Eleven

 

Kimberly watched as James paced back and forth past the kitchen door, he didn’t notice she could see him stressing out.

 

A small nagging voice in the back of Kimberly’s head whispered that something was wrong with James.

When James swore and kicked something down in the kitchen Kimberly stood up. She slowly and nervously walked to the kitchen door and leaned in to listen if her boyfriend was all right.

 

“Pick up the f*****g phone, David.” James hissed clutching his cellphone to his ear.

From where she stood Kimberly could see that James’ shoulders were raised up near his ears.

The nagging voice was getting louder and this time it was telling her that James was acting like a jealous boyfriend.

 

Suddenly, a feeling that Kimberly had been trying to ignore takes hold of her. She felt sick, like something was trying to crawl out of her stomach: something worse then jealousy and anger.

 

Kimberly shook her head. No, James was her boyfriend. He might be unfaithful but he was hers. He couldn’t have feeling for someone else, he couldn’t have stronger feelings for a guy.

 

Kimberly was so overwhelmed with her own emotions she almost missed the change that over took James as David answered the phone.

 

“Where are you?” He said quietly, his body shook as he struggled to control the anger in his voice.

 

“By yourself?” James continued he relaxed his shoulders about an inch.

 

“A friend, right. Great David I f*****g rip out my heart for you and you're out with a friend.” James hissed. He barley gives time for David to answer.

 

“And how does that make any difference.” He practically yelled. Then suddenly he stopped and looked toward the living room. Kimberly barely stepped out of sight in time.

 

“Your supposed to love me, David.” James said turning back to his phone. “Not sleeping around behind my back.” 

Jame paused here but started shaking his head.

 

“I told you it’s different with Kimberly. I told you everything you needed to hear. Is this supposed be some…”

Kimberly stepped away from the door, she walked across the room, picked up her bag and quietly left James’ house. Outside she stood on the street and the feeling she’d been holding back reared it ugly head.  She felt shame.

 

 

David sat down on the bench just outside the library doors. He rubbed the bandages her wore over his sore knuckles reminding him why he was he was supposed to be resisting the urge to break something.  His hands hadn’t healed from his last violent outburst.

David laughed darkly, he had let himself be tricked by Heather’s words that maybe it was okay to be with James, but Heather didn’t know James the way David did.

It was like James was, two different people; the boy he fell in love with and the a*s he met a few days ago.

The moment David answered the phone, James was in a*s mode. He made it look like David was the one cheating, the one who was confused, the one who was dating a girl.

 

David leaned forward and hung his head, it looked like James was coming to the library. David wasn’t sure if it was to apologize, again or the throw more accusations.  He hoped James wouldn’t make a scene, but you couldn’t have everything.

 

David checked his watch, he’d been outside for at least half and hour, it was getting cold. David wasn’t sure he wanted to go inside for more of Heather’s ‘girl friend’ talk.

 

David walked into the library and noticed Heather was still on his laptop, this time wearing her ear buds. David walks up to her, catching her eye.

She smiled at him but David could see a glint of something darker. Fear, David guessed, she’s guessed that the phone call didn’t go well at all.

 

“So how did it go?” Heather said clicking on the disc eject option.

“Badly, apparently I’m cheating now.” David said slouching down into a chair. He shook his head.

“Let’s talk about something else.” David smirked “Maybe we should try hitting the books again.”

 

“Sure.” Heather said, “If you can keep you eyes off your phone.”

 

“Alright we were going to do math. Let’s do the unit review bit.” David said pulling out his textbook.

 

David didn’t notice the way Heather watched him. He also didn’t notice that she switched her dvd with the one that was on David’s laptop.

 

Heather’s mind swam. She wanted to ask David, but suddenly she thought of the look he had on his face when his phone rang changed her mind.

 

She’d checked the view history on his laptop, he hadn’t yet watched the dvd. Heather smiled, she’d take care of it for him. She just hopped Kimberly would believe her.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoy!