Wrong Bodies

Part 14

            I’d never seen Derrick that sad and all emotional before. I couldn’t help but feeling sorry. Tapping his shoulder, I smiled sympathetically and whispered,

            “I apologize for receiving that kiss from Max. It means nothing, either for me or Max.”

            “Okay, I understand. Promise me you’ll never snatch him away from me.”

            “Gee, I won’t.”

            “Anyway, I need you to do me a little favor.”

***  

            I had a basketball practice today after school, which meant I would be at the field with Max Maxwell. It was a good chance to accomplish my mission. A mission which was as impossible as Jayson becoming a saint overnight: Derrick asked me to have a talk with Max regarding Natasha. He said it might work to bring up the old memories. I wasn’t sure about this. For all I knew everyone in this world didn’t know Natasha and Jordine except Aunt Hilda and Kenny. They were affected by Hilda’s powerful jinx. I’d explained this again and again, but Derrick didn’t want to listen. Besides, he looked so desperate that I didn’t have a heart to turn him down.

So there I was, stalking Max Maxwell like a hawk during the game. I waited until every guy in the team had left, then I approached him while we were alone in the locker room. Max’s skin was still fuming from the shower. He was shirtless. The only thing that wrapped him up was a small towel around his hip. I could feel my cheeks burning.

“Hey, dude, what’s up?” he said as he opened the locker and yanked his sport bag out.

“Hi, Max. Um, I’m wondering...are you busy? I want to talk with you personally like...for a minute or two,” I stammered. He turned to me, giving me a quizzical look.

“Sure.”

I didn’t want to risk myself being caught by the other guys while talking about this whole true love thing with Max, so I suggested that we go to the school roof. On our way, we ran into Kenny Lee, who didn’t seem happy about me walking side by side with Max. Knowing the truth about Dennis Wang made my feelings more complicated toward him.

“Nah, here we are. I sometimes come here to avoid the teachers whenever I skip school,” Max said as we arrived at the roof. We leaned against the fence, looking down at the football field which looked like a miniature from up here. The cheerleader squad was practicing. I could see Hallie McLane posing at the top of human pyramid, and then made a leap in the air and landed on the ground.

“She’s hot isn’t she?” Max started, tilting his head. “Hallie McLane,” he added as he saw a question mark written all over my face.

“Er...yeah, she is,” I admitted. Even as Jordan, I was still jealous of Hallie for her prettiness. Damn she was so lucky. I wondered how her parents looked like because she was like a combination of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s genes.

“I heard you two were dating for a while,” I said, trying to dig deeper. He nodded.

“Yeah, about six months. But it was not serious or anything. So, what’s this personal thing that you want to talk about?”

“Umm...okay, here’s the case. I...think I have a crush on this girl but I’m confused,” I said lying. If I were Pinocchio, my nose must have landed in Madagascar by now. “I think you’re cool and more experienced, so I come to you for some brotherly advices.”

Max cracked up laughing. Dammit I really wanted to strangle Derrick for making me do this. This was so embarrassing.

“Hahaha. Jordan, you’re hilarious!” he said, patting my back. “Okay. I’ll try to help. What do you want to know?”

“Have you ever fallen in love? I mean, how do you know you’re really into someone?”

Max rubbed his chin, thinking. I prayed he’d take my bait.

“Have I ever...hold on. Well, actually there was...there is someone that has gotten me so badly.”

“Really? Who?”

“I don’t know. It may not make sense but...I think I’ve got amnesia or something. All I could remember is I broke up with Hallie because of this girl. But the weird thing is I can’t remember her name or face or anything about her except that I’ve fallen for her. It’s like...there’s something missing and I can’t explain it...” his voice trailed off. Wait a minute. Natasha told me that she’d been the third party in Max and Hallie’s relationship. Could it be that...? So her intuition was true. Oh my. I couldn’t believe this!

“Sorry I was talking nonsense. You must think I’m nuts,” he said shyly.

“What? No, no...anyways, do you know Derrick Jeter?”

“You mean, the junior who gets beaten up by Garreth every now and then? What about him?”

“Is he...is he familiar to you in some ways?”

“Well, um, let’s not talk about him, shall we? Anyways what’s with the sudden change of topic? We haven’t even discussed about this girl you like.”

“Why can’t we talk about Derrick?” I asked with a sharp tone. Max got fidgety when I mentioned his name, so I was suspicious. I must have had a natural talent of diplomacy, because after I pressured him more, he blurted out a shocking confession.

“Fine, you got me, Jordan. I have no idea how you find out, but yes, I think I’m bi.”

“I beg your pardon?” I croaked. What was he talking about? I didn’t say anything about him being bi. Did he mean bipolar or...bisex?

“Well, I don’t know but whenever I see that kid I think he’s cute. It’s not normal for a guy to think another guy is cute, you know. But I can’t lie to myself that Derrick is cute. If I’m not bi, then what is it? Please don’t freak out.”

MAX THOUGHT DERRICK WAS CUTE. WHAT?

“No...I respect your sexual orientation, really,” I said.

“So that fact doesn’t make you uncomfortable or anything?”

“Um, no.”

“You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

Max smiled. He spread his arms open and hugged me so tightly I thought my backbone would never be straight anymore. I could only mutter “yes...yes...okay...” absent-mindedly while he was declaring that we were best friends from now on. Now that I knew about Max’s feeling, the only obstacle was how to get him to kiss Derrick in the full moon, which was coming in three days. The important thing was, we already found true love for Derrick a.k.a Natasha.

But...how about me?