Art Class With My Enemy

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"My life is over!" I exclaimed as soon as Harlow stepped into my house.

"You are alive! I thought you were dying from the way you sounded over the phone," she replied.

"I might as well be dying! It'd sure beat having a class with Jerkface," I said. Yeah, I was definitely being overdramatic, but I couldn't stand Gage Jenson.

Harlow rolled her eyes at me as she sat on the couch. "Oh please, Kody. Can't you just remember the good old days and try to get along with him?"

"No, he's a total jerk to me now!"

Harlow sighed and decided to turn the television on instead of continue our conversation. It was probably better that way; we both knew how heated I could get on the subject of Gage. It may have been my fault he acted bitter toward me at first, but it happened years ago! Let me better explain the situation.

Gage is the best friend of Mason, who is Harlow's older brother. Mason, Harlow, Gage, and I used to be best friends since we grew up together. Heck, my sister was even close with us back then, and she ignores me now, so times have definitely changed.

When we were kids—I was nine and Gage was ten—he told me he loved me and wanted to be with me forever. However, we were just stupid kids back then, and at the time I thought I was in love with another kid (who actually turned out to be gay). Also, I believed that Gage didn't really love me because he always annoyed me. Therefore, I told him I didn't love him and that I would never be with him because he constantly made fun of me. The irony of the situation was that I did used to love him before that. I was just afraid he was lying to me and thought he'd break my heart.

Ever since that day, Gage has acted like a jerk toward me. It made sense when we were younger for him to be angry with me for rejecting him, but once he entered middle school, he transformed into this whole other person. He may have annoyed me when we were younger, but he was still often a sweet little boy. That sweet boy disappeared all too soon though.

That day when I rejected him was also the day the four of us grew apart. Harlow and I still remained best friends, as did Gage and Mason, but they rarely spent time with us outside of school. Of course I always see them at Harlow's house and I talk with Mason since he's still a nice guy. Gage, on the other hand, continues to act like an arrogant jerk, whether we're in or out of school.

"Did you ask the principal about using the dance studio?" Harlow asked me, bringing me back from my thoughts.

I nodded. "Yeah, he said I could use them on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday," I replied, letting out a breath of relief. I was extremely happy that he actually allowed me to practice on those days. I didn't think he'd let me do it since I didn't exactly get along with Mr. Kimble, but after practically begging to use the studio, he gave in.

"That's good," she said before checking the time. "I better head back home. After all, I only came over here because I thought you were dying, not just to hear you whine about Gage."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Yeah, yeah, well I'm over it now. I'll just have to deal with it for now. Maybe next semester there will be another open class or something."

"There you go, think positive!" she joked, giving me a quick hug before saying goodbye. I nodded to myself once she left, thinking that maybe I could survive the art class. As long as I could practice dancing three days of the week, I might be okay.

*****

"How's art class been?" Jenna asked me during lunch. A few others nodded their heads in curiosity as well. They all knew Gage and I didn't get along, though they didn't know the reason why.