Double Threat My Bleep
Double Threat Series #2
Chapter One
“Meeeeeg,” my mom yells from down the hall, “Keeeeeesha, Stephanieee. Dominic is here. Are you ladies ready?”
“Yeah Ma,” I yell back. “Tell him we’ll be right out.” I look at Keesh who’s brushing on some lip gloss in front of my closet mirror. “You guys taking a purse?”
“Nah…I just got my money in my pocket,” Steph responds, shaking her head and patting the left pocket of her jeans.
“Neither am I,” Keesha says, “we just need some cash and lip stick. What do we need to take a purse for?”
They’re right. I dump out my bag on my bed and sift through the contents to find my Chapstick. I push it down the back pocket of my jeans along with a few bucks, just in case we decide to grab something to eat after the party.
“Crap…now we gotta carry our cells,” I whine as we walk down the hall toward the front door of my house. I hate the feel and look of a bulging cell phone in a tight pair of jeans, so now I’m stuck with it in my hand for the rest of the night.
“You’ll live,” Keesh says, grinning as she opens the door.
“Bye mom,” I shout. “I’ll call you later…it shouldn’t be too late.”
“Bye,” Keesha shouts.
Steph peeks her head in on my mom, who’s watching TV in the family room. “Thanks mom,” she says.
“Bye girls. Be careful tonight.”
The door shuts behind us as we greet the guys in Dominic’s mom’s car. Great. No van today. Now my plan to sit in the back and ignore my friends is out of the question.
I stop for a minute, look at all of them, and it hits me.
I don’t know if I can do this.
This doesn’t feel right. I feel the tears well up in my eyes.
How can I go tonight?
How can I go to a party…without him?
Without Alex.
I can’t do it.
Nope. Nuh-uh. No-sir-ee Bob. I can’t.
Keesh squishes in the backseat with Jonathan and Josh.
Steph plops herself down in the front and slams the door. The window glides down. “Meg…come on. What are you waiting for?”
For Alex, I want to say. But that won’t work.
I’d have to wait a long time.
Like an hour if he took a plane, not including driving time to and from the airport.
Like five hours and fifty five minutes of driving. I’m not exaggerating either. I MapQuested it. It would seriously take five dang freeways for him to come home.
I can’t believe they convinced me to go to this freakin’ party. I can’t believe Alex convinced me to go. It’s all about me being a “normal” high school teenager while he’s away. How in the hell am I supposed to be normal when I miss him so much. Having a piece of your heart missing is not normal. That’s how I feel right now, like a piece of my heart, a piece of me…is gone.
Keesh steps out of the car and walks over to me. “Let’s go,” she says quietly, putting her hands on my shoulders and guiding me to the car. Jonathan gets out and wraps his long skinny arms around me for a hug. I don’t even lift my arms to accept his embrace. He eventually releases me, with one last squeeze. I give up. I slide in the backseat, Keesh scoots in next to me, and Jonathan follows. Josh throws his arm over my shoulder and squeezes me too. Does it look like a hug is going to cure me?
NOT.
I know they mean well. But no amount of hugs and squeezes are going to make me forget my boyfriend is four hundred and thirteen miles away from me right now. Seriously. Four hundred. And. Thirteen. Miles. AWAY.
This end-of-the-summer party is not going to be like last year’s. That’s for sure.
I can still remember feeling so nervous by the thought of seeing Alex at that party. I felt like I was going to throw up the whole way there. But then he talked to me. He made me feel like I mattered to him. Now, instead of feeling giddy, I feel deserted.
I try to clear my mind from my stroll down memory lane. Keesh and Steph are babbling about something, but I miss the whole conversation. I have no idea what they’re chatting away about.
“Where’s Erica?” I ask Josh, feeling better I won’t be a loner after all.
“Oh, she’s gonna meet us there,” he says. “She had class today. So did Vanessa, so Ben’s gonna pick them up and they’re all going to meet up with us later.” Well I guess I can forget that idea. I’m a loner.
We pull up to the party and spill out of the car. Don’t I feel like the idiot. All my friends are going to be here with their significant others, and I’m going to be here…alone. This blows.
“You coming?” Steph asks.
Do I have a choice?
They set off toward the party and I’m standing here.
“Yeah, what the hell.” It’s not like I have any other appealing options. “Let’s get this crap over with.”
It’s the same ol’, same ol’. A crap load of teenagers crammed into a small living room that’s musty as heck, each with the classic red plastic cup in their hands. If I had my doubts last year, I don’t this time. I know they all have their cheap beer concealed in the purposely opaque container.
Steph doesn’t waste any time pushing through bodies to get to the backyard.
Awww…fresh air.
This is surreal.
I feel like I’m repeating last year. Only this time, I have a different kind of nervousness.
Dominic takes the lead and points us in the direction of some empty folding chairs. The girls sit down. He leaves for a minute, but is back carrying a table over his head. He’s so giant, he lifts it like it’s a piece of foam furniture and sets it down in front of us.
“Thanks babe,” Steph tells him as she tosses her cell down. She stands up and he takes her place in the chair. She plops herself down in his lap and he rests his hands on her thighs. She leans back into him and he delivers a quick peck on her lips. She smiles.
I fight the urge to scream. Or cry. Or gag. Why do they have to be so freakin’ cute? Ugh.
Keesh and Jonathan make me feel a little bit better. They’re anything but affectionate. Jonathan is trying to push her out of her chair. “Get up girl, let your man sit down,” he says in a sarcastic tone.
“Jonathan, you want me to beat your ass right here in front of everyone?” she asks, with a sly grin on her face, holding him back with one hand. She’s joking. I know. But if he keeps pushing her, he might catch an uppercut in his gut.
He gives up and stands behind her with his hands on her shoulders. I can almost hear her thoughts, Good boy.
Josh stumbles toward us loaded down with beers.
“Who wants one?” he asks, placing four red cups on the table. Jonathan and Keesha take one. Josh picks up another.
What the hell? I pick up the last one and hold it up. “Let’s party,” I say, rolling my eyes. I raise the cup to my lips to take a sip and my cell beeps.
Holy shit. I fumble with my cup, spilling beer all over my hands. I separate my legs quickly enough so it doesn’t drip all over my jeans.
I place the cup on the table and wedge my phone out of the front pocket of my tight-ass jeans.
I flip it open.
Ahh. New message. Alex.
u hvn a good time?
Yeah right, I think to myself. I can’t help smiling though. He’s thinking of me. Of course, he’s thinking of me.
loads ;) I type back.
I don’t want to be too pathetic. He knows I miss him. He knows I didn’t want to come to this party. If he hadn’t given me an hour long pep talk, I’d probably still be at home with my mom, watching a recording of New Kids On The Block on the Today Show for the five millionth time.
I keep my phone out, waiting for a text back. I notice my friends starting to disappear. I scan the party. Keesh and Jonathan are dancing. Dominic and Steph are raiding the food table.
BEEP. I can’t flip the sucker open fast enough.
&n
bsp; have fun 2nite. cll me whn u get home.
I smile at my phone. I want to go home. The sooner I can hear Alex’s voice, the better. Have fun…psshhh. I’ll have fun when I get home and call him. That’s my idea of a party now.
Josh gets up and struts away. Where’s he going? He’s a loner like me until Erica gets here.
I hit REPLY to text Alex back.
“Hey Megan, whatcha up to girl?” I hear coming from behind me. I look back to see pissy ass Travis lurking behind me. This guy seriously bugs. If I don’t answer, maybe he will go away.
“Meg, babe.” No such luck. He plops himself down in the chair next to me. “So who you texting?” He huddles in close trying to get a peek at my phone. “Wait…don’t tell me…are you seriously going to be that chick at the party all year, sitting alone in the corner, while your man is hitting on anything who walks at some college party full of tits?”
I slap my phone shut.
“Seriously, I’m pretty sure you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. But what I do know is you’re most likely gonna be that guy at every party, sitting in a corner all alone because no one will give you the time of day,” I snap back at him. “Now, if you don’t mind, why don’t you move along to someone who might actually want to talk to your dumb ass.”
“Oh Meggie, I didn’t mean to hurt your...”
“Uh, I’m pretty sure Megan just told you to get lost.” Ben interrupts, pounding his hands down on Travis’s shoulders. He lunges forward with the force, and stands up quickly, puffing out his chest.
Travis shakes his head with a chuckle. “Catch you later, Meg.” He grins. Before he gets out of earshot, he turns around and shouts, “Hey Ben, did Alex pay you to watch out for his girl, or are you that much of a loser you’re hittin’ up high school parties still?”
Before Ben can respond, Travis is gone.
I throw my hands in the air. “What the heck is up with that guy?” I lean back in my chair, exhausted by the confrontation.
“He’s an idiot,” Ben replies. “What do you expect?”
“He needs to get a life. I’m not gonna put up with his stupid shit all year.”
Ben plops himself down in the chair just like Travis did.
“He’ll get over it eventually, or he’ll find someone else to torture,” he says, with a chuckle. “Or…I’ll just kick his ass.”
“No ass kicking please,” I reply. I take a quick sip of my beer. “I talked to him once at a party and now he thinks we’re soul mates. Can you imagine what he’d think if I actually hooked up with him?” I laugh.
Ben’s face goes blank. “That’s not funny, Meg.”
“Well, neither is getting stalked by psycho boy either.” I was just being nice to the poor guy this summer and he got the wrong idea. A girl can’t even talk to a guy anymore without him thinking you want to get naked. Seriously, not all high school girls are giving it up.
Chapter Two
“So, how was it?” Alex asks. “Did I miss anything good?”
“Nah,” I say, maneuvering my arms through each bra strap, without taking off my shirt, and holding the phone in the crook of my neck. It’s been a long night. I’m too lazy to change into pajamas. “Same as usual…just a different time, and a different place.”
“Did you at least have a good time?”
I think for a moment. “Yeah…once Travis got lost, I danced a bit with everyone. But that’s about it.”
“Travis? You’re not gonna dump me for that geek, are you?”
“Not today,” I tease, “maybe tomorrow.”
“Ha ha.”
“So, how about you? What’d you do tonight? Did you hit all the sorority parties?” I ask, half jokingly. Travis did make me think a little bit about all the older girls Alex is probably meeting. He’s gorgeous. Those skanks are probably trying to jump his bones already. I can just see them now…low-rise jeans with thongs hanging out the back. With my luck, all the Berkeley chicks playing peekaboo with their butt cracks probably have perfectly tanned, firm bottoms. I bet none of them sport a giant muffin top either.
“Baby, I don’t have time to do the party thing,” he says.
“Yeah right, that’s what all the college guys say to make their girlfriends and parents happy.”
“Oh really…and how many college guys have you surveyed to come up with this expert opinion?” I can picture his adorable smile right now.
I giggle a bit before saying, “Too many to count.”
Alex bursts into laughter. “You are such a goofball Meg.”
“That’s why you love me…” OMG. I can’t believe I just said that. Silence. Dead silence. What’s the saying? I can totally hear a pin drop right now. Is he still breathing? We have never used the L word before. He’s probably having a heart attack.
“Ha ha, you’re a goofball too,” I say, in a poor attempt to distract my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend from the fact I mentioned the words “love” and “me” in the same sentence. What the hell was I thinking?
“Ahem,” Alex grunts, clearing his throat. Awkward. “Yeah…Megan…that’s one of the reasons I…I love you.”
WHAT?
Did Alex just tell me HE LOVES ME?
Wait…did he stall before saying that? Is that a good sign? He just wanted to be sure, right? Or is it a bad sign? He felt obligated to say it? It has to be good. He has never lied to me before.
OMG. Alex loves me. I’m in love.
“Meg,” Alex says, with a chirp in his voice. “Did you hear what I just said?”
“Yes, I dddid,” I stutter. “I’m just trying not to scream…or cry…or jump up and down. You just made me the happiest girl in the world.” I’m so giddy, I’m about to pee my pants.
“So what have I been doing for the last couple months then?”
“Awww…you’ve been alright…you know, an average boyfriend.” I chuckle.
Alex loves me. Alex is my boyfriend. Alex is my man. Who would’ve thought? I mean, we ended the school year with the possibility of someday, but as soon as he got back from grad night, he called me. And when I say as soon as he got back, I really mean it. My phone woke me from my sweet Alex dreams at seven thirty, as the buses rolled back in to school that morning. Alex said he couldn’t wait another minute to move on with our relationship. So I got dressed, he picked me up, we hit the Steel Grill, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Until now, that is. But who cares, he loves me.
“So it’s okay for me to tell you I love you?” he asks. He said it again. He loves me.
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be? I love you too…I’ve loved you since I met you, but now it’s just so much better,” I pause. “It’s so much better when someone loves you back.” For most of last year, I was insanely obsessed and in love with Alex. There was just one small problem…he was dating my best friend, Amy. But that came to an end when she decided to start doing the nasty with my boyfriend. Dang, it sounds like a pitiful episode of 90210. It’s not bad to watch on TV when it’s these tiny rich stick figures who screw each other over every week, but it sucks ass to actually live it. Oh well…Alex loves me now. Amy who?
“Aww, Meggie, you know I’ve loved you for just as long.”
“Yeah, I know,” I reply, even though I’m not so sure. But, I’m not going to let last year get me down. This is now, and the past is the past. And I look forward to my future with my hot, sexy boyfriend.
“Just wish I was there with you,” Alex tells me.
“Why?”
“Well, I always thought I would tell you in person and, at least, be able to kiss you.”
“Something to look forward to the next time we get to see each other,” I respond, softly. It’s going to be a long wait. “Are you sure you can’t come home before Thanksgiving? How about Columbus Day? Berkeley doesn’t give you guys a holiday for the guy who discovered the Americas?” I ask sadly, with a touch of humor so I don’t sound so desperate.
“No, we don’t get a day off for the guy who
began the mass genocide of an entire ethnic group.”
“Scary…college is already rubbing off on you,” I say. “You better not get arrested for protesting or anything. I don’t want the man I love to be a criminal.” Did you hear that? The man I love. This is so much fun.
“I know huh,” he mutters through a snicker, “but I don’t think I’ll make it home before Thanksgiving.” I’m frowning. I’m trying not to say anything. I don’t want to make him feel worse than he does. “It’s pretty expensive to fly back and forth…but once school starts, time will fly by so fast…the next thing you know, we’ll be eating turkey together, watching the Cowboys kick some ass on the flat screen.”
“Turkey sounds good. Seeing you sounds great. But, you can watch football with my dad, while my mom and I plan out our attack on the mall.”
I hear a slight chuckle on his end. “Deal,” he says. “So, tell me more about everyone. How’s everything going? I miss all you guys.”
“We all miss you too,” I respond. “I miss you.” I can feel my face burn with sorrow. I can’t get emotional. I’ve cried the last two times I’ve talked to him. It’s just hard, having him so far away. But I have to remember, it’s hard for him too. At least here, I have all our friends. He’s so far away, and he’s alone. “Everyone’s doing great. Dom and Steph are just as cute as ever. Jonathan and Keesh are still nuts. They crack me up, they’re more like brother and sister than a couple. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them kiss, have you?”
“I’ve never even seen them hold hands.” He chuckles.
“’Yeah well, I’m counting on Josh to save me from gagging over all the PDA once school starts,” I mutter. “He’ll be a loner like me.”
“Erika’ll probably sneak on campus and visit you guys. She’s so whipped. She could be hookin’ up with some college dude, but she’s…” Alex’s commentary comes to a screeching halt.
Whoa. Does he realize what he’s saying? He obviously stopped himself. A little too late though. I get what he was about to say. Come on now. He’s not any different than Erika. He could be hooking up with some older bitches, and I wouldn’t even know about it. They’re in the same boat, mature college students going out with us scrawny high school peons.
So I'm A Double Threat Page 21
