Like a Fool

They hugged me and stepped into the kitchen.

“Did you know his new slut tried to run me over in the parking lot today?” I said cheerfully.

“Lexi?” Brian asked.

“Yep!”

“Don’t worry hun! She won’t last.” They said this every time but that didn’t stop it from hurting.

“Toss me a beer why don’t ya!” I joked. He tossed me a Stone Arrogant Bastard I laughed “It fits.”

They looked at the beer and laughed. Thank god they didn’t go for the cheap stuff, I hate light beer!

“So do you want to talk about it?” Brian asked sitting on the counter.

“Nope! I’d rather just forget it! He’s allowed to be a man whore; it’s not my business who he fucks.” I could already hear him bragging tomorrow to the guys. ‘She was great! So flexible and really great with her mouth.’ I would roll my eyes and say he was immature. But he opened the door to all the guys, making it possible to talk about there various sexual acts.

I would ignore them and either grab a book or play video games until they shut up.

“Why do you put up with this?” Jimmy asked.

“Because I have no choice, I could tell him how I feel and lose him or I could put up with it and stay friends. Being friends is better than nothing.”

“But it’s torturing you.” Brian said.

“As long as he’s happy.” I shrugged.

“That’s really unhealthy I hope you know.” Jimmy said staring at me like I grew a second head. I nodded and took a large sip of the antidepressant.

***

It was Saturday and we were all in Zacky’s basement, and surprise surprise Matt was talking about his date! (Sarcasm, it’s a life saver.)

“We went to the movies and then to her house, her parents were out of town.” He smirked.

“What movie did you see?” Johnny asked.

“I don’t really remember, I didn’t watch the movie much.” He smirked. I pretended to gag.

“How was she?” Brian asked. He knew what this did to me but he had to act like nothing was different, and Brian is just as much of a whore as Matt.

“Awesome with her mouth, and rather flexible.” I so called it!

I sighed and grabbed my book from the bag I always brought when Matt went on a date.

It was the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe; he is definitely my favorite writer. It was a huge book with 842 pages, all of which I have read at least twice. I flipped the worn pages to ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ and started reading. When ever I read I was holey emersed in the writing and never paid attention to the world around me.

Just as I was reading “’Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed?-tear up the planks!-here, here!-it is the beating of his hideous heart!’” someone whispered in my ear “Thump-thump.” I shrieked and jumped, the book clattered to the floor and I placed a shaking hand over my own frantically beating heart.

I turned around to see Matt grinning at me.

“You ass hole!” I screamed. “You know not to do that!” He knew how much of a scaredy cat I was, and that story is rather intense.

“How can a book affect you so much?” He asked, trying to change the subject I suppose.

“Have you ever read this story? Or even any of his work?”

“Nope.”

“Then you can’t ask that question, when you read it then we can talk.” He rolled his eyes and sat next to me on the recliner. “Okay, this seat is not big enough for the both of us!” He was sitting on part of my lap and he’s rather heavy.

“Nonsense! We can fit!”

“You’re crushing me!”

“Fine!” But he didn’t move, he just shifted me so I was on his lap. This is something we did often but it always managed to make my heart beat faster. “Can I see the book?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?!”

“Because you have to get your own! And I don’t feel like waiting an hour for you to finish a four page story.” I teased.