by Logan Byrne
“Theo!” Tanya yelled as she ran over and hugged me tightly.
Martin and his mother, Pauline, were smiling as they walked over, and our moms hugged it out.
“It’s about time I see you. Too bad it’s in a market,” Martin said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“He’s mad that you don’t spend any time with him anymore,” Tanya said.
“Is that true?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say I’m mad, but it wouldn’t hurt to see my best friend sometime,” he said, obviously upset.
“What about Friday?” I asked.
“No date with Belle?” he asked.
“She has to cheer for a game,” I said.
“Oh, I see how it is. She’s busy and then I get called up,” he said.
“Oh, shut up. You know it’s not like that. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than at your house eating pizza and playing video games,” I said.
“Well, when you put it like that it does sound kind of nice,” he said, smiling and stroking his chin.
“You can spend the night if you want. That way we can hang out all night,” Tanya said, gripping my arm.
“Child, please, leave the boy alone,” Pauline said as she grabbed Tanya’s shirt collar and pulled her back.
“Anyway, we’re on for Friday. Text me later,” Martin said before they walked away to pay, and my mother and I started our shopping.
“Hard, isn’t it?” my mother asked, picking up an avocado.
“What?” I asked.
“Juggling friendships and a relationship. You want to spend all of your time with your girlfriend, but at the same time you can’t neglect the people who were there long before that relationship ever happened,” she said.
“Yeah, and I only really have one friend. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Belle,” I said as I picked up an onion.
•••
I was finishing up dinner as I noticed Belle’s car pull into the driveway. A few minutes later, she texted me to say she was home but that she was going to eat before she could meet up with me to talk. I said okay, still wondering about what she needed to talk about, before I did the worst possible thing I could ever do.
On my phone, I brought up Google and typed in “what does it mean when a girl wants to talk.” The results all pointed to one thing, and it wasn’t good. What if I was just dreaming about how good things were going? What if, to her, things were just mediocre and she felt like she made a mistake? It would make sense that I wouldn’t catch the warning signs. It wasn’t like I’d ever done this before.
Panicked, I tried to calm down and tell myself I was just being paranoid about the situation. She just wanted to talk about the school or the weather or anything else that wasn’t about breaking up. Yeah, that’s it, Theo. It’ll all be okay.
After twenty minutes, she said she was outside. I put on my shoes and jacket before taking a deep breath and walking out the back door and toward our spot. She was there, on the ground, sitting on a flannel blanket. Intrigued, I walked closer, seeing her perk up from behind her phone screen and pat the spot next to her.
“What’s up?” I asked with a crack in my voice.
“Not much, just got back from practice. It went horribly, of course,” she said.
“How come?” I asked, sitting down next to her.
“I think my coach wants to replace me or something. I don’t know. I’m probably just being irrational,” she said.
“I’m sure you’re being perfectly rational,” I said, still nervous.
“Anyway, enough about that before I get heated. Want to lie down? That’s why I brought the blanket,” she said.
“Yeah, that sounds great,” I said, more confused than I’d been in a while.
I lay back, and she rested against me, her right arm around me, as I looked up at the stars and wondered what in the hell was going on.
“Aren’t the stars beautiful?” she asked.
“Yeah, they’re amazing,” I said, starting to run my fingers through her hair.
“Oh, don’t stop. I love when my hair is played with,” she said as she closed her eyes and nuzzled her face against my chest.
I thought about mustering up the courage to ask her why she wanted to talk. Did I dare attempt it? What if I reminded her about it and she dumped me? On the other hand, things were going pretty well right now, and I couldn’t imagine she’d act like this and still want to do that.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked.
“Anything,” she said.
“How come you wanted to talk to me tonight?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t I want to? I love talking to you. You’re my boyfriend,” she said.
“So you weren’t going to break up with me?” I asked.
“What?” she asked, sitting up and looking down at me with a confused face. “Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know, it’s just that you said you wanted to talk, and all of the sites online say that’s what somebody says when they’re going to break up with you,” I said.
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry if I scared you! That wasn’t my intention at all. I just meant that I wanted to talk because you always make me feel safe and better when we talk. I’m not breaking up with you,” she said.
“So you’re happy with me?” I asked.
“Happy? Babe, I’m more than happy with you,” she said before leaning down and giving me a kiss.
“Well, I guess that settles that,” I said.
“Can you do me a favor, though?” she asked.
“Sure,” I said.
“Never use Google again.”
Chapter Nine
“So, what do you want on the pizza?” Martin asked as we stood in his kitchen.
“The usual?” I suggested.
He called for delivery and ordered an extra-large stuffed-crust pizza with pepperoni and an order of garlic knots, which the guy said would take half an hour.
We decided to go on YouTube, as our fingers needed fuel before starting an all-night session of gaming, and as it loaded, Martin’s recommendations were all videos about prom proposals and soldier homecomings.
“What’s this all about?” I asked before he could scroll away.
“Oh, yeah, kind of embarrassing, I know,” he said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Why are you looking at prom proposals? Prom is so far away,” I said.
“Well, more for the winter formal than anything. There weren’t many hits for that, so I decided to look at prom ones. I want to go this year, but I have no idea how to ask anyone,” he said.
“It can’t be that hard. Just find a girl, go up to her, and ask her to go,” I said.
“Easy for you to say, Mr. I Have a Girlfriend to Go With. It isn’t as easy as just asking anyone anymore. They all expect big banners or a viral YouTube proposal that makes it on The Today Show,” he said.
“I’m sure it’s not that hard, Martin. You’re just overthinking it,” I said.
“We’ll see. We still have a while until then anyway,” he said.
“Only about three months. It’ll come before you know it,” I said.
Martin quickly changed the subject, instead putting on videos of waterskiing squirrels until the pizza came and we turned on his PlayStation. The controllers got greasy and the analog sticks stuck, though we didn’t care. With bits of sauce on our cheeks and crumbs in our laps, we valiantly fought against a barrage of ten-year-olds trying to oppose us. We were warriors in our own right.
As I lay awake on the floor that night, I thought more about what he said about asking for a date and thought that I should do something special for Belle. Not only because she was my girlfriend, but because I hadn’t gone to a dance before and it was my last chance before graduation. I didn’t need to make national news with my proposal, but it should at least be special for her.
I thought of making a treasure hunt, huge banners, or even showing up on a white horse, though
that one was a little out there. It needed to be good, but it needed to be simple more than anything. She liked simple things.
•••
My parents want to take us out for breakfast. Are you available? Belle texted me just as I’d finished getting ready.
Martin had to take Tanya to a soccer game anyway, so I didn’t feel bad about leaving early even though I knew he was hoping I’d go with him so he wouldn’t be bored. I told her I could, but I was at Martin’s, and she said she’d come pick me up and we could meet them at the diner. I obliged, and she soon came over, a smile on her face, her hair up in a ponytail and her large tortoise-shell sunglasses covering most of her face.
“Have a fun time?” she asked as I got in the car.
“Yeah, but I think I’m still in a pizza coma,” I said, laughing.
“Well, hopefully you won’t be in a pancake coma soon,” she said.
“So, you still remember my love for pancakes?” I asked.
“Of course,” she replied, flashing a smile my way.
She put on some pop music from the radio on the way there. When we pulled into the parking lot and went inside, we saw her parents already in a booth looking over a menu. They waved, and we walked over and sat down before the waitress came and brought us some waters and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Belle and I both chose orange juice, no pulp, and Leah giggled a bit.
We both ordered pancakes, hers chocolate chip and mine regular. Her mother ordered lingonberry crepes, and her father got French toast and bacon.
We talked over breakfast, mostly about nothing in particular. Her father talked about an episode of CSI: Miami he recently watched as I pretended to be interested, not because he was her father but because I liked him. The waitress came a few times, filling up Belle’s parents’ coffee and our orange juices, as we sat around.
“Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne!” I heard from the side.
They looked up to see Trent walking up, a smile on his face, as he extended his hand and shook Paul’s. I wasn’t sure if Paul had his poker face on or if he didn’t like Trent, but I knew I was glad it wasn’t me getting the look. He wasn’t a man you wanted to piss off.
“Good morning, Trent,” Leah said.
“Good morning, Mrs. Hawthorne. How are you two doing on this beautiful morning?” Trent asked.
“We’re doing just fine, Trent,” Paul said.
“That’s awesome! I’m so glad to hear it. How about you, Annabelle?” Trent asked.
“Amazing,” she said as she grabbed my hand and scooted in closer to me.
I could see the jealousy and anger on Trent’s face, as his plan obviously wasn’t going well. It was a funny turn of events to be the one making him jealous, compared to him making everyone else jealous not all that long ago.
“Still with Theo, I see,” he said.
“Yup, and I couldn’t be happier,” Belle said.
“And you condone this?” Trent asked as he looked at her parents.
“Condone what? Them dating?” Paul asked.
“Of course, sir. Don’t you want your daughter to be with a winner?” Trent asked.
“I believe she is, son,” Paul said.
“I’m afraid I’m lost,” Trent said.
“I’m sure you say that phrase a lot, given how damn stupid you are. The fact of the matter is that my daughter is extremely happy right now, and she’s not with you. She’s told me about you, and I have to say that I never really cared that much for how you treated her. There isn’t a chance in the devil’s fiery hell that she’ll ever take you back, much less look at you again. If I were you, I’d just run along, move on, and find some other young girl to sucker,” Paul said, much to my amazement.
I’d been under the impression for a long time that Paul and Trent got along well. I thought that Paul had been happy Belle was with such an all-American guy. I was wrong—dead wrong.
“But Paul—”
“Don’t ever call me by my first name. Secondly, do you remember those guns you caught me cleaning one time when you came by? I still have them. All of them. Don’t come by my house again, and don’t talk to my daughter again unless your literal life depends on it. Good-bye, Trent. You can leave now,” Paul said with a stony expression.
Confused and frustrated, Trent walked away with his tail tucked in between his legs, and I got the chills from what had just happened.
“Dad,” Belle said, amazed.
“I’m sorry, baby, but it had to be said and I was the only one willing to say it. I never cared for that boy, and I only acted like it to please you,” he said.
“Let’s hope that’ll be the end of it. Why don’t we get the check and get out of here?” Leah asked.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Paul said.
•••
“I still can’t get over what your dad did back there,” I said in the car as Belle and I drove to the mall for her to shop a little.
“I know! He was like something from a movie,” she said.
“I just hope he doesn’t act like that with me one day,” I said nervously.
“Not my dad. He loves you!” she said.
“That’s good to hear. I was afraid he secretly hated me since I hadn’t really talked to him in so long,” I said.
We parked her car and then walked into the mall holding hands. She’d told me she needed to go to two stores to get a few things while her sale coupons were still valid. I didn’t have anything to do today besides a little studying, but it wasn’t much and I knew I’d be fine to do it later. It was more important right now to spend time with Belle.
The first place, some fashion store, blasted dance music and smelled like a wet dog covered in perfume. The employees, who were all dressed like fashion models, stocked shimmering gold tops and six-inch heels. I didn’t know Belle shopped in places like this, but I didn’t judge her for it. She did look amazing every day, after all.
She picked out a few shirts and a pair of pants as I sat on the white leather stools with two other guys who sat looking at their phones while their girlfriends or wives shopped. Is this what I was being relegated to? I guess it wasn’t so bad, though. At least it meant I had a girlfriend.
“Ready?” she asked, surprising me, as she stood there with two bags.
I nodded and took the bags from her. She smiled really wide and wrapped her right arm around mine and grabbed my hand down below.
“What’s the other stop?” I asked.
“Victoria’s Secret,” she said.
“Oh, I’ve never been in there before,” I said nervously.
“It’s fine. Tons of guys are in there with their girlfriends,” she said.
“Yeah, but, you know, am I supposed to see that kind of thing? The kinds of things you’re buying? You know …” I said.
“Theo, it’s fine,” she said, laughing. “We all wear underwear.”
I was in sensory overload as I walked in and saw tables full of underwear as smiling employees greeted us. I felt awkward, that was a given, but just how awkward I felt couldn’t be described in words. I stayed with Belle the entire time, almost at her hip, to make sure nobody thought I was some rogue pervert in here looking at underwear. I could just hear my name over the mall’s speaker system right now, warning other shoppers of the panties bandit running around.
Belle picked out a few pairs of underwear and one bra before she paid, I took the bag, and we walked out toward the parking garage. On the way we passed a tuxedo rental shop and I looked in the window, as they had high school displays with school colors for bow ties and vests, as well as photographs of the people they’d helped dress. I wondered what I’d look like in a tuxedo. I’d never worn one before, and I wasn’t sure how to tie a bow tie or even a regular tie, for that matter.
“See something you like?” she asked.
“Oh, no, just looking,” I said.
“I think you’d look good in a tux,” she said.
“Hopefully I get to find out one day,” I said.<
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“Oh, I think you will, and sooner than you think,” she said.
After we put the bags away and got back into her car, Belle turned to look at me.
“What now?” she asked.
“Anything you want,” I replied.
With a smile on her face, she pulled out and started heading in the opposite direction of our houses.
“Where are we going?” I asked, fifteen minutes later, as we got farther into the country.
“Really? You can’t guess? Think back to when we were five, and it was this time of year,” she said.
I tried to think of everywhere we could’ve gone when we were that age. There were so many places, but which ones were out here in the middle of nowhere?
“The apple orchard?” I asked in an unsure tone.
“See, you are a smart guy,” she said, teasing me.
“I haven’t been there in ages,” I said.
“I went last year with my parents. It’s really changed since we were kids,” she said.
“How so?” I asked.
“They have a huge barn with all kinds of animals, they remodeled the main barn and café, and they expanded the play area for kids,” she said.
“Ah, I remember that play area. They had the maze we always used to run through,” I said.
“It was always a competition to see who could run through it faster. The winner always got their apple cider and doughnuts first,” she said.
“And you always won,” I said.
“Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me,” she said as we pulled onto the road for the orchard.
The parking lots were packed, as many other people had the same idea she had about coming here. We circled around until an elderly couple finally left and we took their place.
The orchard looked much different than I remembered, but it was in a good way. Usually it’s not good to see places from your childhood memories changed, but I knew that these changes were for the better. Kids ran around playing tag as the smell of apple cider, doughnuts, and candy corn filled the crisp autumn air. An older man, one I remembered from my childhood, was manning the pony ride area, and slews of picnic tables were filled with families eating and taking in the fresh country air.
