regret, I walk out the door and slam it behind me. Then I decide that arrogant isn’t the only word that fits him. There’s an even better one.
Asshole.
I t’s been a week since I met Connor, and even though I gave him my number before I left, I haven’t heard a word from him. While having lunch with Rebecca and Tripp, I decide to send him a text and see how he’s doing.
Me: Hey, Connor. It’s Brec. How ya been, kid?
Leaving his house that day, I felt good. For the first time in a long time, I actually had a smile that wasn’t fake on my face. There was something about the kid I really liked. I’m not sure if it was the genuine happiness he had from meeting me or the fact that he didn’t sit around and mope because he was sick. For once in my adult life, though, someone wanted to hang out with me because of me and not what I could do for them. I mean, I tried giving the kid my watch and he politely turned it down, for fuck’s sake.
I’m still waiting for a response when I hear a throat clear across the table. Dropping my phone, I glance up and catch Rebecca staring at me.
“What?” I ask with more attitude than I intended.
She responds quickly, cutting her eyes to Tripp. “Nothing.”
This whole lunch has been awkward, and I can’t figure out why. I feel like there’s something Rebecca wants to say. She keeps clearing her throat and opening her mouth before clamping it shut or saying something random. She’s never been one to hold back before, so I’m beginning to worry that it’s something serious.
It isn’t unusual for Reb to show up with a pizza and a six-pack in the middle of the week, and we make it a point to have lunch together often. So, there was no reason to question it when she called asking to meet last minute. But, now that I think back on it, I realize she did sound strange during that brief conversation.
The three of us have been tight since middle school. We met when I was twelve. One afternoon, I was leaving football practice and stumbled across Tripp as he was getting pummeled by a couple of older kids behind the gym.
I stepped in to stop the ass-kicking about the same time this cute girl came racing around the corner, yelling his name. When she saw me jump in and take on the boys who were two years older than I was and twice as big, she dove in too. I’d never seen a girl fight before, and I think I may have fallen in love with her just a little right then.
As soon as the two chumps realized that a girl was kicking their ass, they took off. Rebecca just stood up and brushed her shorts off, and when she noticed that I was staring at her with my mouth hanging open, she said, “What? Want me to kick your ass too?” Laughing, she walked off, Tripp trailing behind her.
Even at the age of nine, she was beautiful, but any crush I might have had on her quickly disappeared when she actually did kick my ass a couple of days later. It was all in fun, but I realized she was never going to be anything more than the sister I didn’t have when she put me in a headlock for making fun of her doll.
Needless to say, we’ve been friends ever since.
Worry causes me to bark at her. “Just spit it out, Reb. You’ve been acting strange since we got here. It’s something.”
With a deep breath, she begins. “I’m worried about you. You’ve been out partying so much lately. Is there something going on with you?”
The concern on her face would usually warm my heart, but instead, it has the opposite effect. I can’t control the sudden irritation that bubbles up. Here, I was thinking she had cancer or some other terrible thing happening in her life, and really, she just wanted to bitch at me for a few wild nights out.
I snap, “I’m fine. I’m not doing anything I haven’t always done.” I pause before reminding her, “It wasn’t so long ago that you were right beside me every night.” Then I turn my gaze to Tripp.
He’s remained quiet throughout most of the meal. I
Asshole.
I t’s been a week since I met Connor, and even though I gave him my number before I left, I haven’t heard a word from him. While having lunch with Rebecca and Tripp, I decide to send him a text and see how he’s doing.
Me: Hey, Connor. It’s Brec. How ya been, kid?
Leaving his house that day, I felt good. For the first time in a long time, I actually had a smile that wasn’t fake on my face. There was something about the kid I really liked. I’m not sure if it was the genuine happiness he had from meeting me or the fact that he didn’t sit around and mope because he was sick. For once in my adult life, though, someone wanted to hang out with me because of me and not what I could do for them. I mean, I tried giving the kid my watch and he politely turned it down, for fuck’s sake.
I’m still waiting for a response when I hear a throat clear across the table. Dropping my phone, I glance up and catch Rebecca staring at me.
“What?” I ask with more attitude than I intended.
She responds quickly, cutting her eyes to Tripp. “Nothing.”
This whole lunch has been awkward, and I can’t figure out why. I feel like there’s something Rebecca wants to say. She keeps clearing her throat and opening her mouth before clamping it shut or saying something random. She’s never been one to hold back before, so I’m beginning to worry that it’s something serious.
It isn’t unusual for Reb to show up with a pizza and a six-pack in the middle of the week, and we make it a point to have lunch together often. So, there was no reason to question it when she called asking to meet last minute. But, now that I think back on it, I realize she did sound strange during that brief conversation.
The three of us have been tight since middle school. We met when I was twelve. One afternoon, I was leaving football practice and stumbled across Tripp as he was getting pummeled by a couple of older kids behind the gym.
I stepped in to stop the ass-kicking about the same time this cute girl came racing around the corner, yelling his name. When she saw me jump in and take on the boys who were two years older than I was and twice as big, she dove in too. I’d never seen a girl fight before, and I think I may have fallen in love with her just a little right then.
As soon as the two chumps realized that a girl was kicking their ass, they took off. Rebecca just stood up and brushed her shorts off, and when she noticed that I was staring at her with my mouth hanging open, she said, “What? Want me to kick your ass too?” Laughing, she walked off, Tripp trailing behind her.
Even at the age of nine, she was beautiful, but any crush I might have had on her quickly disappeared when she actually did kick my ass a couple of days later. It was all in fun, but I realized she was never going to be anything more than the sister I didn’t have when she put me in a headlock for making fun of her doll.
Needless to say, we’ve been friends ever since.
Worry causes me to bark at her. “Just spit it out, Reb. You’ve been acting strange since we got here. It’s something.”
With a deep breath, she begins. “I’m worried about you. You’ve been out partying so much lately. Is there something going on with you?”
The concern on her face would usually warm my heart, but instead, it has the opposite effect. I can’t control the sudden irritation that bubbles up. Here, I was thinking she had cancer or some other terrible thing happening in her life, and really, she just wanted to bitch at me for a few wild nights out.
I snap, “I’m fine. I’m not doing anything I haven’t always done.” I pause before reminding her, “It wasn’t so long ago that you were right beside me every night.” Then I turn my gaze to Tripp.
He’s remained quiet throughout most of the meal. I
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