Chapter 4: Guy Troubles

“So, how did your first day go?” Liz asked in her natural, enthusiastic voice. Part of me wondered what she sounded like when she was mad. Did she even get mad? I imagined her growing up in a cozy two-story bungalow-type home with a white picket fence. With this thought, I realized how judgmental I could be at times.

“It could have been better,” I admitted. Why am I telling her this? It’s not like she cares—I thought. Suddenly, I entertained the thought that she might care a little. Liz seemed genuine and caring, but I didn’t like getting close to people.

“Really? Do tell.” She sat on the side of her bed, leaning toward me with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Her blonde curls fell over her chocolate brown eyes.

I shook my head and looked back down at my book, which lay on my crossed legs.

“Oh, come on. Maybe I can help somehow,” she offered.

I sighed, closed my book, and sat on the side of my bed facing her. “Okay, look, you’re really nice, but I’m not the friendly, share-all-of-my-secrets type of girl. However, I’m going to tell you only because I’m wondering what her name is so I can put a name to her face. Clearly, I’m going to have problems with her.”

Liz’s eyebrows knitted together, and she looked lost in thought, but she gave me one solid nod. “Okay.”

“Silas is in my math class which is the last class of the day, and this blonde girl is like super obsessed with him—”

“Melissa Taylor,” Liz interrupted. “Oh, sorry. You weren’t done.”

“That’s what I wanted to know,” I said and waved off her apology.

“She’s been obsessing over Silas since the first grade, but he’s never shown any interest in her,” Liz explained. “She even went out with Zayn in ninth grade in an attempt to make Silas jealous, but it didn’t work. Zayn was crushed, and it caused a fight between him and Silas.”

“I see.”

“But why would she fight with you? I mean, she’s rude to everyone, but she usually just acts like nobody else exists or matters. Of course, unless you. . .Oh.”

I sighed and stood up. My feet carried me to the tiny white fridge in our room. My throat was tickled from being so dry. After taking a swig out of a water bottle, I turned back to her. “Oh, what?”

She pursed her lips but looked as though she were fighting a smile.

“Come on, Liz. Unless I what?” Suddenly, it hit me. “Oh, no, no, no. Wait a damn minute.” My water bottle tilted in her direction as I strolled across the room.

She threw her hands up as if in surrender. “Look, all I’m saying is that Melissa doesn’t notice anyone that doesn’t notice Silas. If she thinks some girl is onto her man, she is full of white-hot rage.”

“I’m not into Silas or anyone for that matter.”

“Maybe you’re not, but that doesn’t mean Silas feels the same way.”

“What are you talking about?”

She shrugged. “Maybe he likes you.”

“Believe me, he doesn’t.”

“Okay, well, you two did have a moment in the parking lot.”

“It wasn’t a good moment,” I said with a snort.

We stared at each other for a long time before she spoke again. “Okay. Maybe it wasn’t, but it was a moment, and she might have seen it. She obviously saw something that made her think one or both of you are into the other.”

I sighed. “Great. I’m having guy troubles without having a guy.”

“First time?” Liz asked.

I laughed. “Not exactly. Look, thanks for answering all that for me, but I have to get back to work.”

She stood from her bed and slipped into her cheetah-print Hey Dudes. “No problem. I’m going to a movie with Zayn tonight. Hey, by the way, there is a party on Thursday night. You mentioned that you don’t mingle a lot, but you should consider coming. Making new friends wouldn’t be a bad thing. It might inspire you for one of your stories. Besides, I don’t care what you say. Nobody likes being alone.”

I stared at her as she walked out the door. I wanted to argue with her and tell her I enjoyed being alone, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Truth be told, she was right. Being alone was lonely, but it was easier.

When we moved from Salem to Deadwood, Grams swore it would be the last time for a long time as long as we were careful. Growing up, we moved around a lot. There wasn’t much of a choice in the matter. Grams did the best she could to keep us in one spot for as long as possible, but things usually didn’t play out the way we planned.

My toes dug into my black and red comforter, warming them slightly. My eyes were glued to the page of my textbook, but do you think I could get back into reading it? Of course not. In irritation, I slammed the book shut and climbed off my bed. I sat at my desk and put my boots on.

There was a coffee shop down the street that had been beckoning me since I arrived. I grabbed my textbook on my way out the door. I hoped that the cool air, the walk, and the coffee would ease my mind so I could get back to reading the chapters that needed to be read because after my talk with Liz putting Silas and Melissa out of my mind proved to be complicated.