Love Is Stupid |✓

|4|

Hey

My eyebrows furrowed together upon receiving a text from an unregistered number. Gripping the phone tightly in between my fingers, I tried to remember who could be texting me at ten thirty in the evening on a school-night.

A lot of possible names rolled in my head. From Betty, the girl whom I was paired with in Physics to Rylie, the girl who said hi to me along the hallway as I placed my books in my locker, earlier. But, I doubted they would actually text me of all people for a small chit-chat. Everybody knew that when they needed something from me, they had to be concise and straight to the point.

I never did once enjoy fooling around. I only did that with my friends, and even so, it was seldom that I did it.

Who's this?

Aw Pheebs, forgot me already? Toby Lewis. From the football team. We have home ec and eng lit together :)

Do you need anything? And dont call me Pheebs

Haha. Nothing. Just thought that maybe I could talk to u bout stuff. Okay okay! Chill.

I'm not a psychologist

I know. Lol

So whats the point of talking to me?

Maybe because...

Look I dont like playing mind games. So if u need anything just spit it oit. Cus Im not gonna wait here all day. I have other thibgs to do

Out* things*

Wow. That's the longest text I got from you. Anyways I just wanted to say gdnight. See you at school Pheebs xx

I didn't reply after that. I probably abhor anything cheesy and love, and the idea of liking someone. But, I did have a couple of relationships before. So I knew when someone was trying to flirt, when someone was making a move and when someone was just bored.

As for Toby, I still haven't concluded where he belong. Our conversation wasn't that long for me to come up with a reasonable diagnosis.

But, with the personality he carried, I'd assume that he was probably bored out of his mind, and I intrigued him.

I couldn't balme him though. For the past two weeks, since the first time Gary took notice of him, Gary never stopped sprouting a sentence that included his name in it. It was always Toby here, Toby that, Toby hot.

Maybe he thought that I liked him too, just like Gary did. Honestly though, I never did once liked him that way. We shared a few talks before, but I never thought of him as someone who I can be remotely interested in.

He was a little too loud for my liking. A little too bright, too rich, too cocky, too flirty, a little bit much of an over-achiever, and just too much of everything else. If he was a car, he'd be a Lambo or a Ferrari. To sum it all up - Toby was high maintainance and flashy.

I didn't even do relationships anymore, so I doubted I would enjoy flirting with a brown-headed Ken.

Rolling my eyes one last time, I threw my phone under my pillow and began my journey to Dreamland.

***

"So what are you gonna do 'bout it?" Cassidy asked me, chewing a bright pink gum in her mouth. Her side was against the rows of lockers beside mine.

I told her about Toby's texts. Earlier this morning, he sent me good morning message. It was supposed to be casual and formal, until of course he sent another one with multiple X's and winky faces. So with that details, Cassidy came up with the conclusion that Toby was interested in me.

I shut my locker close and galred at her. "What d'you mean, what I'm gonna do 'bout it?"

She nonchalantly shrugged, making popping sounds with her gum as she leaned away from my locker. "I don't know. I mean, he texted you. And obviously he's trying to flirt with you. Aren't you gonna flirt back?"

"Cass, y'know our principle 'bout being in a relationship, and flirting right? It's stupid."

"Yeah, it's stupid, indeed."

"See? I knew your sense of logic is there somewhere."

"It may be stupid, but it doesn't mean it isn't fun. A little stupidity once in a while can be exciting."

I shot her a bewildered look. My eyes were wide and my jaw was dropped open in shock. "Cass! What's goin' on with you? Are you hearing yourself?"

She let out a huge sigh and looked intently at me. "What I'm trying to say here Phoebe, is that there's no harm in trying again. We all need to move on and... and maybe it could work this time around, not like what happened la-"

"Stop. No. Just stop right there," I tersely gritted out to her. My fingers were digging deep into my palms with my hands rolled in tight fists. "Don't you dare go there."

"Phoebe, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to mention it." Her bright blue eyes stared at me - pleading and apologetic. But, all I felt was pain, so I let a tear slide down my cheek before shaking my head and walking away.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, calming myself down the best I way I could.

Take easy breaths. Take easy breaths, Pheobe. You're gonna be alright. I'm here for you.

I shook my head again, harder this time to get rid of the voice that resonated in my head. It was a blast from the past - part of the past I always wanted to forget.

I needed to calm down, I needed to that for myself because no one else would do that for me. I was on my own now.

Dammit! Who was I kidding? I was always alone. Never did once, I had someone. Because all those years, that I let myself believe that I wasn't on my own, I was wrong. Little did I know, I was only making a fool out of myself.

Little did I know, I was also so stupid back then.

-
Now guys, she has her reasons too