When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

"I don't have time for this, Layla."

I picked my jaw up from the floor.

"It's obvious you guys like each other," Remi said.

"But why did you treat me like crap?" I asked her.

"I wanted what you had with him."

"And what was that?"

"Love, okay? You guys love each other. He truly cares about you. He always talked about you. He always flirted with you, whether he noticed or not. It was sickening and, I admit it, I was jealous."

I smiled. Remi was jealous of me. Karma or irony, I don't care. It's just great.

"But then why did you hurt him?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" she said with a giggle. "He's too easy to hurt. Seriously. I liked him. He's cute. Great kisser. And it was just so easy to make him miserable and he'd always crawl back to me like a desperate fool. It was kind of sad. I never really cared."

I was amazed that Remi was telling me so much that wasn't really my business but at the same time I wanted to pull out my hair. Or her hair. Which ever satisfies best.

"If you didn't care, why did you...why did you..."

"Keep dating him?" Remi finished for me. "Because I could have him when ever I wanted. I am a teenage girl. I have sexual needs. And in case you didn't notice, I let him go so you can have him. So...you can have him."

"I don't want him," I said.

"What a dirty little liar!"

"I have nothing else to say, Remi. Good-bye."

I turned around, ready to go to my next class. Or skip it and go to the bathroom and listen to my cassette player. But, no.

"Wait!" says the blond one. I sighed roughly.

"I think there's something else you'd like to know," Remi said.

"What?" I asked, not bothering to turn around.

"I was using him to make someone jealous!"

She sounded proud. Oh, how I loathed her. I turned around to face her. She was smiling in that proudly-a-bitch kinda way.

"Make who jealous?" I asked.

She smirked. "Rodney."

"Layla!"

I continued walking. There was two minutes left until fourth period. I need to find Rodney.

"Layla!"

Ray grabbed my arm and I sighed.

"What's up?" he said. "I can't say hi to one of my best friends anymore?"

"I need to go hurt Rodney," I said, pulling away from Ray. I heard him laugh.

"Kick him where it hurts!" he yelled after me. I smiled.

"I will!"

I stalked back down the sophomore hallway. It's only considered the sophomore hallway because it only had sophomore lockers. And having dated Rodney for months, I knew exactly where to find him. And when I did...

"Oh, hey, baby," he said, turning to me. He shut his locker and leaned against it. So attractive. So annoying.

"Did you ever have anything with Remi?" I asked. He laughed.

"What did she tell you?" he said.

"Tell me, you fucking bastard!"

"I never cheated on you, if that's what you mean."

One of my eyebrows rose.

"Okay," Rodney said with a sigh. "I did. But it's called karma, honey."

"I never cheated on you," I stated. My jaw hurt from gritting my teeth.

"Even Remi thought you did. Gettin' freaky with Frankie..."

"So you broke up with me because of an idea Remi planted in your head."

"It was obvious something was going on."

"There was nothing going on!"

"Well, I know you wished there was."

Dammit. He had me there.

"So, what do you want?" Rodney said, crossing his arms. "Oh, I get it. You want me."

The hall was empty by now. He brought his hands to my waist but I pushed him away. He laughed.

"Why did you go out with me if you liked Remi?" I asked. I was getting sick of looking at his face.

"To make her jealous, of course."

Breathe in... Breathe out. Think happy thoughts. Don't commit murder now, Layla....