How To Train Your Boyfriend

Chapter 10: Cheer the Fuck Up

Cheer the Fuck Up

Sean texted me the day that I gave him my number, but didn't ask me out until Thursday. When it happened, I squealed with excitement, causing Theo to jump in surprise.

"Jesus, calm down," he said, sending a dirty look my way.

I ignored him. Nothing could bring me down as I read the text over and over again.

"He wants to do something tonight," I said. "We didn't have plans, did we? If we did I'm cancelling."

We were sitting at our usual lunch spot, taking full advantage of the sun. Theo was desperately trying to tan his caramel colored skin while I was aiming to add just a hint of color to my own painfully pale exterior.

"Luckily for you," Theo started, narrowing his brown eyes. "We did not have plans."

I smiled and hurriedly texted Sean back. We'd spent the past two days talking nonstop. It had been months since I felt like this, or anywhere close to this, about a boy. The giddy feeling of having a new crush was something I desperately missed, and was never fully accustomed to.

"Someone is excited."

I didn't see James appear on the bench next to me as much as I felt it. I was beginning to sense his presence as if I had my own James Hadley-themed super power. He could appear in any room at any time and a part of me would know.

"Some boy just asked her out," Theo stated. I caught him smiling at James, whose mouth quirked in response. Immediately I was annoyed, and even jealous, at their unspoken language.

"I like him," I said in my own defense. "And I am excited . . .  so back off."

James raised his hands in the air. "Hold on. I didn't say anything!"

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Seriously," James continued. "I am all for this relationship. Sean is a cutie. You go get you some, girl."

Theo laughed before focusing back on his own phone. He was currently texting a guy named Nick, who was two years older and went to the nearby college. Theo could tease me all he wanted about Sean, but I wasn't the only one getting bit by the love-bug this season.

"Speaking of," I started, referring to my own mental tangent. "How's Mia?"

James suddenly blushed and, for once, looked completely uncomfortable with the focus being on him. I realized that I had been thoroughly slacking in the doctoring department, and was making a mental effort to get back on track. James was still a mess of a boyfriend - and hardly a boyfriend at that.

"She's good," James replied quickly.

I narrowed my eyes again. If I kept hanging around James, my eyes were going to be stuck in a permanently squinted position.

James sighed. "We haven't really spoken lately," he admitted.

My mouth automatically fell open and Theo's gaze flashed from his phone to me. A thousand dollars. I was not losing a thousand dollars because James couldn't muster up the courage to speak to Mia fucking Kahn.

"What the fuck, James," I said, unable to hide my exasperation. "Why not?"

James gave me his signature sloppy shrug and I groaned.

"I know you like her," I said. I put down my phone and turned my full attention onto him. "There's no way you would be this involved with her if you didn't like her. So why are you being a little bitch?"