3
When I found her, she was humming a tune,
skipping down the sidewalk.
The night breeze ruffled her hair, making her
look young and bright, like a star.
She was my childhood crush.
I forced a smile and walked up to her.
“What’s up?” Amy asked. “Aren’t you heading
back to the dorm?”
“Amy, do you know Jake very well? He
く
doesn’t have a good reputation.” I cut right to
the chase.
Amy rolled her eyes. “Here we go again! It’s
just a date! I don’t owe you anything. We’re just neighbors, not married or anything.”
Her words stung.
But I pressed on. “Jake’s a player. He’s been
with a lot of girls. He drinks, he fights, you
shouldn’t…”
“Enough!” Amy snapped, glaring at me.
“You think I don’t know what he’s like? Let
me tell you something. Just now, he dragged
me into the boys‘ bathroom and made me
smoke.
<
“I was coughing and crying, but he was
laughing. You think I was upset? No, I loved
it! I even opened my mouth and let him blow smoke into it!”
Amy’s cheeks flushed a little. “I thought it would be disgusting, but it was… exciting. I never thought I’d ever do something like that…”
She was getting flustered; not angry at all.
I stared at her, speechless, my jaw clenched tight.
“Why are you doing this?” My voice was
hoarse and shaky.
Amy huffed. “Because I like him! That’s the
kind of love I want. Jake makes my heart
<
race, makes my cheeks burn. I don’t care if
he’s a jerk.”
Amy paused, a little smile on her lips.
“Actually, I like that he’s a jerk! I don’t want a
‘nice guy,‘ get it?”
That “nice guy” was me.
I stood there, speechless, my head down, my hands shaking.
A wave of sadness washed over me.
“Okay, that’s it. Leave me alone, or I’ll never
talk to you again!” Amy warned, savoring the
taste of the smoke, and walked away, excited.
