She Can't Read Minds

“What the hell?” Jenna asked with chewed up French fries in her mouth while the rest of her face shined with surprise. Beside her, Bridget sat staring down at her half-eaten taco. Both trying to comprehend what I told them moments before. I pursed my lips and nodded. Jenna shook her head no, telling me, “That could not have happened! You are aware something horrible could happen now, right?”

I nodded while Bridget told me, “Damn Miranda, you two have the worst timing.” She was right; just a second earlier and all of this mess would have been overseen. “So what are you going to do, love? I mean, Cal probably expects you talk about it and Markus, he probably expects you to stay away from him till it blows over.” Jenna nodded with her friend in agreement.

“Yeah, Markus doesn’t seem like the kinda person that would face something like this head-on. He probably won’t ask about it at all, or bring it up. I see him more of trying to move on.” I groaned, putting my head in my hands. Bridget frowned, reaching over and patting the top of my head while Jenna took a huge bite of her chicken patty.

School was horrible. Markus avoided me. Cal kept wanting to talk about what happened and I just wanted to avoid them both. I guess that’s how Markus and I are alike; we’d rather not deal with a problem like this, just let it blow over and be forgotten. When it’s forgotten, we’ll return to our old schedule.

All because of a kiss.

“What happened?” Leslie asked, sitting down beside me. She flashed a glance at Jenna and Bridget who stared at her with wide, cautious eyes. Leslie bit her lip, resting her eyes onto the two girls. “I’m sorry, Jenna, Bridget, I’m a bitch. I understand if you hate me; I don’t know but-”

“We accept your apology.” The two said in unison. The table went silent as the three shared smiles to one another. I just sat there, lost in my brain. Leslie sighed, putting her hand on mine and once again asking what was wrong. Jenna answered for me, “She kissed Cal and Markus saw them. Now your brother’s ignoring her which she hates yet loves. Cal wants to talk about it which she hates.”

“So that explains why he was so close to Nellie last night.” Leslie said as if she suddenly found the answer to a life-long question. I glared at her. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and hugged me gently. I’m such an idiot. “I’m sorry, darling, but you did not have to put your lips onto that boy. Markus looked really upset, like he was gonna cry. Then he saw Nellie and he perked up.”

“Shut up.” I grumbled.

“She was fucking all in his lap and kissing him, gosh.”

“Shut the hell up, Leslie.” I snapped, standing up and grabbing my sandwich before storming out of the cafeteria. But I knew someone was behind me; not Leslie, not Jenna, not Bridget. Someone I never thought would dare to talk to me after the awkwardness of yesterday.

Markus.

“Miranda, are you okay?” He whispered, sitting down beside me on a bench in the school’s lobby-like area. You still could faintly hear the students at lunch. I glanced up at him, only to turn red and focus back onto the hands in my lap. Whatever noise I made, Markus took it as a yes. “I heard you tell Leslie to shut up and then you run off so I came after you.”

“And what did you have planned to do when you got to me?” I asked him. He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Then why bother to come find me?”

“I was worried.”

“Why?” My tone slightly irritated.

“Because we’re friends.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t want to be friends.” I told him, watching shock and upset flash on his face before he stood up. Markus opened his mouth but closed it again to just walk back to the lunchroom. I meant what I said, but not in the way he thought.

The things you say when you’re angry are the things you’ll regret most.