"Alex?... Hey uh.. Alex?" "Huh? What?" I looked around to see we were still on the bus I saw people gathering their stuff. "We're back," Brandon said clearly avoiding my eyes. He got his stuff and stood up from his seat waiting for me to get out first. "Brandon I-" "Don't," he said,"We'll talk once we are off the bus." I looked down at my stuff, feeling angry at him, "Fine..." I got my things roughly and walked quickly, down the aisle of the bus. My gym bag hit a seat and I tripped and fell. "Ugh, typical," I mumbled to myself. "Need help," a voice called. Caleb. Perfect timing I thought grimly. "No thanks," I said and waited for him to keep walking. I got off the bus and threw my stuff down. I started pacing as anger was building inside me. Brandon walked in front of me. "Alex lo-" Brandon started. "I can't believe you would think I'd do something with Caleb!" I said. "Sorry Alex I just...." he was looking at his feet and clearly at a loss for words. My fierce grey eyes piercing those dark brown, nearly black, eyes. "What you can't trust me?" "What? No! I mean I do! I do trust you!" "Then?" ... No answer "We'll settle this tomorrow I'm too tired right now." I grabbed my stuff and walked away not looking back, knowing something was definitely going to happen.
"That'll be five dollars, sweetie," said the lunch lady. I paid her and said, "Thank you." I grabbed my tray and looked around. I saw Brandon at our usual spot by the window and I started walking slowly towards it. Bracing my self for what is to come. I saw him poking at the cooked carrots. He looked depressed, he didn't even bother to look up once I sat down across from him. Before I could say anything a sweet voice said, "Hey guys!" Miranda. She was such a sweet heart, she sat with us every day. She was short, and rather plump. She looked adorable today with that bow in her hair. The silence was unbearable so I broke it. "Uh Miranda?" "Yeah," she said smiling at me. "Do you mind giving Brandon and I some privacy," I said in the nicest way possible, I couldn't bear seeing her sad. "Oh," she said looking awkwardly at the ground, "Yeah sure..." "Thanks hun." She got up and sat with my other friends. I waited until she was out of ear shot, and I immediately glared at Brandon fiercely. "What," he said flatly, "Why are you looking at me like that?" I remained silent and just took a bite from my cookie. "I'm surprised you haven't talked to Caleb all day," he mumbled. That was it. He crossed the line. "What," I said. "Nothing," he said not looking at me. "Brandon what is your problem!?" "My problem is you flirting with every guy that comes your way." I was appalled "What?" "You heard me," he said now staring right at me. "You know that I wouldn't cheat on you, how could you think that of me?" Silence. I was sick of this. We were arguing a lot lately. Brandon started the arguments and I'm ending it. "You know what Brandon, I'm done, we're done," I corrected my self. He looked at me. Pain in his eyes. His tan, colored hand reached for mine. My skin was more golden than tan. I yanked my hand away. I grabbed my tray and walked away. As I sat down next to Miranda I caught a glimpse of Brandon. His eyes were looking at his empty hand. He got up threw his lunch away and walked quickly out of the cafeteria. I was watching him walk away. "Alex?" I quickly looked and saw Sarah staring at me, concerned. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," I said. I took a breath in and put on a smile. This was me... Constantly hiding behind a smile.
The rest of the week was quiet. I hadn't talked to Brandon nor Caleb. But there was a reason for Caleb. He was a grade above me, which explains why I hadn't noticed him all year long. But in track practice I would occasionally catch Brandon sad eyes looking right at me. It was sad. I really hurt Brandon in a way I had unexpected. He was so happy, and silly. But his eyes never gave anything away. Today was even worse I bumped into him and fell to the ground. He didn't look at me or bother to help me up. So as I was gathering my things and that smooth voice came. "Need help this time?" Caleb. He was just everywhere wasn't he. "Yes thank you," this time I wasn't denying it, and I actually did need help. We both crammed my things into my bag and started walking to the gym. "So," Caleb started, "I heard about Brandon." "Oh... Uh yeah I just... Couldn't deal with it..." He walked ahead and stopped in front of me, "You okay?" I nodded and put on that smile that convinced everyone I was perfectly fine. Caleb saw right through it somehow. We continued walking. "Ah come on you can fool me." "Huh?" "Thats a fake smile!" Crap... "No it's not I'm fine!" He stopped again. "Alex, you can't fool me sweet heart." "Uh I'm not your sweet heart," I said pointing at him. "That's off topic," he said then looked at my hand and grabbed it. He noticed my ring. My simple rusty,gold ring. "What's this?" I pulled my hand away, "That's off topic," And kept walking. He caught up with me, "Why are you so reserved?" "Why should I be open," I said," I don't have to tell my problems to anyone." "Well you should, they might help." "Yeah right," I mumbled I rarely ever talked to someone about my feelings. It's not my thing. "By the way," he stopped walking again,"Where'd you get that ring? What is it?" I hesitated,"It's a love knot ring... I wear it when I'm in love..." "Ahh you still love Brandon I see." "No!" "Am I the reason you guys broke up?" "Ha, don't flatter your self... Sweet heart." He smiled,"Where'd you get it?" "I've had it a pretty long time actually, not sure from where." He smiled again and then I noticed a girl with light tan skin,brown hair, black eyes, was staring right me. She was leaning a against a tree looking fierce. I've never seen her before. At all. Why is she looking at me? Before I could tell Caleb about her, he walked towards her with open arms. "Hey Maddie," he gave her a kiss on the cheek but she completely ignored the fact he was there. She wouldn't take her eyes off me. I wondered why but then I knew... This was Caleb's girlfriend, and jealously was definitely in the air.
I saw Maddie and froze I had no idea what to do so I just smiled and stared back. She wouldn't take her eyes off so Caleb finally broke the silence "This is Alex." "Hi, nice to meet you Maddie you must be his girlfriend," I said as I extended my hand. She nodded and didn't even take the hand so I took it back. She finally turned to Caleb. "Come on my mom's waiting." "Okay Maddie, bye Alex," he said opening his arms for a hug and I quickly took a step back not accepting the hug. "Uh actually I'm just here for my gym bag," I said and picked it up from the ground. I was about to say good bye when a young boys voice came from behind "Alex! Alex!" I turned to see my four year old brother running towards me. He looked absolutely adorable with his gray Converse, dark straight brown hair parted off to one side with bangs that were always in his grey eyes identical to mine. "Hey there buddy!" I kneeled down to give him a hug and he crashed into me. I put my hand on his head and ruffled his hair. I picked him up and turned to Caleb and Maddie. Caleb smiled and waved. "Hey dude," Caleb said as he made his hand into a fist and my brother,Jared, knuckled punched him back. Maddie smiled a bit at this and I said "Well okay guys I'm gonna head to high school." "Why are you going back over there?" "I have a brother there." "Oh okay well bye Alex," Caleb said just waving. "Bye, nice meeting you Maddie." "Yeah uh you too," she said. I started walking back and set Jared down and held his hand. I talked to Jared on how was his day and whatnot. "Hey Alex?" His sweet little voice was too cute. "Yes sweetie?" "I like that guy he's cool!" I smiled, "Yeah Caleb is I guess." We got to the high school and I saw my brother leaning on a pole. "Hey freshman," he said with a smile. He looked like a bigger version of Jared. "Hey Ryan." "What about me," Jared said. "Of course who couldn't forget about you," Ryan said and picked him up, "So how was your day?" "Good," said Jared,"I met a cool guy named Caleb today!" "Really," he set him down and made me take Jared's hand again, "Who's Caleb?" "A guy I met at a track meet." "What's his last name?" "Currier. Why?" Ryan froze. "What!?" "Is there a problem," I said as I kept walking to my brothers car. "Is he flirting with you?" "Uh he has a girlfriend," I said as I put my hand on the car door handle. Ryan unlocked the car, "He's a flirt." I raised my eye brows,"Oh well I'll be fine," I opened the door and put Jared in his car seat. I got into the passenger seat. "What do you know about him," Ryan asked. That's when I froze, I barely knew him. "Not much." "Stay away from him." I didn't argue this. I wondered why he would say this. I needed to know more about Caleb.