Going After The Wrong Guy

Chapter 23: Piano Night Part 1

Jen is staring at James from across the room. He is holding the last music meeting to make sure everyone is ready to play their part before their performance in the next two hours. Some of the top music professionals from around the country were coming.

But no, that's not the reason why she's staring at James. He looks hotter today. Like distractingly hot. And based on her dream last time, he's extremely gifted down there. She looked down at his hands, and felt the pressure on her wrists, blushing to herself.

James has his own thing going on. He's not looking back at her. He's talking to Meg and finalizing the plan for tonight.

Because that's what they did. They made a good team. Meg was a people-pleaser and fun to talk to, so she communicated directly to the individuals on the team. James was quick-witted, and he knew how to arrange events that would popularize the music team. There's a clear reason why he was voted as captain during the second semester of his freshman year.

"James R, are you ready for tonight?" Meg asked him.

He coughed, "Oh yeah, I'm not nervous at all. It's not like Beyonce is going to be there," he said.

Meg double checked the guest list. "Oh! She is coming in. I don't know how I missed that. Hm," she said nonchalantly while James R sat there freaking out.
Jen frowned and peered down at the ground. Her previously absent 'bummed out' thoughts were coming to the surface. Some of the biggest names were attending this evening, and she'd be sitting on the sidelines for it.

She looked back up and when she did, James was staring right at her. They both struggled to shift their eyes, as there was nothing else more interesting going on. Her heart stung when he looked away.

"Okay guys, I will see you at the performance tonight," James said. People walked up to Meg to ask her questions, and James was speeding away. Jen tried to catch up with him, but at the entrance, a familiar blonde was standing. Jen's breath caught in her throat, as she watched Ana drag his arm into the adjacent music room.

***

"Can we talk about it now?" Ana asked James, who was rather annoyed.

"You know?" She dragged the last syllable of her sentence. James played dumb, his mind already preoccupied with concerns about Jen's recent date.

"What about her?"

Her? Ana wasn't talking about a her. She bit her lip, because if she didn't she would scream at him. Then she had to ball her fists together, because if she didn't, then she would have slapped the living shit out of him. Realistically, it's been six years, but to Ana, time was on pause and just recently resumed. And now here he is, looking at her as if she were a stranger and talking about a her.

"What is she to you? Tell me," Ana demanded.

"She's a friend. I already told you," he said. "Look, Ana, we'll talk about this another time. I have to go," he said, trying to shrug her off and make his way out of the room. But Ana blocked his path, standing in front of the door as if he were a prisoner.

"No, we're talking about this now!" Ana yelled, stomping her foot to the ground.

"Fine! You want to know what's going on so bad?" James exploded, "I lied! She's not a friend. She's more than that. She's my–"

Girlfriend? No, she's not. She's Chad's girlfriend. Even if she wasn't, she wants Chad. Not you.

You were just there to help Chad ruin her. You were supposed to let him break Jen's heart and watch her leave the school empty-handed.