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I should have known better than to think that Elli was going to spend the night at Jonah’s to hang out with me. I’ve been a huge asshole and I’m pretty sure I blew any chance I had. I can’t believe she heard what I said at the fundraiser, I’m a moron. I don’t think Jagger even knew she was standing there and as usual, he had the right thing to say to rectify my screwup. My whole life is one giant screwup and this is definitely going the same way.
I swear Jonah’s sister saw me looking at Elli’s picture on my phone but all I could think about was the night she sent it to me. She wasn’t wearing makeup but even Jagger would have to admit she looks hot as hell. I’m really wishing I asked her out that night. I’m lucky if she even talks to me in public anymore, let alone texts me.
I make up some lame excuse to get out of there and without thinking I call Jagger to pick me up. I don’t think about the conversation that will come the second I get in the car. I know he won’t bring it up when Marc and Brewski are around but I have a feeling we’re picking them up after he interrogates me.
Jonah doesn’t care that I’m leaving because he’s so pissed about Elli and Jagger. I wonder if he’s going to say anything but knowing Jonah, I bet he won’t. He’s more of a bitch than me and he avoids confrontation almost as much as I do. How do you think I managed to go months without asking Elli to be my girlfriend? We spent practically every weekend together, she met my parents for god’s sake, it shouldn’t have been that hard.
When Jagger’s truck pulls into the driveway I run out the door before anyone can say anything. Even though I don’t think Jonah will speak up I’m not sure his sister won’t. I think she’d be more than willing to have words with Jagger if it meant protecting her friend.
“What’s up?” he asks the second I get in the passenger’s seat. Luckily he’s pulling out of the driveway before Jonah’s sister can make it down the stairs. I don’t think she’s talked to Elli all weekend and it’s at least partially my fault. I never should have said anything when she was around, I put ideas in her head that she didn’t need to be thinking about. I spent pretty much every day this winter with those two girls and I’m a little pissed Jonah would intentionally put his sister in the middle like this. I don’t know why he cares so much anyway, it’s not like Elli and I weren’t doing exactly what Jagger wants to do with her.
“Nothing much. Beer and PlayStation?” I ask, hoping he’ll take it as a hint that I do not want to talk about Elli, even if I don’t exactly tell him why I don’t want to have the conversation.
“Picking up Brewski and Marc in 15,” he says matter-of-factly. I wonder if he’ll be this blunt about Elli.
I’ve never brought her up because I was pretty much convinced he’d make fun of me until the day I die. I remember when I told him I liked Kristy Martin, the nerdy girl in seventh grade with glasses and the most messed up teeth you’d ever seen, Jagger still teases me about it. Elli’s pretty and all but most people only know her as the shy, smart girl in our grade, they don’t know how cool she can be when she lets her guard down. I never thought it would matter to keep it to myself. They know we text and hang out at Jonah’s house but I don’t think they know that I like her like that, especially not after the fundraiser.
I’m almost relieved when we make it out of King’s Creek and speed towards Brewski’s house. Maybe I’ll get away with it and we’ll never have to speak of it again. That might be asking a little too much, especially in my life.
I’m zoning out, remembering playing 2 on 2 with Jenna and Elli last fall. Jonah, as usual, was being an ass to both his sister and her best friend and since he arbitrarily picked teams it meant I got to guard Elli instead of pass to her. I think Jenna and Jonah got the point and just let us do our own thing even though it would make a hell of a lot more sense for me to guard Jonah. Elli was wearing a white tanktop that I’m pretty sure was Jonah’s and the tightest blue sweats I’ve ever seen. I swear every time she stepped up to guard me she could tell how much I wanted her to forget about basketball and make out with me. Instead she stole the ball from me every chance she got and they almost ended up winning because of it. She might be a skinny little twig but I swear that girl has game, no matter what sport we played she always managed to surprise me with her skills. I bet that’s not something Jagger would find sexy, he’s only interested in athletic performance in the bedroom.
Just when I think I got away with it he brings her up. We’re five minutes from Brewski’s doorstep so at least there’s an out when we get there, Jagger knows I’d never talk about it in front of anyone else. We’ve been friends since second grade, all of us, but Jagger is the only one I’d go to with anything important. Brewski’s too busy getting drunk and Marc is Marc.
“Was Elli there this weekend?” It’s like he’s testing me, hoping I’ll answer his question before he has to ask.
“Nah, I think she’s fighting with Jenna.”
“That’s a catfight I wouldn’t mind seeing. Am I right?”
I know I should be picturing it but I’m too nervous about what he’s going to say next.
“You sure you don’t like her or something?”
My lungs start to choke the life out of me. “Elli?”
“Yeah, dumbass. Who else would we be talking about?”
“I dunno, Jonah’s sister.”
“You can have her, she’s what, 15? Even Jagmeister ain’t going there. I’m talking about the chick whose number I scored on Thursday. You know, the hot one with legs I want wrapped around my neck.”
There he goes making it sexual right off the bat. “We’re friends.”
He gives me that look that tells me he’s seconds away from smacking me upside the head for being so evasive.
“I don’t think about her like that.” I pause. “You know she’s not gonna have sex with you.”
“I know bro, but that girl is one hell of a sexy challenge. You’re cool with me going for it?”
“I don’t care. Do whatever you want.”
Brewski jumps in the truck and I didn’t even realize we were at his house. Marc follows right behind. I swear those two are always together.
“Who scored last night?” Marc asks when he gets in the backseat. He’s looking at Jagger knowing that Brewski and I aren’t going to have an interesting story to share. It’s not that I’ve never had anything worth saying but I wouldn’t tell them about Elli, I don’t want them thinking about her like that even for a second.
Jagger doesn’t say anything but he doesn’t have to, that huge grin on his face is enough of an answer.
“Was she hot?” Marc practically yells in my ear.
Jagger nods his head.
“Blonde? Brunette? Redhead? Marc wants details,” he continues. Whenever Marc gets excited, and that’s most of the time, he starts to refer to himself in the third person. It’s really annoying. As is everything he says or does. I just realized, I think I hate every single one of my friends.
“All of the above,” Jagger says and I know he’s serious. Not like some multicolored hair chick who couldn’t decide on a dye but probably one of each, at the same time.
Whenever Jagger’s not with a chick we’re at his place drinking or slacking off in some way. He hands out beer almost as fast as he pulls the weed out of his pocket. I’m more than ready to forget the past 24 hours and zone out in front of the TV. I learned a long time ago that if I didn’t do my homework on Friday I’d never get it done. Jagger doesn’t care about school but he still manages Cs, if I put in that little effort there’s no doubt I’d be failing every single one of my classes. I try for As and Bs and it doesn’t hurt that Elli always asked how I did on my tests.
Thank god the hard part is over, I know Jagger won’t bother calling if he’s positive that she won’t be easy to get into bed. Despite what he said I know anything harder than a sure thing is never going to fly. Elli’s safe. Now I just need to man up and text her, then I might stand some kind of chance. For now I’ll wait it out. My time will come.