How to Get Rid of Your Ex Girlfriend

“This is getting ridiculous.” Sam shot me a sideways look as we followed the crowd of people heading for the buses. “You two haven’t talked all day.”

“We did,” I insisted, thinking of Chemistry.

“You know what I mean.” He stopped. “Here, come sit down and let’s talk.”

I sighed audibly, but followed Sam to one of the picnic tables on the school’s front lawn. Settling myself on one of the creaking wooden benches, I looked up and started. Lena and Tyler were sitting on the other side. I hadn’t seen them because of the long, willowy branches hanging over the table, presumably to provide shade.

“Nick…” Lena began.

“No,” I said quickly, fixing my eyes downward. After last period, I didn’t want to look Tyler in the eyes. “It’s okay, we’ll work out the fight on our own.”

“What did you guys fight about anyways?” Sam asked curiously.

Tyler laughed. It seemed to cost him an effort. “Aren’t you going to miss your bus?”

“Nah, I’m going with Vickie and Lena to get ice cream after school.”

“Why wasn’t I invited?” I butted in irritably.

Lena grabbed a bit of my hair and pulled my head upward as I protested. “Because you two need to have a talk.”

Reluctantly, I fixed my gaze to the left, but looked at Tyler out of the corner of my eye. He was fidgeting, his fingertips drumming the tabletop as he always did when agitated. You have no idea how irritating it gets during tests.

“Look at each other!” Lena said sternly. “And apologize!”

There’s no protesting when she gets like this. I sought out Tyler’s eyes. It was a second before they flicked to mine.

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly.

“But it’s my fault. It’s my fault it…” he trailed away nervously. I knew he meant the kiss.

I shook my head. “No. It was my choice to do it.”

“Still. I’m sorry.”

Sam and Lena were looking at us rather strangely, probably wondering what this could possibly mean. Thankfully, they didn’t ask.

Tyler was still watching me, eyes widened meaningfully.

It occurred to me that he and I just theoretically “made up”, and now we didn’t have an excuse to avoid each other anymore.

Wow. So smart of us.

Well, maybe we can get over all this awkward stuff now. Hopefully? Possibly? I’d try, at least.

“Hey, we’re grabbing ice cream too,” I told Sam and Lena with a grin as the four of us stood up to leave.

“What if I don’t like ice cream?” said Tyler with mock indignation.

I slung an arm around him. “You love ice cream.”

“True, true,” he laughed.

Lena shot me a triumphant little smile. When Tyler’s laughter faded, though, silence fell between us again. I tightened my arm around him, hoping that acting like we had before the kiss might bring things back to the un-awkward stage.

It didn’t. The nauseous feeling swam back into my stomach, the one that could have been butterflies but actually wasn’t because I was only pretending to like Tyler.

I kept my arm around him, though. Removing it would have only made the awkwardness worse.

Just then, Vickie bounced into view, Christmas ornament-esque bob wind-ruffled and standing on end. She was wearing a bohemian pink top over black leggings and bright legwarmers, and dangling peace sign earrings to match. A jean jacket was tucked under her left arm, covered in various buttons. I smiled. I love Vickie’s outfits. Don’t even get me started on what she wears to parties.

“So we’re all getting ice cream, then?” I pulled Tyler around, turning to lead the way off the front lawn and down the street.

“Sophie’s still part of us,” Lena reminded me, as she and Sam caught up with us. Vickie was some way ahead, skipping. “She’s just having a…hard time right now.”

I nodded, jaw tight and body tensed. Not because of Sophie, who was probably shopping or doing something else stupid with the popular girls, but because of my close proximity to Tyler, of course. I’m sure both of us were hoping that if we acted like everything was normal, it would become so. I didn’t know how this was working for him, but I…

Well, I’d keep trying.

º º º

Since today was a Friday, we headed to my place to hang out after ice cream. Homework would be left for Saturday and Sunday…well, probably Sunday for everyone except Lena.

“What should we see?” Vickie rifled through a stack of movies on one of the shelves in the living room, examining each title then throwing it to the side. “Wanna just watch a few minutes of each? That way we can see all of them…”

Sam laughed at the thought. “Vickie, no one watches movies like that. Plus, haven’t we seen all of Nick’s movies by now anyway?”

I kicked my feet back on the coffee table, sinking into the corner of the couch, right on top of a plush cushion. Tyler flopped down next to me. “How about Netflix? Let’s see what they have for instant streaming…”

Not that I actually cared what we watched. I was planning to doze off as soon as it started and succumb to the fatigue produced by too much school and too little sleep. I assumed that after the movie, Sam and Tyler would head home, and Lena would go to Vickie’s or vice versa.

Sam, our tech guy, got the movie running. I think we were watching Dinner for Schmucks. I only caught a bit of the title sequence before...

I yawned audibly, tipping my head back onto the cushions, closing my eyes, and sinking down into the couch. And…wow, it felt like heaven...