A Change of Heart

 

Adam

 

"Have you noticed anything different in Tessa?" Erin asked later that day in the granite kitchen. She was biting into a green apple, looking expectantly at me. I shrugged my shoulders, taking original Lays' chips out of the bag and stuffing them into my mouth. "Seriously you don't notice any changes?"

 

I took another chip out and shrugged again, saying, "She got hotter." Erin rolled her eyes biting into the apple again.

 

"That's it? You think 'she got hotter'." She set the half-eaten apple on the counter and made air quotes.

 

"Erin what do you want me to say?" I groaned, getting up and walking to the other side of the kitchen and opening the fridge; Erin followed me and placed her small hand on my upper arm, pulling me backwards so I could face her.

 

"That she's gotten skinnier!" She shrilled, her voice trailing in the air. "Everybody's talking about her, Adam." I rolled my eyes at my step-sister's love for gossip.

 

"Why do you want to know my opinion?" I asked turning my back on her and pulled out a coke. Erin spun me around again.

 

"People are saying things." She said. I sighed and asked Erin what people are saying. She loves gossip and she loves telling me all about it too, making hints here and there, knowing that I'll give up soon enough. "Joanne was in English�""

 

"I know I’m in that class.” I interrupted.

 

"Oh right, I forgot you're smart." She smiled innocently before continuing. "Anyways, she said she heard Tessa throwing up in the bathroom right after you guys were fighting. So I put a lot of thought into this whole thing and I came to a conclusion." By now, we were in the living room and she had sat down.

 

"Which is?" I prompted.

 

"You." She said simply.

 

"Me?" I repeated.

 

Erin nodded, her blonde hair breezing around in the air. "Every time you open your fat, stupid mouth to make a snide comment at her, she flies to the bathroom."

 

"Well gee that's great detective, are you gonna put me under arrest? What's my bail set to?" I asked sarcastically.

 

She swatted me on my chest and replied, "Shut up. Just be nice to her okay?"

 

"Why do you like her all of the sudden?" I asked with suspicion in my tone.

 

"Because it's not wrong for a beautiful popular girl like me to be friends with someone my stepbrother absolutely hates." She got up off the couch and pranced out of the room.

 

"I don't hate her!" I yelled to her. She didn't reply back and I got up, running up the stairs and into my room. My phone was buzzing and vibrating on my bed, no doubt probably the band wanting an urgent meeting. 105 new messages. I rolled my eyes and clicked ignore on my iPhone, going to the contacts I scrolled down to the lead singer and also my best friend, Joe.

 

"Adam!" Joe cried into the phone. "I've been text spamming you for twenty-five minutes!"

 

I chuckled at how fast my friend can text spam. "I was talking to Erin."

 

"Another gossip session?" He asked. I could hear the smirk in his voice. Jerk.

 

"Yeah." I sighed. "So why were you spamming me?"

 

"Mandatory practice." Joe grunted on the other side of the phone line.

 

"Why?" I groaned.

 

"Corey said we have to practice for a new gig in two days." Joe said.

 

"We got a gig?" I asked, perking up a bit. My band hasn't had a gig since we crashed a bat mitzvah six months ago.

 

"Yep at the Pink Flamingo. Everyone's going to be there and by everyone I mean everyone from all the schools in the city." Joe explained.

 

"Sweet!" I fist pumped even though I was the only one in my room.

 

"When's practice?"

 

"Now." He replied. "So get over here!"

 

"I can't." I said regretfully.

 

"Why not?" Joe barked in the phone.

 

"That stupid Romeo and Juliet project for Mrs. Schneider. Tessa's coming over."

 

"That anorexic/bulimic girl?"

 

"How do you know that? You're in the stupid classes!" I exclaimed.

 

"Don't underestimate me Adam From The Bible." Joe warned using the really long and stupid nickname he dubbed me. "Joanne's telling everyone."

 

"Why would she do that?" I snapped. "Maybe Tessa wasn't feeling well."

 

"I highly doubt that. Every time you pick on her or make her mad, she throws up."

 

"Have you been talking to Erin today?"

 

"No but I overheard her talking to Candi about it." He said.

 

"Whatever." I replied. "Just leave her alone alright?"

 

"Why? So you can be the only one to make fun of her? No way man!"

 

I sighed, giving up persuading my best friend. "Just tell the band to meet here. We can practice until seven then you guys have to get out."

 

"Okay. Meet you in ten minutes." Joe hung up without waiting for my reply. I put the phone in my pocket and walked over to Erin's room. I knocked lightly on the white wooden door three times and she opened it up, smiling at me.

 

"Adam!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Stop talking about Tessa." I said. She stared at me utterly confused and I continued, "Leave her alone. You say you want to be her friend but you're spreading around telling everybody that she's anorexic or bulimic. It's no one's business."

 

She glared at me. "Except yours."

 

"Not even mine." I replied quickly.

 

"You started this Adam." She snapped.

 

"I did not!" I shot back.

 

"Whatever. What gave you a change of heart?" She accused. "Do you like her all of the sudden?"

 

"N�""

 

"Because she's not gonna like you; in fact, I think she hates you. Oh wait I'm pretty sure she hates your guts." Erin interrupted.

 

"I don't like her!" I blared out. "I just think she might wants some privacy."

 

"Then stop insulting her, Adam. She's depressed for whatever reason!" Erin slammed the door and I walked back to my room, sitting on the edge of my bed replaying over and over the conversations I had with both Joe and Erin. I hope to God that Tessa wasn't anorexic or bulimic and I wanted to find out but I wasn't sure how to ask without upsetting her and sending her back to the bathroom.