A Little Bit Pyro

20: Battle of the Exes

Dedicated to the ridiculously awesome Hatsy_Winchester, who made all of the banners you see in the new slide show on the side. Girl is friggin amazing. Just saying. Thanks for all your comments and votes too!

*Heads up* Since my mind blowing experience at that writing conference a few weeks ago I've realized that I have a small problem with the way I've portrayed a few of my characters. When I started out the story I didn't know them as well as I do now, so the following chapters might feel a little bit inconsistent, but I don't have time to go back and fix the whole book right now. Anyway, just be aware that there are a few changes with some of Ref's traits.

Okay, on to the chapter...

Chapter 20: Battle of the Exes

By the time I plop my food laden tray next to Ajay, he is already at his table in the courtyard with a couple of his teammates. Normally I would eat with Kenz on Friday, but Jay needs more of a pick-me-up than Kenzie does. Patrick and Devon are in the middle of a heated debate but pause long enough to give me a nod. Ajay pokes his spork at a baked potato, completely oblivious to the conversation surrounding him.

 “Oh, please. You did not.”

“Yeah, I did. Ask Sean. He saw it.”

“Sure, Pelé,” and then elbowing Ajay, Patrick adds, “What a load of crap. He can’t do a bicycle kick.”

Jay looks dubiously at Devon before shrugging and turning to me, and speaking low enough that the two guys won’t be able to hear him.

“Did she talk about me?” He glances around the room, unconsciously looking for the girl in question. I shake my head no.

“She’s waiting for me to break down and come crawling back. I’m not going to beg, man. She’s going to have to wait for a very long time.”

Just from the observations I’ve made of Mckenzie during English, I would conjecture that being single is not a millstone hanging around her neck the way the situation is hanging on his. If I wanted to crush his spirit, I might even use the incident when she was flirting up a hurricane with James to illustrate that point. But Ajay can’t descend any further into depression if he’s going to make it back out before I get ungrounded. Also, getting in the middle of their mess is not appealing in any way.

“I don’t think she’s messing with your head, Jay.”

“Why? What did she say?”

“Nothing. But has she ever screwed around with your head before?” My logic is sound, but Ajay refuses to accept it.

“Maybe she’s trying a new approach since I know all her tricks.”

Shouts from Devon and Patrick arise interrupting our conversation. “Yeah, I can!”

“Please. You’ll get a hat trick before you ever do a bicycle.”

“I have gotten a hat trick, in that game against Sharpstown.”

“That wasn’t a hat trick.”

“Yeah it was!”

“The first goal was a penalty shot.  And, you said it yourself. The game was against Sharpstown.” 

Ajay leans back over his food and mutters, “I’m not going to beg,” more to himself than to me. Maybe the way to lift his spirits is to point out some of the positives of being single. He used to love it.

“At least you can erase those hearts Kenz put next to her name in your contacts. That’s good, right?”

Jay looks at me for a moment before nodding. “Yeah. It was definitely Mckenzie who put those there. I would never do that. It’s so lame.”