolled in confusion as I still had no clue what the fuck I should do. After clearing my mind a bit, I decided it was best not to interfere with their relationship yet and pray for the best situation possible.

Part 2

As the final bell rang, I grabbed all my stuff and got ready to go home as usual. I said my goodbyes to everyone while walking through the halls and approaching the exit. Suddenly, at the closest hallway intersection to the exit, I felt someone lightly bump into me as they were making the turn toward the hallway I was coming from.

“Sorry,” we both apologized at the same time. I looked down slightly and saw that it was Xela.

“Oh, hey Johnny. Long time no see! I’m meeting up with Chad soon so I’m in a bit of a rush, but maybe we can catch up another time?” she said, giving me a smile.

“Yeah, sure,” I replied. “Let’s do that.”

“Well, I better get going now,” she said. “I’ll see you around.”

As she started to walk away to her locker, I suddenly felt the urge to call out to her again. “Wait!” I said loud enough so she could hear me.

She stopped walking and turned back to look at me. “Yeah?”

“I think… you should break up with Chad,” I said. WHAT THE FUCK?! My mouth was speaking on its own. I already decided earlier not to try to convince her, but I couldn’t control myself from saying it.

“The fuck did you say?” she said, glaring at me for a good few seconds before finally speaking again. “So you too, huh?”

“You’ve heard Rebekah right? I’m only trying to help you.”

“Only trying to help me? You literally told me to date Chad and one and a half months later you’re running back to me saying I should break up with him? How is that helping me?”

Our quarrel had gathered quite the audience and people were slowing down to look at us before continuing on with their day.

“I know, I fucked up there,” I admitted. “Still, I think you should break up with him now.”

“Are you hearing yourself right now?”

“Am I hearing myself? Are you kidding? Listen to yourself now. This guy’s known as the biggest dickhead in the city. You’re asking to get your heart broken.”

“They’re just rumours.”

“Rumours? Rebekah knows like four girls that are dating them. The evidence is right there!”

“She’s lying.”

“Huh, crazy to think that you’d trust some guy that you haven’t seen in over 6 years over your best friend,” I said.

“Shut up.”

“No. I’m not shutting up until you use that fucking brain of yours.”

“To think that you were different from everyone else who kept telling me exactly the same thing. I guess I was wrong.”

“We’re all doing this for your sake! Can’t you see?”

“I don’t need your help, or anyone else’s. Just leave me alone.”

“Not until you change your mind.”

“I don’t fucking understand you Johnny. First, you tell me to date this guy, and then you completely ignore and avoid me. Now, you’re telling me to break up with Chad and won’t leave me alone until I do so? What the fuck is going on in your head”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s too late Johnny, I’ve made up my mind already.”

“Xela, please-”

“Please listen to you?” she interjected. “I’m listening. What do you have to say?”

“I advise that you should break up with him.”

“I’m done dealing with your bullshit,” she said, starting to walk away back to her locker.

“Wait!’

Once again she stopped and turned around to face me. “What now?”

“Can’t you see? You’re being blinded by him. He’s just going to use you and then break up with you later and you’ll be all sad afterwards-"

“Just stop.”

“I’m not stopping until you break up with him. Please, you can date anyone but him.”

“I’m done listening to your bullshit now,” she said, this time walking away for real.

I already knew exactly this would happen, but for some reason seeing her walk away was still a little painful.

Part 3

To calm down my nerves, I decided to go to Filip’s Cafe. I knew there was a chance that Xela might also come today, but it wouldn’t be too big of a deal as long as I minded my own business and sat as far away from her as possible.

Walking in, I noticed that Alyssa was on her shift today and was working behind the counter. I walked over to the line and ordered my coffee while having a little chat with her before walking away and taking a seat at the table farthest away from Xela and Chad’s regular table.

As I expected, Xela walked in a couple minutes later with Chad right behind her. They walked over and sat at their usual table, Xela clearly acting frustrated. From the looks of it though, she wasn’t telling Chad why. Luckily, they hadn’t noticed me as they were walking by and I kept my silence.

Now, I found it easier not to stare at them. I don’t know if it was because I was ashamed of doing the exact thing I told myself not to do, or because I was frustrated with Xela after our argument. Either way, I couldn’t bring myself as much to look in their direction, not that I even wanted to in the first place.

After finishing my first cup of coffee, I still remained unnoticed by them and continued to mind my own business. One coffee alone was not enough to satisfy me, and I found myself getting back up and ordering another.

I got back in line and ordered the same black coffee, with Alyssa questioning and judging my prefered choice of coffee. It wasn’t that I didn’t like coffee with milk, cream, or sugar, but I simply have never had it in my life. Thinking that there was no possible harm in doing so, I decided to switch it up a bit and actually try something different for once. There were extra sugar and cream packets on the tables so there was no need to ask Alyssa to redo my coffee.

When the coffee was finally ready, I stupidly opened the lid of the coffee since my table wasn’t far from the counter and the risk of spilling the coffee wasn’t too likely. I started walking to my table again while looking down at my phone to see the time. Suddenly, I felt myself bump into someone slightly shorter than me and the coffee in my hand spilt on their shirt.

“Oh, sorry,” we both said instinctively.

As soon as I heard the voice I knew it wouldn’t end well.

“Oh my fucking god!” I heard Xela say.

“What the fuck!” I yelled back.

“What are you yelling what the fuck for? You weren’t the one who got hot ass coffee purposely spilt on!”

“Purposely? You came out of nowhere and fucking ran into me!”

“You ran into me! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“It was an accident! I told you, you came out of nowhere!”

“Accident my ass! So you’re telling me this had nothing to do with what we talked about earlier?”

“No, what the fuck? You ran into me!”

By now, we had gained the attention of some of the people around us, but we weren’t loud enough for the whole cafe to know what was going on. I looked around to see where Chad was and how long it would be before he came over and started beating the shit out of me, but luckily it appeared he was in the washroom or something.

“Now you’re blaming me? For fuck’s sake Johnny, you’re the one who spilt coffee on me!”

“It was a fucking accident for the last time!” I started raising my voice.

“We got into an argument not too long ago, and now you ‘accidentally’ spill coffee on my shirt. Wow, what a coincidence!” she said sarcastically.

“Believe me or not, I don’t care anymore. I’m telling you, it was.”

“Why was your lid fucking open in the first place?”

“I wanted to put some sugar and cream in my coffee.”

“You always drink your coffee black.”

“I wanted to try something different for once.”

“Okay, then explain why you just had to open your lid at the counter,” she said.

“My table’s right over there,” I said, pointing to the table only a few steps away.

“Lies.”

“You know what? I’m done playing your fucking games,” I said, taking the remaining few steps to my table and began to add the packets of sugar and cream into the remaining coffee in the cup

“Fuck you too,” she said, pointing her middle finger up while walking away.

Part 4

Coffee with cream and sugar in it was not as good as I thought. It lacked that bitter taste that I knew coffee for what it was. I don’t know if it tasted worse because I was genuinely pissed off by what just happened or because it was actually tasteless, but I think I’ll just stick with just black coffee for now on.

Alyssa’s shift had just ended and saw her approach my table with a smile on her face.

“Slick,” she joked while taking a seat on the chair across from mine.

“You saw everything, didn’t you?”

“How could I not have? Everyone was looking at you two and it also happened to happen right in front of me.”

“Oh god, did you just say everyone was looking at us?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it, they all probably forgot about it by now.

“No they haven’t.”

“I know,” she said. “You really shouldn’t spill coffee on other people on purpose. It’s not very nice.”

“Fuck you.”

“Seriously though, she seemed kinda pissed to begin with. What was that little argument she was talking about?” she asked.

“Oh, that. I tried convincing Xela to break up with Chad.”

She looked at me in surprise for a good 5 seconds before speaking again. “Did not expect you to do that.”

“Neither did I."

“What made you do it?”

“I don’t know. I guess it just randomly came out, and before I knew it I was speaking everything on my mind.”

“I’m guessing she didn’t like it very much.”

“No shit.”

“Well, you could always go for Plan B and ditch Xela and start dating me,” she jokingly suggested.

“Sorry, I already told you. Kinda not looking for any relationships right now.”

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes.

I quickly glanced at Xela’s table, and luckily for me, it doesn’t seem like Xela told Chad about who spilt the coffee on her shirt or the incident that happened earlier. Otherwise, I would’ve been dead by now.

Alyssa must have caught my glance because she also turned her head back to see who it was I glanced at and gave me a grin. “Is she all that ever goes on in your head?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I saw that glance, you know”

“Nope, what glance?”

“You know what glance I was talking about.”

“No I don’t.”

“Whatever, we all get jealous occasionally, right? If I were you I’d probably be jealous too.”

“I’m not jealous!”

“Don’t worry, my plan’s almost done. You can rest easy now. What you do after the plan though, is completely up to you,” she said, completely ignoring what I said.

“Please promise me you’re not going to do anything stupid.”

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”