Boy of the Week

by Emily Camp

  “I need to get to class. See you later?” Jack hesitated before he gave me a peck on the cheek.

  “Okay,” I said. But my mind was distracted not only by Addi, but my family drama as well. I wasn’t sure how today was going to go. I knew that my mind was pretty much worthless and if it wasn’t for my dad hanging out at our house, I would have stayed home from school.

  “Kacey.” It was the first time she spoke my name since the fight. She was standing by my locker now, her eyes puffy.

  “Addi.” I said but didn’t want to make it seem like I cared.

  “I thought you should know … Tyler cheated on me.” Her voice cracked and I wanted to say I told you so, but I refrained. It wasn’t worth it.

  “Anyway, for what it’s worth.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry.”

  I’m not sure sorry was enough. Sorry couldn’t take back the hurtful things said, sorry couldn’t take back the fact she thought I would do that to her.

  “I was jealous.”

  “Of what?” This got me.

  She swiped at her eyes. “I should have known you wouldn’t do that.”

  “Yeah.” I wasn’t going to argue about that.

  “I regret not believing you and the things I said … I didn’t mean them.”

  “It doesn’t make it hurt any less.” I shut my locker, maybe a little louder than I should have and walked away. My chest ached. I wanted to be friends again. I needed her, but not the Addi who had called me lazy and slutty. I needed the Addi who believed in me, who made me laugh when I was down, who brought me chocolate after a breakup. Not this one who believed and said horrible things. I wasn’t sure I could ever get that Addi back. I wasn’t even sure if she’d been real.

  ***

  Addi didn’t give up. She showed at my house after school. Even though I really did not have time for this. Her eyes were still red and puffy like they had been at school earlier. She twisted her hands in front of her. Her hair in a frizzy bun on top her head.

  “Kacey, I’m so sorry,” she said before I could slam the door in her face. “I know I was all kinds of wrong.” She looked to the side and shuffled her feet. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I could really use a friend right now.”

  How many times could I have used a friend in the last month myself?

  “Thought Maria was your new bestie.” I began to shut the door.

  “Wait,” she said. When she lifted her hand to stop the door from shutting, her shirt sleeve rode up. I noticed the yellow bruise on her arm. It was hard for me not to have compassion. She quickly covered it up when she noticed I was looking it, bringing her hand to her side and pushed her sleeve down.

  “He hit you again?” I wasn’t sure if it was her dad or Tyler I was talking about. I don’t think she did either.

  “It wasn’t like that,” she said.

  “Which one?” I asked, though I really didn’t want to care.

  I really did not want to feel compassion for her, but I was the only one who knew. My mom knew that Addi’s dad could be a jerk, but she didn’t know of the few times he’d knocked her around. I wanted to tell my mom about it when she first confided in me. I would tell my mom everything and she would fix it. But Addi begged me not to. As messed up as her home was at times, she didn’t want to break it up.

  “It’s just where Tyler grabbed me when I broke up with him.” She twisted her hand around the sleeve.

  What a piece of work.

  “I’m done with him, Kace.” Her voice cracked. “And I’m so, so, sorry about everything. I’ve missed you so much.”

  My heart ached. I’d missed her, too.

  “I didn’t mean what I said. I was just … I was so hurt that day and I thought … I thought I loved Tyler and he loved me.” She pulled her arms over her stomach.

  “I’m sorry for the things I said, too.” I couldn’t believe this was coming out of my mouth. These apologies didn’t make what we did go away. “I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Lot of good that did.” She looked down at the porch, and seemed to think for a minute before looking to me. “Can we be friends again?”

  I shrugged. It was one thing to forgive, but an entire other to be best friends again.

  I heard the back door close and got a whiff of the cigarette smoke that always lingered in with my dad. Addi glanced behind me, her eyes widened upon seeing him.“What’s your dad doing here?”

  “I wonder that myself.”

  “Kacey, can you text your mom that we need milk?” He shouted from the kitchen. I gritted my teeth. He was the one here all the time with nothing better to do. Why didn’t he go to the store?

  “Oh my gosh,” Addi whispered.

  My dad walked around the corner. I glared at him. I really wanted him to leave. “Hey, I didn’t know you had a friend.”

  “You remember Addi?”

  “Addi Taylor?” He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “It’s been awhile? How’s your dad?”

  “Okay.” She said.

  “You want to come in?” I moved aside, though I was hesitant. Sure enough she came in. We walked up the stairs to my room.

  “You and Jack are cute.” She shut my bedroom door behind her.

  Jack. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yeah.” I tossed my hair over my shoulder.

  When she hesitated before sitting at my vanity, my heart ached. This had been my best friend. I needed her. This used to be her room just as much as it was mine. “Go ahead.”

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  “Don’t you think you should give him a chance?” Addi’d said about my dad as she lay back on my bed, scrolling through her phone. It’d been a few days now and though I was still hesitant to get too close to her, things were starting to feel like before.

  “Why?”

  “I mean … he wasn’t a horrible dad when he was here. Unlike mine.” She sat her phone face down between us.

  She was right. At least I wasn’t scared to come home or never knew when he was going to start yelling, or worse, hit me. But still he couldn’t just walk back into my life and expect me to forget about the last four years.

  “My mom was really happy with Greg,” I said.

  “He can still be your dad and not be with your mom,” she said.

  “Except he seems to be the only thing standing between my mom and Greg. And I like Greg. I also didn’t mind the thought of having a step-brother my age.”

  “You think you can keep your hands off him? He is super cute.”

  This made me giggle as I chucked my pillow toward her. “I’m totally over anything I had with Evan.” He actually seemed more like a brother to me, kind of annoying, but comfortable to be around.

  “You think you guys would move in with them or they move here?”

  “It doesn’t matter, my mom broke up with him instead of saying yes.” I felt my eyes burn with tears as I thought about the day Greg and Evan fixed my car. It made me feel cared about, to know I would have someone that would do that for me. All my dad had done since he’d been here was sit on the sofa or smoke cigarettes on the back porch.

  “Enough about what might have been. You never did tell me the entire story about Tyler.” I nudged her with my elbow.

  “It happened at Cody’s sledding party,” she said. “After I went home.”

  “Who?”

  “He made the moves on Maria.”

  “And she kissed him?” I knew she was a bitch.

  “No, but she did say he was with someone else after she said no.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “He did the same thing to you,” she said matter-of-factly.

  I couldn’t deny that it stung, her believing Maria, but not me.

  “He tried to deny it. I mean what are the chances that two friends did the same thing?” She said. “C’mon I know he’s not that irresistible.”

  It made me laugh but it also made me sad.

  “I’m sorry again for not believing you. I just …” She sat up st
raight, curling her legs beneath her. “I’ve always been jealous of you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, all the guys like you and I’m just your frumpy sidekick.”

  “Addi, you aren’t frumpy, nor are you my sidekick. You’re my partner in crime.”

  She laughed at that. “No, really, Tyler was the first guy that saw me.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Who else have I dated? Exactly no one.”

  “Ads.”

  “It’s okay. I’m fine. I get it. Why the guys like you, you’re a blast to be around.”

  “So are you. That’s why you’re my bestie.”

  She looked at her phone when it buzzed. “It’s my dad. He needs me home now.”

  “Okay.” I said, trying not to feel too empty at the prospect of her going home. It’d been too long even though I wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable with her yet.

  ***

  It was after she left that Jack knocked on my door. I was in the kitchen making a sandwich and I started to head for the door when my dad got to it first.

  “Is Kacey home?” Jack seemed confused and rightfully so.

  “Who are you?” My dad crossed his arms and glared.

  Oh boy.

  “I’m Jack,” he said. “Who are you?” Though Jack’s tone wasn’t as accusing as my dad’s had been.

  “I’m her dad, Jack.” When he said Jack’s name, his shoulders straightened as if he was trying to make himself seem bigger. Didn’t help.

  “Jack,” I said, making my way between them. “What are you doing?”

  “Um …” He looked at my dad.

  I took Jack by the hand and led him to the kitchen.

  “Your dad?” He asked motioning his hand toward the doorway.

  “He showed up this weekend.”

  Jack leaned against the counter. I motioned toward the bread and peanut butter. “Hungry?”

  “Is that why you’ve been acting so weird?”

  “I’m not acting weird.” I squirted grape jelly on the sandwich.

  “I thought it was because what I said …”

  “I’m not acting weird.” I repeated, because I didn’t want to talk about that, not now. “Do you want a sandwich?”

  “No.” He patted his flat stomach. “Got a meet tomorrow.”

  I cut my sandwich sideways. Poured myself a glass of milk, the second gallon my mom had to pick up this week on her way home, and sat at the table.

  “Why didn’t you tell me your dad was back?”

  “Do you tell me every time your parents are home?” I took a bite of my sandwich, which was not at all satisfying.

  He was quiet long enough for me to regret what I said.

  “I’m sorry.” I sat my sandwich down.

  “Are you sure I didn’t do anything?”

  I took a drink of my milk and shook my head. “You didn’t. I’ve just been.” I pointed toward the living room. “Stressed about my dad and I guess I’m taking it out on you.”

  He didn’t say anything, just gave me that blank stare behind his glasses.

  “What?”

  “Are you going to talk to me about it?”

  “What’s there to talk about?”

  He looked hurt.

  “It’s not you. It’s not. I just. We are … I’m happy when I’m with you.”

  “Haven’t acted like it lately.”

  “I’m trying. I don’t want to think about my dad.”

  Jack scratched the back of his neck.

  “Long story short, my dad was my hero. He left. Broke my heart. Now he’s back with some crap about rehab and I’m not buying it.” I took another bite of my PB&J. Then I looked at him. “What?”

  “Nothing. Why?” He looked over his shoulder. “Did you get your homework done?”

  “My dad’s back you don’t have to be him anymore.”

  “I was just going to help you if you needed it.”

  “I don’t.” I smiled. “I just want you to be my boyfriend today. Not my dad, not my tutor.”

  He glanced over his shoulder as if that would give him some clue to this big mystery. I just didn’t want to talk about. That was it. I was glad when he didn’t keep pressing, but instead said, “Okay. I like being the boyfriend.”

  He scooted closer to me. I liked him being the boyfriend, too. I tried not to think about it ending, but my mom’s words ‘he’s a keeper’, Gavin’s words ‘is Jack going to leave,’ and the ‘I love you’ that I thought I heard the other night, haunted me.

  My dad told me he loved me the same day he left. Cody didn’t say he loved me, but he told me he really cared about me right before he broke up with me. I hadn’t had the best track record with those words. And the fact that Jack may or may not have said it, scared me more than I’d like to admit.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  It seemed I needed to borrow my mom’s boots again. This was going to be my first official date with Jack, and I wanted to look as cute as possible.

  I didn’t recall returning them, but I couldn’t find them in my room. After I tossed everything out of the bottom of my closet, with no luck, I made my way to my mom’s room. I wish I would have found my boots before that, because I walked in her room like I always did, without knocking. I was unaware that I needed to knock, considering that my mom said she wasn’t taking him back. Let’s just say my dad was not on the sofa or the back porch. Wish I could say he was not on my mom. Wish I could say that I hadn’t witnessed it. My mom screamed for me to get out like I was the one who was in the wrong.

  “I just need your boots,” I shouted, closing my eyes tight and slapped my hand over them.

  “They’re in the hall closet.”

  I slammed the door behind me as I hurried to the closet, trying to erase the image from my brain. Her bedroom door swung open as soon as I made it to the closet. Her robe swaying as she tied the belt around the middle.

  “I thought he was only here until he could get his feet on the ground? Your words not mine.”

  “Kacey.”

  I knelt down in the closet. “I’m scarred for life you know.”

  “You need to learn to knock.”

  “How was I supposed to know you couldn’t keep your hands off each other?” I tossed Gavin’s football cleats out of my way, then his snow boots. “Are you sure they’re in here?”

  “I don’t have to answer to you.”

  “You shouldn’t lie to me,” I said.

  “I didn’t.”

  “You said you weren’t taking him back.” How could shoes just disappear?

  “He’s your father. Most kids would love for their parents to get back together.”

  “He’s just going to leave again.” Finally, I noticed the boots behind mom’s running shoes.

  “What are you doing anyway,” She asked.

  “You want to know who wasn’t going to leave?” Why did she have the right to yell at me?

  “Kacey,” mom warned.

  “Greg. Greg wasn’t going to leave.” Though now that the words left my mouth, how could I even be sure of that. Didn’t everyone leave eventually?

  “Where are you going? It’s a school night.” She looked toward her room as if not wanting my dad to hear.

  “Jack’s taking me out.”

  “Is your homework finished?”

  “Don’t worry, if it wasn’t, he’d make me do it,” I said.

  “Be home by 10.”

  I opened my mouth to begin to argue when my dad strolled out of the room, adjusting the threadbare t-shirt that hung from his scrawny frame. I couldn’t even look at him.

  “Where’s she going?” He cleared his throat.

  “To dinner with her boyfriend,” my mom said as if I wasn’t right here. I stood up and grabbed my purple puffer coat off the hanger.

  “With the boyfriend,” he asked.

  “The boyfriend’s name is Jack, and yes.” I said, making my way to my room. I ignored the whispered argument that went o
n between them on why I should be allowed to go with Jack or not. I didn’t care what my dad thought.

  Jack texted me just as I finished tugging on the boots. I’m here.

  I barreled down the stairs before anyone could stop me. I didn’t want to see either of them right now.

  “Remember, home by 10,” mom said as I opened the door.

  “She’ll be back by then, Becky.” Jack was on my front porch already. He nodded, to my dad, who only glared at him. Really? He had no right acting like this over the most parent-approved boyfriend I’ve ever had.

  “Your dad really doesn’t like me.” He followed me toward his car.

  “My dad doesn’t get to have an opinion on my life.” I sat in the passenger’s side. It smelled more like his cologne tonight than normal. In my haste to get out of the house, I didn’t get to appreciate the effort he put into this for me. Not that Jack didn’t normally put a lot of effort into looking nice. But tonight, his hair was styled just a little extra. His shirt buttoned all the way and his smile was brighter. He gripped the steering wheel, his shoulders stiff.

  “Relax.” I realized, though we’d been in this car a dozen or so times before and I’d been on many dates, this was Jack’s first.

  He grinned at my hand on his arm and nodded. Then he started his car with the press of a button and we were pulling out of my driveway.

  “Where do you want to go,” he asked.

  “I don’t care.”

  “Classic,” he laughed.

  “What’s that mean?”

  “Don’t girls always say they don’t care, but they really do,” he said.

  “I thought you weren’t an expert on girls,” I nudged him with my elbow. Anything to touch him.

  “I’m not, but I’ve never done this before so …” He shrugged as we turned down a street.

  “Right. Have you eaten, or are you allowed to eat?” I needed to clear that up first.

  “Meet tomorrow.”

  “When is wrestling over anyway?”

  “Are you hungry? I can take you to eat.”