Temptation

Chapter 11

«Bon feu, bonne mine, c'est la moitié de la vie.»
«A Nice fire, good looks, that's half the life.»
~~~

Jake's memorial was tonight. We were assembled to sing and pray on his name in the courtyard. I didn't befriend him because he was Julian's best friend. However, he was the only person that wasn't mean to me. I remembered him smiling at me as a sign of sorry every time Julian did a sake prank on me. He couldn't do anything, but at least he pitied me. He didn't deserve such a tragic demise. I spent the week trying to figure out what was Jake's actual end. I found nothing. Every article repeats itself; I joined the discords group to lurk for information; their conspiracy theories were unrealistic. I searched every Reddit page, nothing. I despaired; whatever they were protecting, they were doing a great job.

The ceremony started. We were standing in front of Jake's portrait with a candle. The chorus sang Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. Julian's group was present except Juan and him. Agea and Kelly were crying. It must be hard for them to lose someone close. For the first time, I could say I related to them. Shawn was bland, no emotion, his arms around Agea, he was comforting her, then there was Thea consoling Kelly. These two have been closed lately. I despited the raw pain in my gut I felt when she is with them. I still don't understand why she chose them over me, why she abandoned me when I needed her the most. 

I accidentally made eye contact with her. I immediately turned to Xavier, next to me, humming the chorus's song.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes"

At midnight, the ceremony ended. We were still in the yard chatting. Xavier was telling me about his family and how annoying but also lovely they were. He even invited me to come for Christmas since I didn't have any plans. I was going to answer him when Thea approached us.

"Hey, Xavier."

She sat down next to him. I wiped out my phone and scrolled endlessly on Instagram so I could not pay attention to her. Surprisingly, she said hi to me.

"Hey Thea," I responded bitterly, without looking at her.

She started a conversation with Xavier, who wanted to include me. However, my responses were reluctant and bland. She, eventually, got up and ran back to her new friends.

Xavier looked at me like a shocked puppy.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Girl, what was that?"

"What was what?"

"She is trying to talk to you, and you were pushing her away." He slapped his hand on the table.

"I don't want to talk to her."

"But she is your friend!"

"Not anymore."

"That is so childish. She is still your friend."

"No, she is not!" I slightly raised my voice, annoyed by him persisting me to admit something false. "She chose her friends when she walked out of the hospital door."

"I get it that you are upset, but I think she is sorry about that, and you two should have a talk."

"Oh my God, no! She made her choice, and I am the one that should kiss her ass? What side are you exactly on?"

"I am on your side, but I don't like the drama and pettiness."

" I doubt that since you have been defending her."

"I feel like you want to drag me into this, and I don't like it." He shouted.

"You said it. That's how you feel like."