The Outside of the Middle

    I was only a senior awaiting the final date of my high school career. I’m already accepted into college and cruise control has taken over. I find myself a philosopher and I feel that I know what I’m talking about in high school. I try to lead a simple life but it’s the people that mess it up. I have a girlfriend and her name is Katie. She’s a little shorter than me, real cute, and I just love to be with her. The only flaw is that she’s a junior. How could I possibly go out with a junior, right? It shouldn’t be weird. My parents are five years apart and we’re only eight months. But once you’re labeled, others feel you can’t go out of your own labeling, otherwise you get dirty looks and your friends feel the need to stay away from your significant other.
    So there’s my first philosophical rant and it won’t be the last. But the true story is about two of Katie’s friends, Melissa and Sadie. They were the best of friends but in a non-stop argument. Melissa was more of a leader to Sadie. Leader meaning boss. They were both juniors as well and, being a good boyfriend, I tried my best to get along with them considering they both sat by me in Pre-Calculus. It was hard with my sarcasm. They rarely understood me and when they did they thought I was making fun of them. Katie and I would always sit with each other during our free mods and Melissa and Sadie would turn jealous.
    Melissa would toy with Katie, “So, Katie, we have an open chair over here if you wanna come by us.” She would stare at her with a giant smile. She also felt that I didn’t know what I was doing with Katie, therefore she would not sit by me, which actually forced Sadie to keep away.
    Katie would glare back at her and then realize that everyone at the table was giving her the same glare. “No thanks,” she replied politely, “I’m fine right here.”
    Melissa would roll her eyes and turn away in disgust. This routine would continue for weeks and eventually she lightened up to me and would sit at the same table and even make conversation with me. Our relationship as friends was actually starting to grow. But she was never satisfied with herself and, for some reason, always kept pushing her friends away. But everyone knew she wanted those friends, she just wanted to be the boss.
    Katie and I would still sit by ourselves most of the time and as much as we could. But Melissa would still not approve. Sadie was okay with it but still wanted more time with Katie. They both felt that I was taking Katie away from them. But we had our reasons.
    The big event came one day with me, Katie and Melissa. What started out as a nice day became a disaster. With Katie and Melissa’s science project deadline coming up, Melissa wanted Katie to work with her…alone.
    Katie started, “Do you think you could come over some time this weekend to work on the project?”
    Melissa replied, “Well, we could probably get it done if you didn’t spend all your time with this kid.” She pointed to me.
    “Melissa I don’t wanna hear it anymore.”
    “What? You never sit with me anymore. What do you want me to do?”
    “I want you to drop it!”
    “Why should I drop it when I’m losing my friend?”
    “You’re not losing me! I’m still here!”
    “No! Ever since you’ve been going out with him, you’ve been-”
    “Stop! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Katie packed her stuff and stormed off.
I was debating on whether to follow her, to comfort her, but I wanted to get inside Melissa’s head more. There was a dead pause between us across the table for a good thirty seconds.
    I started, “What’s all this about?”
    “Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
    “Do you honestly think I’m not gonna worry about it?”
    Melissa sighed and continued, “It’s just that…she never hangs out with us anymore. It’s not fair to me and Sadie.”
    I was thinking of telling her that life isn’t fair but I figured it wouldn’t be appropriate, “So, you think that I’m taking her away from you?”
    “Yeah, before she had you, she was always with us.”
    “But do you understand why she’s being with me a lot?” Melissa kept her head down and lightly shook it. “It’s because I’m a senior. I know it’s a long year but in reality she doesn’t have a lot of time with me. And we want to make the most of it.”
    “So, do you just want me to let her go for a year and then you both expect me and Sadie to just take her back without even a thought?”
    “That’s one option if you choose to take it. But have you ever even once thought of hanging out with us. I would gladly do it and I would gladly let you go off with her.” Melissa had nothing to say to that, and I felt that I was winning my side. “I understand where you are coming from and I can understand where me and Katie are coming from. You just need to understand what high school is. I mean stuff happens. You gotta learn to live with it. I’m not trying to be mean to you but being a high schooler is not what you think it is. It’s being a sixth grader and senior in college. You have to live it up and have fun as much as possible but you also have to be mature as a college student and learn that life has only started and why ruin it now? If you try to hard to become your perspective of a high schooler you will end up alone living in one big act.” I think I got my point across to her by seeing her head come up and giving me a faint smile with watery eyes.
    “Thanks for talking to me. I can understand where you two are coming from. But promise me you’ll try and give me and Sadie more time with her.”
    “I promise you will.”
    “Okay.” She smiled nicely at me. From then I knew me and Melissa would be well off. “I still don’t think you’re worth it,” she replied as a smart alac comment.
    I sarcastically replied, “I totally agree,” as I started to get up and leave, “I’ll see ya in math class. I gotta find Katie.” I walked out and thought about where she may be. But the bell rang and the mod was over. I had class and had no time to find her. I thought about Katie and how angry she would be at Melissa for bringing up that conversation, especially around me. I didn’t see her for the rest of the day and the only time to talk to her was at night on the phone. I couldn’t wait but I wasn’t sure what to say. The day went by and I sat in my bed with my phone in my hands. It was 9:19. I speed-dialed her phone and awaited the answer.
    “Hi.”
    “Hey. Are you alright?”
    “Yeah. I’m fine.”
    “I know that means you’re not fine but whatever. Do you want to talk about Melissa?”
    “Not really.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because what she did was totally inappropriate and I’m not talking to her until I get an apology.”
    “Alright. But I talked to her and-”
    “So what, she needs to face me and talk to me, not you. Just do me a favor and don’t get involved.”
    “I already am involved and this concerns me.”
    “Not anymore. If she has a problem she can come to me. Promise me you won’t get involved.”
    I had no choice, “I promise.”
    “And don’t tell her I told you that, just say that she needs to face me.”
    “Sounds good.” I didn’t actually think it was good considering I thought I would be able to fix it.
    “Thank you. I gotta finish my homework. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Good night.”
   She hung out quickly. I paused, “Good night.”