"Why would I like someone as ugly
as her?"
It had been hours, and the words were
still ringing in Dani's ears. Never before had she heard someone say
something so awful. She felt slightly guilty for feeling relieved
that it hadn't been about herself, but a cripling feeling of anxiety
had gripped her as she debated whether or not to tell Jasmeet what
she had heard.
If their positions were switched, she
would want Jasmeet to tell her. Right? She wasn't sure, and that
was the problem. Dani had almost went to Aldine for help before
deciding that spreading it around wouldn't help things. It wasn't as
if Dani could just forget it had happened. Jas had been crushing on
this guy for the better part of a year, and Dani knew it was her
recent flirting that had prompted him to make the comment to his
friends. Dani had the misfortune to be digging through her locker,
which was only five down from the one the jerk and his friends had
gathered around. They probably hadn't even noticed her presence, and
if they had, she doubted they had remembered she was one of Jas'
closest friends. Now she was in this horrible position.
She knew she was going to tell Jas.
There was no choice really. Dani just wished there was a way to
avoid it. Maybe getting Aldine's help wouldn't be so bad after all.
Dani let out a groan and buried her
face in the pillow. She was reluctant to get up and do what she knew
had to be done. There was no way she could let Jas crush on someone
so horrible any longer. What if he tricked her? Dani had seen
another boy do something similar to one of the nicest girls in her
grade. Yes, Dani had to tell her soon. It was that resolve that
forced her off her bed for the first time since arriving home after
school.
The fact that Jasmeet lived all the way
in town didn't help Dani's determination. As she was making what
felt like a much longer walk than normal from the Old Victor's
Village to town, she began to doubt herself yet again. Although her
footsteps got slower as she ambled along, Dani finally found herself
on Jas' front step. Somehow her friend was able to hear her light
knock on the door, and Dani soon found herself face-to-face with Jas.
"Hey!" Jas greeted her
happily, not at all aware of Dani's inner turmoil.
"Hey," Dani's greating wasn't
quite as exuberant. Ugh, why did her friends always seem to have boy
troubles?
Jas quickly ushered Dani to her room,
and Dani was faced with no other option but to tell her friend why
she had come. Usually Jas wouldn't be the least bit suspicious, as
Dani often dropped by unexpectedly, but Dani knew her discomfort was
clear thanks to the questioning looks Jas kept throwing in her
direction.
Jas curled her legs under her on the
bed and looked at Dani expectantly, silently waiting for her to speak
on her own.
"I overheard something while at my
locker today," Dani finally spoke in a shaky voice. "Roland
was talking to his friends. About you." It became harder and
harder for Dani to go on, especially once she glanced up to see Jas'
worried face.
"And?" Jas whispered after
Dani had been silent for quite a while.
Dani turned towards the window and
visibly cringed as she spoke the words. "They were laughing
about your feelings for him. He was saying stuff about how you
looked so stupid when you tried to talk to him and how he would never
date you." It was getting harder and harder for Dani to go on
as Jas began to cry. Dani felt tears in her own eyes and stopped
speaking. Jas had heard enough.
Instead of speaking, Dani sat down on
the bed next to her best friend and wrapped an arm around her. Jas
rested her head on Dani's shoulder, making Dani hopeful that she'd
offered at least some semblance of comfort. Still, nothing Dani
could do would be powerful enough to make the tears stop.
Dani knew Jas felt miserable now. A
couple days from now she would still feel horrible whenever thoughts
about Roland entered her head. Then, the hurt would fade. The
thought of the words might always bring a little twinge of sadness
and maybe a bit of self-doubt, but Jas would move past it. The
effect of Roland's words might always leave a small mark on Jas, but
she could move past it. It was just take some time.
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