“Yes!” Happy said, looking directly into the studio. “And then she went and asked the guy I liked to the dance herself.”
“Nooo!” the audience screamed.
“And how did you find all this out, dear?” Dr. Berg asked Happy.
“By accidental e-mail,” Happy said simply. “My friend—my ex-friend—had actually written you, Dr. Berg, an e-mail asking you for your advice after all she did, and she accidentally sent it to me instead.”
“Nooo!” the audience screamed again.
“Yes!” Happy said. “Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. But it all happened.”
“And do you still talk to this friend of yours?” Dr. Berg asked.
“No. After I found out what she did, I just cut off all contact. I’m not sure I can ever trust her again,” Happy said.
“Well, viewers,” said Dr. Berg, turning to the camera, “as you can see, relationship problems start early. When we come back, we’ll hear from Happy if she plans to ever forgive her friend.”
The television in the green room went black. The commercials were not aired in the green room like they were at home. Apple thought she was for sure in shock because her hands felt frozen. In fact, her whole body felt frozen.
Her cell phone started to ring. Apple picked it up.
“You are so screwed,” the voice said teasingly. It was Aunt Hazel.
“I know! I’m never going to be able to show my face again,” muttered Apple.
“Come on! I was joking. It wasn’t that bad,” Aunt Hazel said.
“Are you serious?” Apple asked. “Was it really not that bad?” Maybe it just seemed so bad to Apple because she knew Happy was talking about her. Maybe it didn’t seem so bad to all the other viewers. Maybe the rest of the world was mainly concentrating on how beautiful Happy looked.
“No, it was sort of bad,” said Aunt Hazel, sympathetically. “I’m just being honest.”
“What am I going to do?” Apple moaned.
“Where are you?” Aunt Hazel asked. “I’m at your place and you’re not here. Aren’t you grounded?”
“I’m at the studio,” Apple told her.
“You are not!”
“I am!”
“What are you doing there?” her aunt asked.
“I thought I’d try to get some face time with Happy before it all went down.”
“I guess that didn’t exactly work out,” Aunt Hazel said.
“No, I didn’t get a chance to see her. But I did make up with my mother, at least. Oh, God, I’ll never be able to show my face anywhere ever again,” she moaned.
“You’d better get out of there, Apple. I mean, if that studio audience finds out that you are the one to have caused all that trouble, you’ll be lynched to pieces.”
“I know! I never thought I’d ever be saying this, Aunt Hazel,” Apple began, “but I really, really need your advice. What can I do?”
“Well, I guess there is one thing you can do. But it is a pretty brave thing.”
“Just tell me. I’ll do anything,” cried Apple.
“It’s something that not even in my craziest moments would I ever do myself,” Aunt Hazel warned. “And you know how crazy I can be.”
“I don’t have time for this! Just tell me already,” Apple demanded.
Crazy Aunt Hazel told Apple her plan. It was crazy. It was the craziest plan Apple had ever heard. But what other choice did she have now?
pple took a deep breath and walked out onstage, blinking in the glare of the studio lights. She was daunted by the cameras, by the audience, by seeing Happy. She knew she was paying for her sins. She was sacrificing all her much-loved privacy at this moment, and she was shaking like a leaf. Her mother was in the middle of asking Happy another question when she noticed Apple walking toward them. Apple concentrated on her mother and Happy and tried to ignore the hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at her from the studio audience.
“Apple!” her mother said, standing up. Even her mother’s unfailing professionalism was shaken. She looked shocked. But she quickly composed herself, plastered a smile on her face, and turned to the studio audience. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to Apple. My daughter.”
The audience clapped and hooted, which made Apple feel even more nervous. She didn’t like to be the center of attention.
Apple glanced at Happy, who looked more pissed off than surprised. As the audience continued to clap, her mother leaned in and whispered in Apple’s ear. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“I need to say something,” she whispered back. “Here. Now.”
“You do understand that we’re live here!” her mother said a little more loudly.
“Yes, Mom! I know how the show works. I need to say what I have to say on air.”
“Okay,” her mother said, throwing her arms up and stepping back.
As the audience calmed down, Dr. Berg called out to them. “Well, this is quite the surprise. I didn’t expect this. Can we get my daughter a microphone please?”
A soundman ran up and hooked a microphone onto Apple’s collar. Usually the wire would go under the shirt to hide it, but there was no time now for presentation. Her mother directed her to sit on the couch next to Happy. Happy sat up taller and looked straight ahead to the audience.
“Apple,” her mother said. “Tell us what you’re doing out here … turning up in the middle of the show today.”
“I’d just like to say that I’m the one who tried to sabotage her relationship,” Apple admitted quietly. She could hear her voice shaking. “The girl Happy was talking about is me.”
The audience, as she had expected, started oohhing and ahhing. To Apple it seemed as loud as a plane flying right through the studio. She started to feel disoriented.
Apple started to speak again while the audience was still hollering. She had the urge to yell at them, “Let me explain!” But she turned to Happy.
“I’m just here because I need you, Happy, to know how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you. You’ve been my best friend forever. And you know how hard this is for me,” Apple said to her.
Happy looked down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap.
“Is this true, Happy?” Dr. Bee Bee Berg asked. “Do you think this is hard for Apple?”
“Yes, I do,” Happy admitted. “We call her the Sponge, because she never talks about her feelings. Not even to her friends or family.”
“Apple, can you tell us why you did this? I know this is hard,” her mother said, “but we all need to fully understand this.”
“Yes, it is hard. But I want to. I liked Happy’s now-boyfriend for years, before he got so cute,” she said, looking again at her friend. For a brief moment, Apple forgot that they were sitting in front of a live studio audience and that millions of people were watching them in their homes.
“But you never said anything,” Happy said to her.
“I know. I really don’t know how to talk about my feelings. I just couldn’t,” Apple said, her voice continuing to waver. “But I’d like to try now.”
There was a moment of silence. Happy looked like she was deep in thought.
“And can you believe she is my daughter? My own flesh and blood?” Dr. Bee Bee Berg interrupted, looking out to the audience, who laughed obediently. “So what else exactly do you have to say to Happy?” her mother asked, turning her attention back to Apple.
“Just that I wonder if she could ever forgive me and that I love her and that I promise to try and talk more openly about my feelings,” Apple said quickly, and added, “if she’d be willing to listen.”
“Now, this boy, whom you, Apple, liked and who is now Happy’s boyfriend,” her mother said. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
The audience was stone silent. Apple felt a heaviness in her chest, like someone was pounding on her heart. It was a fair question, she guessed. Happy raised her eyebrows expectantly.
“No, I don’t think so,” Apple said. “No, I know I do
n’t. I just want to be friends with Happy again. That’s all I want. No guy is worth losing Happy over,” Apple added, and she meant it.
“Do you want my advice, people?” Dr. Bee Bee Berg said to the studio audience.
The audience screamed out in unison, “Yes, we want your advice, Queen of Hearts!”
Happy still refused to look at Apple. Here I am, thought Apple, onstage, answering questions about the most personal details of my life, admitting what I did in front of millions of people, begging Happy for forgiveness, and it may all backfire. This was a crazy plan. Happy may never forgive me, she thought.
“I think, Apple, you’ll have to earn Happy’s trust back.” Dr. Berg turned to Apple, saying more quietly, “I know it’s harsh, and trust me, there’s no one in the world I’d like to see this work out for more than you, but you have to earn trust,” she said.
“And how do I do that?” Apple asked.
“Baby steps, as always. Baby steps. It takes time to heal all wounds, especially trust wounds. But you have a history, and a good history, with Happy. I’d start by having a heart-to-heart. Get it all out on the table. Share your feelings. Really listen to one another. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes trust is about faith. Apple, you may have to trust that Happy will take that leap of faith and believe in you again. Happy, does that sound about right to you?” her mother asked.
Finally, Happy looked at Apple.
“Yes. I would like to be friends again with Apple. I mean, she’s been my best friend for years,” Happy said. “It may take some time, but I’m sure we’ll get there.”
Happy stood up, much to Apple’s surprise, and hugged her. The audience clapped wildly. It was a TV moment made in heaven. Apple looked up and saw Guy wiping a tear from his eye in the director’s booth on the second floor, and mouthing the words, “Brava! Brava!”
Apple felt her mother shoving something in her hand. It was a Kleenex. Two seconds later, Apple really started to cry—but these were tears of relief, letting it all out. How was it that her mother always knew when her guests were going to break down?
can’t believe you’re doing this,” Aunt Hazel said as she pulled up to the curb. Dr. Bee Bee Berg and her father were out on a date night. “You are so much braver than I am. I would have moved cities and gotten a whole new identity!”
“Well, after what I did yesterday, I think I can pretty much do anything, don’t you?” Apple asked. “I mean, if I could get up and cry and admit to the world what I did, I can certainly walk into a school dance,” Apple said. But she didn’t feel as confident as her words. Maybe this is a bad idea, she thought. Maybe her aunt was right.
“Who would have thought you had it in you?” asked Aunt Hazel.
“Not me,” Apple said. “But it was your bright idea. So thank you. Maybe I should really listen to you more often about relationships.”
“Are you kidding me? He dumped me!”
“That guy you were dating? The one you had three fantastic dates with,” Apple said sympathetically.
“Yup. Apparently, he’s just not ‘ready’ for a serious relationship. God, if I hear that line one more time …”
Apple felt bad for her aunt, but she was too nervous about getting out to really concentrate on her words.
“Who’s that cute man?” Aunt Hazel asked suddenly, oblivious to Apple’s hesitation.
“Who?” Apple asked.
“That guy over there!” Crazy Aunt Hazel said, tapping on the window.
“That’s Mr. Kelly,” Apple said. “He must be a chaperone.”
“The famous math teacher!” her aunt exclaimed.
“Well, he’s not famous,” said Apple. “It was a fake diary entry, remember?”
“But you’re right, Apple. He is cute. Very cute,” her aunt said. “You have good taste in older men.”
“Hey! That was a made up problem!. Gross! I so do not think he’s cute!” Apple insisted.
“Well, I certainly do. Introduce us,” Aunt Hazel demanded.
“No way! You really are crazy!”
“Oh come on, Apple. Do me this one favor? Please? I’m desperate here, and he’s cute!” her aunt begged. “I helped you with your problem. You owe me.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to do this!” Apple said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
“Hurry up! He’s going in,” her aunt cried, leaning over and opening the passenger door and pushing Apple out.
“Okay, pushy much?” Apple said. Mr. Kelly was just opening the front door of the school.
“Hey, Mr. Kelly! Wait up!” Apple called, racing up to him.
“Apple! Well, I just saw you on television the other day,” Mr. Kelly said when she was in front of him. “And Happy too! I can’t believe that two of my students were on The Queen of Hearts! It was pretty fascinating, even for an old man like me. I’m so glad I’m not a fifteen-year-old girl! My goodness, what drama!”
Oh, God. Did everyone in the world watch her mother’s show? If Mr. Kelly did, then the answer must be yes.
“Right. Anyway,” Apple said, pretending not to hear him, “there’s someone who wants to meet you.”
“Your mother? Did Dr. Bee Bee Berg drop you off?” he said excitedly, looking past Apple toward the row of cars.
“Well, no. It’s not exactly my mother. But it’s the next best thing,” Apple said, trying to sell up her aunt.
“I’m intrigued,” Mr. Kelly said, tapping his fingers together. “Where is this mystery person?”
“Over there,” Apple said, pointing to her aunt’s car. “It’s my aunt. She’s single and desperate.”
Mr. Kelly looked at Apple.
“I was joking,” she said. “But she is single. She saw you and she thinks you’re cute and wants to meet you.”
“Interesting,” Mr. Kelly said. “So what should I do?”
“Um, just go over and say ‘hi.’” Apple said. It seemed like only hours ago that she was sabotaging relationships, and now people were expecting her to be a matchmaker?
Guy was right: people’s memories were short. Mr. Kelly seemed to already have moved on from seeing Apple and Happy on the show. She could only hope that her fellow students would be as forgetful.
She watched as Mr. Kelly headed over to the car. She saw her aunt open the door and jump out. She watched them shake hands and start to chat.
Then Apple took a deep breath and walked into the school and into the large gymnasium, which was decorated all in red. There were red streamers and red balloons. It looked like a can of red paint had exploded. She heard the whispers as she walked by, everything from “That’s her! That’s the one!” to “Keep her away from my boyfriend” to “How could she show her face? I could never!”
“You know why people are interested in my show?” her mother had asked her earlier that day when Apple was debating whether to go to the dance or not. “It’s because they’re not happy in their own relationships. If people are that interested in yours, it means nothing good is happening in theirs. And remember, Apple—the only people who really know what’s going on in a relationship are the two people who are in it. And that goes for friendships, too. People may not understand why you did what you did, or they may not understand how Happy and Zen could forgive you, but only you and Happy really know what’s going on between you.”
Apple walked to the back of the gymnasium, trying to hold her head high.
“Hey, Apple, how’s your pie?” Hopper asked as Apple walked by him.
At least some things never changed. Hopper was still Hopper. He wasn’t treating her any differently.
“God, Hopper. Can you grow up?” Apple asked.
“Hey, be nice to my date,” Brooklyn said, popping up behind him.
“He’s your date?” Apple asked, shocked. She looked at Hopper, then back at Brooklyn. “Let me get this straight. Hopper is your date? You like Hopper?”
“Yes! I’ve liked him for a while. You’re not the only one with secrets, Apple,” said Brooklyn. “I
just know how to release stress better. It’s called yoga.”
“And I suddenly found myself dateless at the last minute,” Hopper said. “I think you know why, Apple—Happy called and bailed on me.”
“Okay, I deserve that,” Apple said.
“Hey!” Brooklyn said, swatting him on the arm. “I thought you were thrilled to be going with me!”
“I’m just joking, my little yogi. You know that. In fact, I should really thank Apple for doing what she did. Because I now have the cutest date ever. You know that I always really wanted to go with you from the start, Brooklyn. I just didn’t know how to ask a person who spends more time lying flat on her back on the floor than walking. But I’m sure I can grow to get used to your peace and love ways. Now, since you aren’t on a yoga mat flat on the floor at present, come dance with me,” Hopper said, pulling Brooklyn by her arm.
Hopper and Brooklyn? Well, Apple thought, stranger things have happened. And it’s like her mother had said: no one knows what goes on in a relationship except the two people in it. Maybe it would work out for Hopper and Brooklyn.
She watched her fellow classmates around her laughing and dancing, and felt out of place. Would anyone want to be seen with her, let alone ask her to dance?
Happy and Zen were dancing in the middle of the room. Happy looked like an angel, in a white dress. And Zen, Apple had to admit, still looked super hot. She watched as they wrapped their arms around each other. She felt a pang, even if he wasn’t her Zen Crush anymore.
As if they could feel Apple’s eyes on them, they both looked in her direction. Apple looked down. She still couldn’t look them in the eye. She would have to work on that.
Apple glanced up again and saw Happy and Zen coming toward her. They were holding hands. Apple felt only a small kick in the gut. They looked, she had to admit, like the perfect couple.
Apple knew that everyone had started watching them, wondering what would happen. But she didn’t really care. She only wondered what Happy would say to her. They hadn’t spoken since they had hugged on Queen of Hearts. When the show had ended, Happy had managed to sneak out while Apple was talking to her mother.
Rotten Apple Page 17
