Savoring Silence

#8: Spying with Jeremy

The three remaining boys and I stood awkwardly outside the dorm room, listening to Michael and Roy shout at each other, shuffling our feet uncomfortably. Ryan leaned against the door, listening intently.

"So do you... do you think they really did it?" Jeremy asked quietly. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, his head down, glancing up at everybody silently. We all exchanged serious looks.

"Do we think who did what, exactly?" James asked, trying to clear everything up, even though we all knew perfectly well who and what Jeremy was talking about.

"You know... Miranda and Roy?" Jeremy hinted, nodded as if he were implanting the thought directly into our minds. James and Ryan exchanged a glance, then James opened his mouth to speak -- just as Ryan began to speak.

"I don't think--"

"Hell yeah, they did it." Ryan cut James off, answering as if it should be obvious. "The most popular couple in Bridgeton breaks up, and the girl sleeps with her ex's best friend to make him jealous."

"It makes sense..." James pondered, "But why on earth would Roy stoop to that low of a level as to commit such an act with such a woman?" I stifled my laughter, listening to James speak all poetic about a whore. Jeremy and Ryan both laughed at the same time.

"It's pretty obvious, James." Jeremy said to James, with a serious look, no longer laughing. He and Ryan looked at each other, clearly thinking the same thing. Obvious that they're both sluts. Oh God, you again? Shoo!

Ryan and Jeremy looked cautiously at me, holding their tongues. At my expense? What did this have to do with me?

"Roy is jealous of Michael, because he is in love with Luna." They explained simultaneously. I froze, thinking about what was just said. Was this all really happening because of me? Because Michael and Roy were both after me? My heart began to pump harder. Why did everything have to be so difficult to figure out? Did I like Roy or Michael? Did I like someone other than them? I had no idea.

We all stood in silence, staring at the floor, when we heard a final shout from inside the dorm, realizing we had forgotten where we were, and the door flew open, startling us. Roy stormed out angrily, turned the corner, and stomped away. Jeremy, Ryan, James, and I stared at each other wide-eyed. What happened?

Michael walked out, looking... Disappointed? Ashamed? Betrayed? Either way, he was the exact opposite of happy.

"I think we should call it a night... or, something. Just... go back to your dorms," He said, backing into his dorm, grasping the door. "Go wherever. I need time... alone." He stared blankly at the ground, closing the door, shutting us out. We all sighed and Ryan and James walked away, entering their dorm and closing the door, leaving Jeremy and I alone.

"Where do you think Roy went?" Jeremy asked me quietly, sticking his hands into his pockets. He waited for a moment, and I shrugged. He chuckled silently and smiled at me. "I forgot, you don't talk." He nodded toward the direction Roy stomped off to, and raised his eyebrows.

"Let's follow him. See what he's up to." He said, just as we saw Roy turn the corner at the end of the long corridor. I nodded, and we hurried off, silent spies of the night.

Roy stood at my open dorm room door, smiling sadly at Miranda and talking. We were down the hall, and couldn't make out what they  were saying, but two slender, tanned arms reached out, grabbing his shirt and pulling him inside, slamming the door shut. The card-slot beeped low and turned red. I walked up to the door and pulled out my card.

"Don't!" Jeremy whispered loudly, swiping the card from my hand. "Let's see what they're up to."

I rolled my eyes. They were probably in bed by now. They are definitely in bed right now. You know, for once, I agree with you.