SETH
“Hey!” I said over the phone.
“My Honeybun, what are you doing?” She cooed at me in her teasing voice.
It tempted me to tell her I wasn’t hers, but kept my mouth shut.
“Shopping.”
“I went to your apartment, but that loser neighbor of yours told me you moved out. You never even told me about it.” I could feel her pout through the phone even though I couldn’t see her.
“Yeah...uh...actually, I found a better place. I’m renting the studio apartment at the Vasquez’s.” I blurted out without thinking.
Shit!
“You mean sweet-potato Emily’s house? Whoa! Can you even afford that place?” She asked, giggling like the evil witch from the west.
“Well, since we are taking Spanish together, she’s giving me a huge discount. She’s pretty cool.”
“Since when did you start noticing that potato?”
I was getting irritated by the second, “do you need something, Staysha?”
“It’s been such a long time.” She said suggestively.
“Yeah...well, about that—”
“What are you doing tonight? Let’s have dinner together. I’ll send you the car, and I’m not taking no for an answer!”
“Listen Staysha—”
She hung up on me.
I sighed. Guess I’ll have to break the news to her at dinner.
Staysha was the definition of trouble. She was the carefree girl who liked to do whatever she wanted. She was spoilt, like, completely, and slept with most of my teammates, probably even the football and the basketball teams. Boys liked her because she had a strict ‘no strings attached’ rule which worked both ways and, for some reason, she preferred me more than the others.
She was pretty, an hour-glass figure and all, strawberry blonde. It was fun while it lasted.
I was dressed by evening in casual,s a beige thermal sweater over faded jeans. I’d done my hair because I knew Staysha always took me out to some posh restaurants, so I had to look the part. I pulled out my best shoes and was tying the laces when there was a knock on the door.
“Door’s open.”
There was another brief knock.
“You can come inside, Emily.”
She stepped into the studio, keeping it open part-way like some creeper who liked to stare through the small gap between the door.
“Actually, I was making sure I wouldn’t walk into the situation like last time.”
I laughed, “I’m fully clothed and my dick’s safely tucked inside my pants. So you have nothing to worry about.”
She giggled, opening the door wide, “I was wondering if you would like to—”
She was wearing a set of pink pajama set with ice-cream and donuts printed on it. It was adorable, but it also concealed all those treasures that I was dying to see underneath.
She didn’t complete her sentence, “Seems like you have some plans already.”
“Yeah, kinda.” I explained, “but I already cooked dinner. It’s on the kitchen counter.”
She didn’t look happy, but plastered a fake smile, anyway. “A date?”
“Not exactly.”
“Is it a yes or a no?”
“No. I don’t do dates. This is something that needs to be done sooner rather than later.”
“Okay, see ya then.” She wiggled her hand at me, shutting the door on her way out.
Why did it seem like I’d majorly pissed her off? I could have done something wrong, and I hadn’t even realized. Maybe I put a little too much extra Mayo in her sandwich for lunch, or maybe I hadn’t poured enough kibble for her cat.
If I hadn’t done my job correctly, she had every right to be furious.
I was still trying to figure out Emily. She didn’t appear snobbish, nor was she rude as most rich girls I knew were.
My phone pinged, showing a message.
Staysha: I’m waiting outside😘
* * *
EMILY
I watched from my window as Seth climbed into an Audi and I recognized that car at once, having seen it parked in the school parking lot every day. It belonged to Staysha.
My heart squeezed inside my chest as jealously wound around me like a snake. I hated feeling so miserable. Seth had mentioned having a crush, but he also said this wasn’t a date.
So this had to be one of his casual hookups. I knew Staysha and Seth used to hook up before, and I had thought little of it, but right now, it hurt.
The car drove away, leaving me feeling worse than usual.
I knew Seth didn’t see me as an attractive woman, much less someone that could be his girlfriend. He was just polite. I had caught him watching me. His eyes would do a slow once-over but that could be plain curiosity. I wasn’t dumb enough to mistake it for attraction.
I tried to brush off his thoughts as I headed downstairs and walked into the kitchen, carrying the food he prepared for me to the dining area. I played some rock music on my playlist that blasted through the Bose speakers and sat in the dining room, eating the food, feeling pathetic and alone.
He made me a delicious beans and corn salad with some delicious sauce and Feta cheese. There was also baked garlic chicken.
An image of Seth naked and having sex with Staysha filtered through my thoughts. I stabbed the chicken piece angrily.
My phone buzzed on cue.
Indie: hey doll, miss me?❤️
* * *
SETH
The steak was the best here. And it was super expensive, but that’s how Staysha liked to do things. She’d taken at least a hundred selfies at every possible angle, updated those on every social media handle she was using, and only after that she’d started having dinner.
I was half-way through my steak by then. I had an Instagram and a Snapchat that my friend Skylar had made for me, but I hardly used them. Last time I tried; I got some nudes in the DM’s from some girls that I didn’t even know. I even got one from a dude. Social media was dangerous territory for me, but recently, I’d started using it again and that was only to browse through pictures of a particular girl who was otherwise called a Sweet-Potato in school.
To me, she was definitely French fries, and I lovvveeed my fries, especially if they came with the milkshakes.
We mostly talked about school, she talked, I listened, and then she asked me the inevitable question.
“So...what was it you wanted to tell me?” She asked, taking a sip of her sparkling water. Her blue eyes lock with mine.
“Yeah, about that...” I stuff the remaining meat into my mouth and chewed it with speed. I bet the meat-eating competitions didn’t have champions who could eat faster than I did. I downed it with a glass of water, and this was probably the last time I was going to eat super expensive food, and knowing Staysha, she’d likely snatch the food out of my mouth after she heard what I had to say.
She arched her brow, waiting.
I’d have to skip dessert.
I wiped the last drop of the sauce from my plate, “I can’t do it anymore.”
“Do what?”
“The casual hookups.”
“Oh, I get it now.” She had a mischievous glint in her eye. “You want us to be exclusive!” She reached out and covered my hand with hers.
I gave out a dry laugh, “No, Staysha. That’s not what I meant. I want to finish this. I can’t sleep with you anymore. I’m sorry.”
There was silence at the table, and I was a little nervous to look up at her and find her ready to stab me with her knife or shatter a plate on my head.
“There has to be a reason.” Her voice was soft, restrained.
“I like someone, and I’m trying to get her to like me so I can’t be screwing around with other girls anymore. I hope you can understand.”
I dared a glance towards her. The color had drained from her face, but at least she wasn’t screaming at me.
“Who is this lucky girl?” She asked me, smiling.
“You don’t know her. She doesn’t go to our school.” The lie easily rolled from my lips.
“I see...well, I’m happy for you, Seth.”
Wow, it had been that easy, and I was breaking a sweat for no reason at all.
“Does this girl like you too?”
“I’m not sure, but I plan to change that.”
She passed me a smile, “I’m gonna miss you, Seth.” She cooed, “If I should be honest, I liked you best. In and out of bed.” She laughed teasingly.
I was glad to be getting off the hook so easily. I’d expected a shit ton of drama, but she was taking it easy.
“If this girl says no, you’re coming back to me.”
* * *
The food was already polished from the granite counter. She’d even washed the dishes, which was supposed to be my job. I’d arrived home early so I could at least wish her a Goodnight, but then I realized she’d gone to bed early, which was unusual.
It was an unspoken rule that we had dinner together, followed by a movie. She’d broken that rule tonight, and I guess it was partly my fault for not informing her I’d be home.
I checked my bedroom window from my studio. I had a direct view of Emily’s room on the first floor. Her lights were switched off.
I sent her a quick text.
Me: Hey, you up?
I stared at the phone, willing it to ping, but after staring smoke holes into it for two minutes straight, I put the phone back on the bedside table.
It dinged.
I snatched it so fast it almost fell on the carpet.
Emily: Just listening to an audiobook.
Me: What’s the name?
Emily: The boy in the striped pajamas.
Me: That’s such a depressing book.
I sent the text and instantly regretted it.
Emily: Nothing is more depressing than my life.
Me: Hey, don’t say that.
Emily: 😓
Me: You can tell me anything. We can be friends.
I sent and then added.
Me: If you want, that is 😄
Emily: I would love to be your friend ❤️
My heart began thumping inside my chest as I tried to make sense of the heart emoji. Girls usually just sent them around, so maybe it meant nothing.
Me: ❤️❤️❤️
I hoped I wasn’t laying it on thick with the hearts.
Emily: ❤️❤️❤️
I slept that night with a stupid grin on my face.
* * *
I wish life had a button which, after pressing, it would tell you exactly what would happen in your future, and most importantly the fuck ups so you didn’t really make that mistake. That button could come in handy in my life.
Kids were staring at me in school. The football team laughing and they hooted when I walked to my locker.
Wesley Tremblay patted on my back, asshole could barely keep his laugh in check, “Good going man.”
Whispers all around the goddamn school.
Then I spotted Emily at the far end of the locker. She looked at me and as I raised my hand to wave; she averted her eyes quickly.
My phone buzzed. A message from my friend Sky.
Sky: Dude, you need to see this 😳
There was a video attachment. My fingers shook as they hovered over it.
A video opened on my screen.
There was a half-naked girl on the screen moaning, and a dick slipping in and out of her. The girl was being extra loud and moaning.
“Oh god, yes…Seth.”
“Seth…”
The girl in the video was Staysha. It was an ancient video, one that I was sure I’d deleted.
A chill ran down my spine.
Who could be evil enough to leak this?