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"Well, Sunday, Zach took me surfing," She said, and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
"I thought you were terrified of the water." Never once did this girl swim in the ocean if her feet couldn't touch the ground. Belle was terrified of drowning, and more terrified of open water with waves that could take her and rip her out further into the sea. All the times we'd been to the beach together, she would hardly even get in. I knew it had something to do with an accident when she was a child and a riptide caught her.
"I was. Well, I still am, but it wasn't real surfing." She took another drink of her coffee before continuing. "We used the same surfboard and just caught little waves. I never even stood up. But it was really fun, actually. We're going to go again this weekend."
I just stared because it was all I could do. "Did he know that you were afraid of the water?"
"I told him, but he promised me that the second I felt uncomfortable we would go back to the shore. Honestly, it was almost obnoxious how many times he asked me if I was okay or if I wanted to go back to the shore. But I really enjoyed it and want to do it again. I think it might be exactly what I need to get over my phobia."
"You don't have to conquer your fears just for him," I remarked, rolling my eyes. I really didn't like this guy.
"It's not for him, Landon." She leveled a glare at me that would take me to the ground if looks could kill. "I liked it for myself and would like to get over my fear of the ocean. I do live on the beach, after all."
Her full lips were pressed into an angry, thin line, and I realized I crossed into a territory that I shouldn't have. Made a mistake with my words.
"I'm sorry," I said genuinely, relief coursing through my body when she visibly relaxed.
But that didn't stop me from asking my next question.
"What about our game?"
Belle laughed. "What about our game?"
"You started dating. I thought I was supposed to set you up with people," I explained, crossing my arms over my chest.
"You've got to be kidding me!" She pushed her chair back from the table, leaning away from me.
"What? We were playing a dating game."
"Yeah, we were. And then you started dating Tiffany, who I did not and would not have ever set you up with. And then you didn't care to set me up on another date and didn't even tell me until it was too late. So excuse me for thinking that I could choose to go on dates with whoever I wanted to. I wasn't aware that only you could do that."
She stood up, grabbing her coffee and her purse.
"Belle, don't—" I stood up too, holding a hand out to stop her.
"No, Landon. You don't get to act like a pompous jerk on Saturday night when Zach is over for game night when you also invited Tiffany, and then come in here and act like I'm not allowed to date someone if it wasn't through the stupid game we were playing. You can't have your cake and eat it, too." She was mad, but still kept her voice low enough that only I could hear her.
She was also right. But everything inside me revolted, and I couldn't accept the reason why. Even though I knew fully well why I was acting like a complete jerk to my best friend.
"It's completely different, Belle. I already knew Tiffany and ran into her. You... I don't know, used a dating app or something. Plus, what do you even have against Tiffany?" I knew they were all the wrong things to say, but I couldn't stop myself, and I couldn't take the words back.
"It's not different, Landon, and you're acting like a spoiled child. And you know what? The fact that I even have to tell you why I have a problem with Tiffany is ridiculous. It's very telling about how you feel about our friendship that you don't know." And then she walked out, shoulder-checking me as she passed me.
"Um..." Cooper started, announcing his presence as he approached the table with his drink and pastry. Mandy was by his side, giving me suspicious eyes. "What was that about?"
I threw up my hands in exasperation and sat back down in my chair. "Who knows."
I could pretend all I wanted, but I still knew that I'd messed up. Apparently, it was all I'd been doing since starting this stupid dating game with Belle. I couldn't seem to say the right thing or do the right thing, and I knew I was only hurting Belle. I was ruining the perfect friendship that we had, and sooner or later, it would break if I kept acting this way.
But I was trapped in this cycle of anger and longing and jealousy, and nothing I could do would get me out of it.
"Did she call you out for being an absolute idiot at game night?" When I looked up at Mandy in surprise, she rolled her eyes at me. Leslie and Andrew sat down as she continued. "I don't know what got into you, but you were so rude the entire night, especially to Zach and Belle. And honestly, you were even rude to Tiffany."
"I wasn't," I argued, but Leslie jumped right into the argument.
"You were, Landon. You acted like a jealous boyfriend and as though Belle was cheating on you by bringing Zach. And Tiffany was right there. Honestly, if you're so in love with Belle, you need to just break things off with Tiffany so you don't hurt her."
"I'm not in love with Belle. How many times do I have to tell you guys this?" I was so frustrated, and knew this was going to end poorly too.
