Sparrow Truman April 17th, 20XX

Two loud voices jarred me out of my nap in the closet and a loud hustle and bustle signified that a large crowd was leaving.

I’d run out of class the second I could and headed over to where I was supposed to meet with Jake when I suddenly got really tired and decided to take a short nap before he arrived. Who knew that such a decision would end up in being witness to a couple's spat?

I made to exit the closet and make a somewhat awkward exit from the room when I suddenly registered to whom the two voices belonged too.

The two voices belonged to two of the most popular people of the school, The talented Alice and the gifted athlete Jake. While there was some debate on Alice’s talent all were unanimous on Jake’s popularity. He was also well liked because he never showed it off and preferred to spend most of his time alone.

A real ‘humble’ type of guy.

Almost unwillingly but mostly voluntarily I Laid back down and began to listen in trying to figure out what caused trouble in paradise. After all, I’d heard that even though they rarely hung out together their relationship was harmonious well… Save for some questionable actions from Alice.

Still, what or who could have riled both of them up to the point they would be screaming in a not-so-abandoned hallway at school?

“ N-No! I just want to know why it looks more like you’re going out with Sparrow than me! I mean I trust you but sometimes the rumours reach even my ears!”

“ It looks like that because you’ve been chasing after another guy for the last two weeks!”

ah… So I’m the ‘who’ that could rile them up like this…. should I be bothered or flattered?

“ What, you thought I didn't know how much you’ve looked into it? and that I didn't notice that recently every conversation we ’ve had together was about him? Even when you were crying about having to leave the school you were just upset that you wouldn't be able to see him anymore! You weren't sad about me, your friends or that your career would be stunted! You were actually just upset that you couldn't see him anymore! How the hell do you think I felt! But I decided not to say anything and to trust you because you hadn't actually done anything but now because of a conversation you decide to come here with guns blazing saying I’m the unfaithful one? How do you figure!”

At Least I'm not the only problem. But who’s the other guy?

“ If it bothered you all that much why didn't you say something! “

“Would you have stopped if I did? Honestly. If I had come to talk to you about this, about us… Would you have stopped?”

Here I thought that Alice would back down or at least begin to justify herself but she just continued to argue.

“ What does it matter if I would have?! The fact is that rather than talking to me about it you chose to run into the arms of some whore like a coward!”

Ha! Calling the girl a whore, now if Jake jumps up to defend her, isn't that just backing up her crusade? Come on Jake! the-

I stopped commentating and took myself out of the moment as I realized a very important factor.

...did she just call me a whore?

As I began to rage Jake barked out a laugh at this. A harsh, hurt and cold laugh that completely contrasted with the passive but warm image he usually carried.

“Resorting to such cheap insults...you really haven't changed have you?”

I waited for Alice’s response but was surprised when Jake kept going without giving her the change to butt in. He was known as not being a big talker so hearing him rant here was an oddity.

“ You know, If this was actually about you being jealous I’d be mad but I wouldn't have let things come to this! You of all people know how much I’ve already done! but no this is about you! to the point where you couldn't even afford me enough basic respect to talk to me privately! Even if you thought there was something between Sparrow and me, Which there isn't, then you should have talked to me about it Instead of bringing a whole entourage to condemn me!”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

I found myself nodding in agreement as I watched such a scene like it was behind a Tv screen. Maybe that was why I hadn't jumped out to drag her across the room by her poorly done hair extensions despite her cursing me out so much.

Silence erupted throughout the room after Jake finished his speech and settled around the two like a heavy and toxic fog until Alice’s voice slid out in a small and whiny tone.

“ I didn't bring the others to condemn you! I meant to come alone but then the others came along. I sent them out when I got here right?”

“Because that makes it so much better? Do you think I’m so stupid that I can't tell what you were trying to do?”

She began to bluster again after seeing that her original plot of acting pitiful had failed.

“ Then tell me? What was I trying to do? Why do you keep trying to make me the bad guy here? We’ve been friends for eleven years and together for four! you know I wouldn't hurt you like that. “

Although I couldn't see anything from where I was crouched I could hear the anger and exhaustion that was probably displayed on his face as he spoke. The hurt that had originally been there had now completely faded as if he had already cut his losses before he even finished his original speech.

“ Know what Alice? I'm done.”

“ Done with what? This isn't an argument that can be swept under the rug. “

“All of it. I'm done with you playing the victim and refusing to acknowledge that you messed up, done with having to take so many undeserved losses and I’m done with feeling like I’m competing with a guy that doesn't even know he’s a contestant for a prize that’ll keep looking for another winner...besides”

His voice got harsher as he spat out this last line.

“ You even said it yourself that we two weren’t going anywhere right? What was it..a lower class citizen and a princess could never be together, no matter how many awards he was given?”

She began to laugh loudly but it didn't cover the nervous undertone that each ‘ha’ carried.

“ What are you talking about? You can't just say we should break up this close to the showcase! The designers have already finished the couple outfits, the first fittings are in a week. And if you leave then all your teammates and friends will probably leave too right? You can’t-”

He cut her off as she once again proved how little he, aside from his social value was worth to her.

“ What do you mean I can’t? Peasant or not I’m still a free man Alice. I can do whatever the hell I want.”

All the indulgence he usually afforded her was completely gone at this point and he didn't even bother with the civility he gave to others was gone as he attacked her with her own words.

Man, that peasant he must've really bothered him huh?

I mean. Not that I could blame him. If I had been called such a thing I would've definitely gotten revenge on a much much larger scale than breaking up with her months before the showcase.

“ Jake! Why are you being like this? What's wrong with you?… It must be that girl right?! what has she been telling you?!”

Ah...So she's back to attacking me. I wonder what she would do if she knew I was here right now… nevermind, she’d probably start crying and summon the whole school to condemn the two of us.

She took two steps towards him with outstretched hands, as if she wanted to take his temperature and I had to punch myself in the stomach to prevent from roaring with laughter.

To think that the only reason someone would say no to you is if they were ill or being deceived… she really was a special type of delusional.

“ALICE!”

He finally roared at her to shut her up. the single name rang in my ears and the girl who it belonged to stood frozen like a rabbit in the snow.

“ Honestly, I wish you the best in whatever endeavours you choose to take on but if you don't get out of my sight right now I really don't know what I'm going to do…. so Please. Leave. Now.”

I had managed to slightly crack the door open at this point and could finally see the scene I had been listening too for the past fifteen minutes or so.

Jake stood with squared shoulders and a rugged look on his face as his expression was almost frozen but his eyes snapped like fire, showing as many emotions as a flame moving directions. and Alice stood across him, standing similarly tall but trembling with anger even as she pretended to be hurt.

Tears glistened in her eyes as she began to back away towards the exit of the classroom. She stopped halfway and spoke to him in a voice filled with false bravado and calm.

“ Fine.Fine. We’ll talk later. You just need to calm do-”

“ OUT !”

She scurried away and down the hallway with her red face in her hands.

I turned back to the now open door to see Jake seated on a chair staring blankly into space as if he had just lost his purpose in life.

A sharp contrast from the righteous warrior he just was.

He began to gather his things and made to leave but then he checked his watch and sat back down… probably to wait for me to show up.

A few heavy sighs and grunts as he mentally replayed everything that happened just now… It made it difficult to find a good way to break the scene.

But even before I thought about approaching him my hands itched to capture the scene in a picture. A handsome high school boy with a naturally bright looking face looking so forlorn.. It seemed like the set up to an epic story.

The depressive aura right now wasn't one that could be reproduced on a photography set. but I wasn't an idiot for one and for two I was a human being, I couldn't do such a cruel thing to a fellow human.

“ Ah… I really screwed up just now.”

He suddenly muttered and got up with a jolt. He started to head towards the door Alice had just left from as if he meant to chase after her but before he could I had already left the closet and put a hand on his shoulder.

Embarrassing or not for me to admit I had not-so-accidentally overheard their whole spat I couldn't let him do that to himself.

“Jake”