Betrayed.

I felt betrayed. 

Why did my heart clench? Why was I suddenly filled with rage? Because I  was selfish.  Because I didn't like sharing. I was a child  who'd been shoved into a fifteen year old's body and I was going to act like one.

Daniel was supposed to be mine. For me. Not like in a romantic way, but that one friend whom I didn't have to share with Maureen.

All my life, I've had to take her sloppy seconds as my first. All my friends were first Maureen's friends before she introduced them to me, I was anti social and for the first time, I made a friend without her help. So one should not judge me for being territorial and possessive.

But the sight of his arm around her shoulder and her stupid hand clenching his, set my heart on fire. My chest burned with this emotion that I couldn't quite place as he began rubbing her shoulders soothingly. What was this atrocity all about?

"Daniel." I called out walking towards them. He didn't flinch, nor did he even look in my direction. His full attention on the crying girl. So I tried once again, a bit louder.

"Daniel!" Still nothing. Then out of no where, rage hit me like a spontaneous storm and before I knew what I was doing, I had ripped Daniel's arm off Maureen's shoulder.

Both parties had expressions of shock. Maureen was more of, she'd been caught red handed with my boyfriend. Daniel had more of a, what the hell was I doing, we were fake dating shock. I swallowed a massive lump in my throat and voiced my excuse to Daniel.

"I've been calling you since, you didn't hear me screaming your name?" I placed my left hand on my hip and pursed my lips. Giving Maureen a rushed side glance before moving my attention back to Daniel. "I have something to tell you, come."

Instead of running to my side like I'd wanted, Daniel directed his eyes to Maureen and then back to me, as if giving some sort of message with his eyes. "Maureen needs some comfort actually." My eyes narrowed like slits and my nose flared.

"And why does she need it from you? When did you guys become 'buddy buddy'" I used air quotes at the end to emphasize my point. Daniel rolled his eyes and sighed. "I meant from you."

Now this caught me off guard. I took at most a minute to process his words. Why would he suggest I help Maureen? What was this all about? Daniel, more than anyone, knew I couldn't stand the sight of this chick, so what was he insinuating.

"Why?" He ran his hand over his face in annoyance and for a second I was taken aback again. Why did Daniel even care? "Um. I'm sorry for any trouble I might have caused. I should get going." Pipped Maureen. 

She seemed flustered and embarrassed to have been seen in this state and immediately wiped her eyes. She threw me an apologetic look then gave Daniel a thankful smile which irked me even more. I moved to atleast  threaten her or something but Daniel's immediate grip on my wrist stopped me.

I glared at the back of her head as she walked away, her whole composure morphing into one calm and composed. Who was she trying to fool? "Were you always harsh?" My head snapped in the direction of the accusing tone and I clenched my jaw. Now I was the harsh one? Me?

I ripped my wrist put of his grip and glared him down. "What were you even doing? What's your business if she's crying? Or are you her boyfriend too." I crossed my arms and struck a pose. Daniel kissed his teeth and shook his head.

"I have nothing to say to you." He attempted to brush by me but I grabbed his hand and basically thrusted him back to his original position. He looked to be off balance and mortified at my action. As he seemed at a loss for words, I began to rant.

"What's your problem? Why are you going off course? This is what we wanted, for both of them to split up. Sefini. We've done it. So why do you have to get involved with her! You know what she did to me-" Then he caught me off guard.

"Just shut up!" He barked. I became mute. We'd immediately traded places and now I was the one who's tongue the cat had gotten between its paws.  Daniel grabbed my shoulders and flipped us around. I was now with my back to the gate while he was backing the entrance.

He suddely pushed me  backwards which not only shocked but scared me. "What do you know? Did I ever tell you why I brought up the deal? Did I? Stop running your mouth, and use that stupid head of yours. What do you think you know? Ehn? Who said we have the same goals? Ehn?"

Cornered against the gate, I swallowed. Fear had began to crawl its way up my neck and had started to whisper into my ears. My head got to work in an instance. What else could've been his objective?  Why did he want them split? It wasn't for me because we weren't friends then but why? Why was he by Maureen's side? Then like a truck, it ran me over.

"You like Maureen." Daniel's brows furrowed.  Probably in confusion on how I had figured it out. "How didn't I see it? She's the pretty one and she's smart too. But she was taken and what better way to get to her than through me. You couldn't do it alone so you got me to tag along and then-"

"What in the world are you saying!"

"-you could have her. And if I was lucky I could have Joseph too. Right? That was the plan from the start but-"

Daniel slammed his hand against the gate and it shook like it had been struck by lightening. I flinched so hard and so fast that I scratched my arm against the iron. Daniel's eyes were wide and wild, his nostril flared and his second hand was being clenched so tight beside his leg.

The smack of sandals against cement told me we now had an audience behind the gate, students who were having last minute classes. Just what I needed. "Let's break up." I declared loudly. Slowly, Daniel began to calm down, but his fist remained in its same position.

"What did you say?" He locked eyes with me and stood upright. Then his eyes moved to behind me and he immediately noticed the crowd forming behind me. "I said. Let's break up.  I'm sorry, but I can't anymore." I mustered as much confidence as I possibly could and forced myself out of my prey position.

I made sure to bump shoulders with him for emphasis, as I rolled my bottom lip in between my teeth and bit hard. I flinched once again at the sound of Daniel possibly kicking the gate but avoided looking back.  I kept my head held high and forced myself to act like nothing had happened. Nice going idiot, you've just made another enemy.