He wasn't jealous. He was not jealous. He had nothing to be jealous about. He didn't want anything he had. He didn't want his friends (one of which seemed to be going off the deep end, anyway,) and he didn't want his girlfriend; he wasn't ready for one. After all, he was still getting over the whole Invader debacle. But, as the small voice in the corner of his brain was pointing out, he wasn't ready for a girlfriend.

That particular voice seemed to get louder as the days rolled into weeks and weeks into months. He resisted it, refusing to listen constantly, but it was persistent and determined. It was no longer a question of if he would listen to it, but when. He could never admit to the thoughts it brought into his head. The deep longing within him to zap that blue streak bitch from existence and just slide into her place; into the strong arms that he grew used to drooling over.

Dom shook his head, blinking his eyes as he settled back into reality. There he stood, in gym class, in the middle of a basketball game no less, staring across the court at the ship he desperately wanted to sink. How much more pathetic could he get? The happy couple seemed to be having a good time; Salex laughing at some story Taurtis was telling as he looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes. They seemed to have it all. No doubt they would be voted "Cutest Couple" and all other related categories in the Yearbook.

Dom was not jealous.

"Dom!" He snapped his head around to see his friends motioning him to toss the ball, which he just remembered he was holding. He half-heartedly tossed it vaguely in their direction before moving to the bleachers.

He knew better than to stay in the game while his mind was elsewhere. They didn't seem to pay him any mind, just continuing to play as if nothing happened. He supposed that the dismissal should have stung, but he needed to be invisible today (maybe for the rest of the week and so on.) He hated that the voice was making sense. Even as he watched the two, it still carried on, claiming that Taurtis would be far happier with him and not the girl who was rumored to be in love with another. Personally, Dom didn't understand how you could even look at others when you had, practically, a Greek God in front of you.

This was not jealousy. His heart just saw love and craved it, but he wasn't jealous. Being jealous meant that he envied that two-timing hoe, and he would not stoop to that low. He just knew that no one deserved that; Taurtis deserved better. Whether it was him or someone else (though preferably him) Dom didn't care. Dom did not care; no matter what that voice insisted, he didn't. He wasn't jealous and he didn't care about who Taurtis was dating. Why should he? It wasn't like he and Taurtis were close, anymore. After all, the bastard chose Sam over him.

Again, not jealous. He didn't understand it, but he had just dealt with it this far. It wasn't like he missed Taurtis and occasionally considered being nice to Sam in order to get him back. That involved to much pride swallowing for Dom and definitely didn't sound like something he would do, and certainly not for some guy either. But, as the voice reminded him, Taurtis was not just some guy. Taurtis was an amazing, handsome, funny, sexy guy. Dom chose to ignore the last part. The point was, once upon a time, Taurtis mattered, and that seemed to be reason enough to step in for a part of Dom.

Jealous had no part in this, but Dom had heard something that Taurtis really had to hear. It doesn't matter how he got the information (he certainly hadn't been stalking Salex to find anything incriminating, no siree) Dom heard that Salex had a thing for girls. Knowing that wouldn't be enough, he figured out that she and Yuki had a secret thing for a long time. Yuki being involved meant that Sam should be told too, but Dom didn't care about him; Taurtis would inevitably tell him anyway. Dom just had to work up the courage to go up to him. And it would be much easier if the girlfriend in question wasn't always around. Seriously, how many hours can you really stand to be in the same person's presence without getting tired of them?

Dom was not jealous; he might as well make that his new mantra.

He was just looking out of Taurtis. Before he knows it, the whole student body could know and judge Taurtis for being faithful to that awful slut who doesn't even find him attractive (which is a crime in it of itself.) The way he saw it if Dom didn't step in, who would? Sam would probably be too caught up in his own little world to even notice the hushed voices, Grian would be too busy with J (because everybody, everybody, knows their fucking, even if they refuse to admit it,) and all the girls are either friends with Salex or probably shoving their tongues down her throat as well. The task was left on Dom's shoulders.

Dom scowled as the couple in question locked lips. The voice constantly telling him that it should be him. That should his waist that Taurtis's arm was around. That should be his ear that Taurtis whispered into. That should be his lips that he kissed.

This was still anything but jealousy. Dom was cool and collected. He knew he had enough patience to wait for Salex to creep off with her friends and then just swoop in and tell Taurtis the truth about her sorry ass. Cool as a cucumber, that was Dom. Calm and overall pleasant to be around when in this tranquil state of mind. Dom just needed to be the good friend that he was and all the pain and suffering would go away. Taurtis would be single again, Salex would be crying enough tears to drown herself, Sam will fuck off because now he's got to find someone else to make him his goddamn sandwich and Dom? Dom will be happier, which is unimaginable since he is currently beaming with such positivity that just the thought of such an immense amount of happiness could almost cause a headache.

"If you scowl any longer you won't remember how to look normal."

Dom sighed, "Even you know that's not possible."

J shrugged, "True, but it got your attention."

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to hear you grumbling to yourself."

Dom groaned, throwing his arm over his eyes, "J, what am I supposed to do?"

"Nothing."

Dom whipped around to glare at him, "What do you mean nothing?!"

"Well, are you willing to admit your feelings for Taurtis yet?"

Dom glared at the ground, trying to calm the heat rising in his cheeks, "I do not have feelings for him."

J gave him a blank stare, "Then you can do nothing."

"But she's cheating on him!" Dom whined.

J rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say."

Dom blinked at him, "You were there with me. You heard her talk about it. How can you just dismiss something like that?"

"Maybe there's a piece of the puzzle that you're missing."

"J, we agreed no more word games."

"I think you should tell him you like him and have liked him since second grade."

"But telling him that his girlfriend is cheating on him, doesn't involve my nonexistent feelings."

J shook his head and sighed, "Fine, do things your way. Be a coward for the rest of your life."

Dom frowned as J got up and walked out of the gym. Screw whatever J thought. He was doing the right thing, he had to tell him. If he was being cheated on he would want someone to tell him. Was it so crazy to simply do the thing that any good friend would do? But that was the problem, he and Taurtis weren't friends anymore. They didn't talk, there were no sleepovers on the weekends, trips to the beach, eating as much candy as they could before they couldn't even look at another piece for a few days. None of that existed anymore. Well, Dom just wasn't apart of it.

He wasn't jealous.

Maybe there was a bit of sadness and regret, but that was all Dom chose to pay attention to. He shouldn't be jealous of any of them. Not J or Grian or Sam or even Salex. He should accept the fact that Taurtis chose them. He was a jerk, he deserved it.

Dom's eyes trailed back to Salex and Taurtis just as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Even if he burned that bridge a long time ago. And didn't even deserve to talk to Taurtis, let alone have him believe what he's going to say. As Taurtis turned and headed off down the halls, Dom got up off the bleachers and followed him. He at least had to try.

"Taurtis!"

Taurtis stopped in his tracks and turned around, "Dom?"

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second? It's really important and I think you need to hear it."

"O-kay," Taurtis seemed skeptical already, which didn't boost Dom's confidence. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Umm...," Come on Dom, just like ripping off a band-aid, "IthinkSalexischeatingonyou!"

Taurtis raised his eyebrow, "A little slower please."

"I-uh, I think that Salex may be cheating on you."

"What would give you that idea?"

"Well, I overheard Salex and Yuki talking about their plans for the weekend a couple of weeks ago and when they finished talking they just started making out and I felt that you should know."

Taurtis still gave him a blank stare, "And you waited this long to tell me."

Dom scratched the back of his neck, "Well, I wasn't sure if it was my place to tell you."

Taurtis suddenly looked very amused, "Want me to tell you a secret?"

Dom frowned, "Sure."

"Salex and I aren't really dating, we're just pretending. She's actually dating Yuki, so she's allowed to kiss her."

Dom blinked, "Wait, so your not-" "Nope."

"Oh."

Taurtis laughed, "Oh. But it's fine, you didn't know. Thanks for telling me anyways. It means a lot that you would do that."

"Of course," Dom chose to ignore the fact that his face was starting to feel a little warm.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be going now," Taurtis turned and continued walking down the hall.

As Dom watched him go, he could hear the little voice in his head screaming at him, trying with all it's might to get his head out of his ass and just confess his feelings at the top of his lungs. Even the words J had told him floated around in his mind, trying to coax him out of his safe bubble. But he didn't move, just watched helplessly as the other turned the corner. He tried to convince himself that it just wasn't the right time or that it would never work out. Anything to soothing the shouting.

Only when he saw Taurtis and Salex share another sweet kiss, even though he knew the truth about their relationship, did he finally admitted to the flame of jealousy burning within.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey guys, (finally remembered to take that embarrassing out burst off the internet.)
Anyways, hopefully I'll feel better and be able to write chapter 12, because I hate not having something for you guys to read. And I'm sorry feeling a little emotional and probably sharing more than I should with you, but you're the only who I can at the moment. I swear I'll feel better soon. And I hope that you have a wonderful day and remember to keep your head up at all times, because you guys make me really happy with all your comments and likes and I love this community so so much, you have no idea just how much you help me. I'll see you all in Dirty Secrets, Bye.
~PinkBoss Music