behind me in a singsong voice as I walk away from her. “You’ll be back.” But I know I won’t. Even if Jem never speaks to me again. She’s just too toxic for my liking. “You’ve never been able to resist me.” She sounds far more confident than she should about my nonexistent feelings for her. Clearly my request that she should get some dignity has fallen on deaf ears. She yells desperate messages across the deck, not caring if anyone else is listening.
“Jem!” I call out to her, blocking Tonya out completely. “Jem, wait for me.” She picks up the pace, rushing even faster to get away from me. “Jem, wait, let me explain! Hear me out, please.”
Just as I reach her bedroom door, a young, very pretty girl steps in front of me, preventing me from going inside. “I’m sorry,” she starts, blushing furiously as if she’s uncomfortable with the position she’s been put in. “Jem asked me to tell you to leave her alone.”
“Is she in there?” I try to push past this girl, but she’s having none of it. She holds her arm out in front of the door to keep me on this side of it. “I just need to speak to her,” I plead. “She needs to hear what I have to say.”
“She’s really upset,” the girl continues, looking up at me with her big blue eyes. “I think you’d be better off letting her cool down.”
I know she’s probably right, but I just can’t stand it. I feel like I need to talk now . I run my fingers angrily through my hair, tugging on the ends. I cannot believe I let this to happen, let it get this far. I’m so furious that I’ve had my chance with Jem ruined all over again—and this time because of Tonya. Yes, I should have told Jem earlier about our silly little hookup, I know that, but it certainly wasn’t Tonya’s place to say anything. She knew what she was doing, and she’s achieved exactly what she set out to do. She’s torn me and Jem apart all over again, just as she was starting to come back to me.
“Damn it!” I mutter angrily.
“I’m sorry, Nate. I hate to be the messenger…”
“No, it’s not your fault.” I give her a weak smile and extend my hand as a sign of peace. There’s no point in fighting with this girl. She’s only relaying Jem’s wishes—even if I don’t like them very much.
“Lola.” She shakes my hand and smiles again. “I’m Jem’s friend.”
She goes on to tell me that she met Jem on the ship when we first boarded, and that she’s really taken her under her wing, which sounds just like Jem to me. She’s always been an extremely caring, considerate person who reaches out to others, and good people seem to gravitate toward her too. If this Lola is now friends with Jem, then it’s very likely that she’s very kind, that she’s someone worth getting to know.
I already get a younger sister vibe from her, and I wonder if we’re going to become friends ourselves. I wouldn’t want to step on any toes, but I wouldn’t turn down the offer of a friendship either. I really could use someone to talk to other than Paul, who’s only interested in my career. It feels like forever since I had someone genuine to talk to, someone who didn’t just want something from me—whether that be my body or my wallet.
In the end, I decide to take a leap of faith and relay my issue to Lola from my perspective, not holding back any of the details. She’s probably heard a bit of it from Jem, but I want her to understand my side too. I explain it all without trying to angle any aspect of the story to make me look better. I just want her to know the facts, to see what she thinks about it all. Lola remains silent throughout, listening intently, allowing me to get it all out in a fairly coherent manner. It’s kind of therapeutic to say it to an open, listening ear, and it actually goes a way toward making me feel a little better about everything.
“So,” I ask once I’m finished. “Any advice for me?” I half wonder if Jem is listening through
“Jem!” I call out to her, blocking Tonya out completely. “Jem, wait for me.” She picks up the pace, rushing even faster to get away from me. “Jem, wait, let me explain! Hear me out, please.”
Just as I reach her bedroom door, a young, very pretty girl steps in front of me, preventing me from going inside. “I’m sorry,” she starts, blushing furiously as if she’s uncomfortable with the position she’s been put in. “Jem asked me to tell you to leave her alone.”
“Is she in there?” I try to push past this girl, but she’s having none of it. She holds her arm out in front of the door to keep me on this side of it. “I just need to speak to her,” I plead. “She needs to hear what I have to say.”
“She’s really upset,” the girl continues, looking up at me with her big blue eyes. “I think you’d be better off letting her cool down.”
I know she’s probably right, but I just can’t stand it. I feel like I need to talk now . I run my fingers angrily through my hair, tugging on the ends. I cannot believe I let this to happen, let it get this far. I’m so furious that I’ve had my chance with Jem ruined all over again—and this time because of Tonya. Yes, I should have told Jem earlier about our silly little hookup, I know that, but it certainly wasn’t Tonya’s place to say anything. She knew what she was doing, and she’s achieved exactly what she set out to do. She’s torn me and Jem apart all over again, just as she was starting to come back to me.
“Damn it!” I mutter angrily.
“I’m sorry, Nate. I hate to be the messenger…”
“No, it’s not your fault.” I give her a weak smile and extend my hand as a sign of peace. There’s no point in fighting with this girl. She’s only relaying Jem’s wishes—even if I don’t like them very much.
“Lola.” She shakes my hand and smiles again. “I’m Jem’s friend.”
She goes on to tell me that she met Jem on the ship when we first boarded, and that she’s really taken her under her wing, which sounds just like Jem to me. She’s always been an extremely caring, considerate person who reaches out to others, and good people seem to gravitate toward her too. If this Lola is now friends with Jem, then it’s very likely that she’s very kind, that she’s someone worth getting to know.
I already get a younger sister vibe from her, and I wonder if we’re going to become friends ourselves. I wouldn’t want to step on any toes, but I wouldn’t turn down the offer of a friendship either. I really could use someone to talk to other than Paul, who’s only interested in my career. It feels like forever since I had someone genuine to talk to, someone who didn’t just want something from me—whether that be my body or my wallet.
In the end, I decide to take a leap of faith and relay my issue to Lola from my perspective, not holding back any of the details. She’s probably heard a bit of it from Jem, but I want her to understand my side too. I explain it all without trying to angle any aspect of the story to make me look better. I just want her to know the facts, to see what she thinks about it all. Lola remains silent throughout, listening intently, allowing me to get it all out in a fairly coherent manner. It’s kind of therapeutic to say it to an open, listening ear, and it actually goes a way toward making me feel a little better about everything.
“So,” I ask once I’m finished. “Any advice for me?” I half wonder if Jem is listening through
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