I didn’t even remember dreaming about anything, but I woke up to voices.

“I think you’re really great. I’ve thought so for a while. What’s stopping you?”

“I want to, but he’s right there,” I heard.

“He’s sleeping.”

“I know, but what if he wakes up?”

My eyelids opened a tiny crack. I could see Steph and Derrick both asleep in their chairs, but my eyelids were so heavy that they closed again. But I kept listening.

“He won’t.”

I heard a giggle. I heard another giggle. A familiar giggle.

“Then get closer, cute boy.” Then the smooching noises filled my ears not long after. Something in my stomach twisted. It was jealousy, disappointment, and anger. I sat up to see Mel and Desmond making out. I saw the way she played with his hair, and the way he held on to her shoulders, and the way they both seemed so . . . happy. It all sunk in, filling my chest, causing my heart to drop. Then Mel noticed me from the corner of her eye. She pulled away and shortly after, Desmond turned his head in my direction. Silence filled the air, and I kept my head down. I loved her, but she liked someone else, and that someone wasn’t me.

“Dude, if this is weird then maybe . . .” Mel began.

“This is weird. I don’t like this. I don’t like him. I don’t want to be here,” I said in a low voice. “Why did you invite me?”

“Because I wanted you to get out of your house. Outside of your head.”

“Well maybe my head is the only place where I don’t get hurt.”

Mel sat in silence.

“Come on, man. Don’t be like this. She can kiss whoever she wants,” Desmond said.

“That’s not what you implied earlier, asshole,” I snarled.

Desmond cocked his head back. He didn’t like being called an asshole. Then he turned to Mel.

“It was just a joke, right, Mel?”

“It wasn’t a funny one,” she replied with her head down.

“Okay, I’m sorry. God, I can’t even joke about anything anymore with you social justice warriors. If you guys don’t want to be here, then maybe you should both leave.”

Mel’s eyes darted to Desmond, and I could see her frustration and disgust.

“You know what? I thought there was more under your macho man, preppy art student persona. Desmond, you’re so fake.”

“Yeah, and right now I’m going to be real. If you don’t like my hospitality then get out, both of you. Take your drama elsewhere.”

I stormed out of Desmond’s house. When I opened the front door I let Mel exit first, then I slammed that door as loud as I could, hoping it woke up his parents. I checked my phone and it was shortly after three in the morning. Mel looked hurt and confused, just like me.

“Can you walk me back to my car?” she asked quietly.

I wanted to say no, but I didn’t. We didn’t say a word to each other while walking back to Dreamer’s Corner. I was angry, but also sad. I was angry because I felt betrayed, but I was sad that she liked someone else, and I’m sure she knew. As much as it hurt, I still cared about Mel. I knew that she still cared about me, but not in the way I cared about her. That was the weird part, realizing that maybe our heartbeats weren’t on the same wavelength, and I didn’t know how that made me feel. She lit a cigarette on the way back. I could tell that the whole situation put her on edge.