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(show him his boyfriend's an asshole)
* * *
A natural part seemed to form in the crowd as we made our way over to Chuck, almost as if the universe was willing this confrontation to happen.
I wouldn't be surprised. It was a long time coming, after all.
James was walking ahead of me with short, brisk steps, a rigidness in his posture that hadn't been there before—a stark contrast to the apathy displayed on his face. It definitely wasn't natural; it seemed as if he was trying his best to appear normal, as if he hadn't just been stabbed in the back by someone he was supposed to trust, someone he loved.
The only giveaway was the hard edge of his jaw, but it was something so subtle, only a person who knew James well would be able to pick up on it.
That category happened to include me, so it was glaringly obvious that James wasn't as fine as he'd like others to think. That was okay, though. He was allowed to feel like shit, especially considering the situation we were in. If he didn't, I'd be worried.
"You know we don't have to do this, right? We can back out if you want," I called out to James as we passed by someone who I'm pretty sure was my English teacher first semester. A bit of recognition flickered in his eyes, but we passed him before he could say anything. Which was good. He knew I was underage.
James slowed his pace, allowing me to catch up with him. He'd been moving quickly and there was still a fair amount of alcohol coursing through my veins, making the whole walking thing a little difficult.
"Look, I get that you're worried and all, but I need to do this, okay? He's put me through hell this year and I just... I want him to know," James said. "I appreciate that you're here and that you care, but he deserves to know just how much he's fucked up. And I want to be the one to tell him that."
His reasoning made sense. Besides, if anyone deserved to yell at Chuck for being an asshole, it was him.
"Alright. Just... if you want to leave, let me know. I've got your back, you know."
James gave me a grateful smile, and then continued to walk to where his cheating soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend stood, getting real close to his latest conquest. They'd graduated from whispering sweet-nothings in each other's ears to dancing with each other, their bodies pressed flush against each other.
God, the nerve of Chuck.
"Oh, hey babe," James cooed as we approached the asshole, everything about him appearing warm and friendly save for the fire burning in his eyes. He was livid, and judging from the way Chuck gulped, he knew it too. "I didn't expect to see you here."
