Teenage Dirtbag

Haley's POV
On Monday, I was sitting in the cafeteria with Alex and Jack across from me, who were both copying my Math homework because they couldn’t be bothered to do it themselves. I was reading a book we were expected to read for English. I didn’t mind it though, I enjoyed reading. Suddenly a girl appearing behind Jack and Alex interrupted my reading. I had never seen her before. I raised my eyebrows. She was standing right behind them, probably waiting for them to notice her, which didn’t happen. People didn’t usually come up to us, especially not in the cafeteria, since we were loners really. I didn’t mind it though, Jack and Alex were the only friends I needed. I figured this had to be getting sort of uncomfortable for the girl, who seemed to be too shy to say something. She probably hadn’t noticed my stare either, considering how focused she was on them.

“Uhm guys…?” I started.
Alex and Jack stopped writing to look at me.
“I think there’s someone who wants to talk to you.” I continued, pointing at the girl behind them, who still didn’t seem too comfortable.
They both turned around quickly.
“Tay, hey!” Jack exclaimed. “Come sit with us!”
The girl whose name was apparently Tay walked over to my side of the table and sat down next to me.
“We’re just copying Haley’s homework, we’ll be done in a minute.” Alex told the girl.

I waited for a moment to see if the guys were actually going to introduce her to me, and explain where they’d met her, but they didn’t seem to notice it. I decided to just continue reading and finish the chapter. I’d find out who she was later. While I continued reading and Alex and Jack continued writing, Tay didn’t seem at ease. Well, I wasn’t going to be the one to make her feel comfortable, as I didn’t even know whom she was. Minutes later Jack had finished copying my homework. He was probably very eager to talk to this girl.
“So, what classes do you take?” Jack asked Tay.
“Uhm… The regular” she said, grabbing her timetable out of her bag. “And band class of course.”
She handed her timetable over to Jack, who took a look at it.
“Oh, your teachers are not so bad. I’ve had all of them” Jack said.
“Who does she have for band class?” Alex asked, butting in to the conversation.
“Mr. Young” Jack replied. “He’s pretty cool.”

I felt pretty much ignored and though I usually didn’t have a problem with that, I wouldn’t take it from my two best friends.
“So, is someone going to tell me who this is?” I asked them, pointing at Tay.
“Well, that was unnecessarily rude” Jack pointed out.
“You were being rude” I replied.
“Stop whining, both of you” Alex said. “We met Tay Saturday night after you went home. She’s in the band that played after us, The In Crowd. We all went to McDonald’s together after their show.”
“Sounds like I missed out on all the fun” I said with a sad face.
“Oh don’t you worry, there will be plenty of fun at our next gig, which will in fact be in two weeks.” Alex said.
I looked at them surprised. “You already got another gig?”
“We sure do” Jack replied. “In another bar in Baltimore. You’ll be there right?”
“When is it?” I asked.
“Next Friday” Alex replied.
“Yeah, I’ll be there” I replied.

Alex smiled. I still hadn’t told him I knew who he was in love with. I didn’t want things to get awkward between us. I thought Alex was great, I just didn’t like him that way. I figured it was better to pretend I didn’t know than to tell him I don’t feel the same. If I would indeed leave in a few months, I wouldn’t have to deal with it at all, as long as I just pretended I had no clue.
“She’s usually nicer.” Jack told Tay, who had been quiet for a while.
I could only assume he was talking about me. Fine, it wasn’t cool of me to be so cold to Tay while it was Jack and Alex I was annoyed by.
“Not that much though” I shrugged.
“She means well… Sometimes” Alex added.
“Yeah, that’s enough. Thank you very much, boys.” I said. “So, you’re in a band? What do you do?” I asked Tay.
“Ah, there’s your usually sunny, caring self” Jack joked.
“I’m just trying to make conversation, you dickhead” I replied.
“Uhm… I sing” Tay replied.
“Cool. I do too.” I replied. “My shower head is very impressed.”
She laughed.
“Oh shut up Hales, you’re a great singer.” Jack said.
“I’d back him up, if only you would ever sing for me.” Alex shrugged.
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen, Gaskarth” I replied, causing him to fake a sad face.
“She only sings for me. She’s like my little puppet.” Jack said triumphant.
“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I said shaking my head. “It’d be great not to be the only girl around these two though” I smiled at Tay.
“Oh yeah, tell me about it. I live with four guys.” She said.
“Really? I’d go crazy! I can only take so many dick jokes a day.” I said.
“You do know we’re still sitting here right?” Alex asked.
“Yeah well, you’re allowed to know your dick jokes are getting really old” I replied.
“But they’re funny…” Jack said.
“No Jack, they’re really not.” I replied.
I grabbed my math books from the table and put them in my back, as our lunch break was almost over. I took a quick look at Tay’s timetable that was lying on the table.
“You don’t have any classes with us, do you?” I asked her.
“No, I’m a junior actually.” She answered.
“Oh, in that case you can’t sit with us. That’s social suicide for us.” I said with a serious face.
Alex and Jack gave me a look that told me they did take it seriously.
“Oh come on, I was just joking!” I exclaimed. “You guys are lame.”
I upped, and headed for my classroom, but not before I heard a “Goodbye to you too” coming from their table.