Page 60 of Foul Territory

“Oh yeah? Why don’t we go ask her then? I’d love to get her side of the story,” I say, lifting my pack onto my shoulder and heading toward the door.

Walking between me and Hart, Wyatt pulls out his phone and starts typing frantically.

“Are you warning her?” Hart asks.

“What? No. I wouldn’t do that,” Wyatt says, typing another message.

“It’s okay. We all know the truth even if you deny it,” I say, slapping him on the back.

“We know your truth too.” Hart nods toward Sydney and Lauren who are waiting by Lauren’s car and talking to Joe.

Protesting will only confirm he’s right. Silence is sometimes my best friend. It isn’t what I prefer but it’s been the only option to keep myself out of trouble.

Right now I would like to tell Joe to hit the pavement and stop trying to make a move on my girl. I may not be obvious to everyone now but she’s mine. There isn’t another man who will be able to make her happy except for me. I know that for a fact. I just need her to give me an opportunity to show her.

She may be smiling right now at whatever dumbass thing he's saying to her but it’s not real. This girl hasn’t truly smiled since I dimmed it in the hallway outside her bedroom door. I said something I didn’t mean, and before I could correct her she was already walking away and removing me from her life as much as she could.

Wyatt says his goodbye and gets into his truck while Hart pulls Lauren to the side, leaving me awkwardly standing in front of Sydney and Joe.

I’m not thrilled about seeing them together for a third time. Although this is a much easier pill to swallow than seeing him getting cozy with her back at her dorm.

The image of her wearing one of my old sweatshirts still pops up when I close my eyes. She’s like one of those optical illusions. The longer I stare at her, she’s all I see no matter where I look.

I betshe doesn’t even remember I let her borrow that sweatshirt when she was over watching football with us. The temperature dropped unexpectedly and she was shivering on the couch while she was reading.

We didn’t have blankets and shit so I offered her a sweatshirt. Seeing her curled up in my clothes is another memory I won’t soon forget. Her nose would dip under the neck and I swear she was breathing in my scent.

If she didn’t look so fucking good in it the other day, I would’ve asked for it back. I bet it smells like her now. I would love to take a hit of that every morning. Sydney sitting in her kitchen looking like mine is the only reason I didn’t push harder for Joe to leave.

There’s no way she is really interested in him. Please let him be another guy wasting his time.

“Syd, can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask. “About Nash’s party,” I add when I feel she is about to deny me and claim we have nothing to talk about like she usually does.

“We have plans,” she replies, taking a step closer in his direction. Her arms are crossed over her chest defiantly.

“It will only take a minute. I won’t ruin yourplans.”

Joe’s eyes ping pong back and forth between us. “I’ll wait for you by my car.” He walks away, looking over his shoulder once. Hart and Lauren also say goodbye, leaving me alone with Syd.

“What is it that can’t wait?”

“I wanted to make sure you had everything done on your end.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You already know I do. The girls and I are coming over early to decorate and to get the food and drinks organized. If you and the guys can set up everything outside, that would be helpful.”

“We can do that. Sounds like everything’s coming together. Nash will be happy even if it isn’t much of a surprise anymore.”

Her back stiffens. “As long as Nash is happy. That’s all that matters,” she says coldly. “I need to go. I’ll see you Saturday.”

Sydney’s statement doesn’t work its way through my brain until she’s halfway across the parking lot. She isn’t talking about his party.

This is the culmination of all the times Nash’s happiness has been prioritized over her own. It’s been happening for years. I thought the choices I made were for everyone's best interest and I was the only one paying for it emotionally.

I need her to know she’s always come first to me despite what she thinks. Maybe it is time to show her and fuck the consequences like she said. I just hope I’m not too late.

FICTION FORUM

NotYourAverageJoe19