Disclaimer!!! This is very rough! Only my first draft! I haven’t made any corrections, and NOTHING is set in stone!!!!!
“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?” he probed.
I thought 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?” Alex kids.
“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 crooked 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.
“Ha ha, you’re a goofball too,” I say, in a poor attempt to distract my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend from the fact that 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?” he jokes.
“Awww…you’ve been alright…you know, an average boyfriend,” I say, with a chuckle. I mean, we ended the school year with the possibility of “some day,” 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 I’m taking it that it was 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. But that came to an end when she decided to start doing the nasty with my boyfriend. Dang, that 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,” he pleads.
“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. That is 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 will 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 is 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 ever think I’ve 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 loser 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. Does he realize what he’s saying? He obviously stopped himself. He’s not any different than Erika. He could be hooking 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.
“But she’s what, Alex? What were you going to say?”
“Nothing babe.” Really? Nothing?
“Interesting,” is all I can think of to say. Do I really want to start this conversation? We just professed our love to each other. I don’t want to ruin it with any bull.
Alex must feel the same way. All I hear is the low steady hum of him breathing.
I’m first to break the silence. “Well, it’s getting late. I’ll take to you tomorrow sometime.”
“Yeah, it is. I’ll call you.”
“Whatever…sounds good. Bye.” I say, nonchalantly.
“Bye Meg.”
How do things change so quickly? Just five minutes ago, I could’ve done cartwheels across the football field. I was so excited about Alex telling me he loved me. But then, seconds later, he’s all, ‘Erika can have any guy she wants and she’s with this toddler instead.’ Well, he really didn’t use those words exactly, but that’s the way it sounded. He may as well have added, ‘What the heck am I thinking? I’m going out with this little girl, when I could have a hot piece of sorority girl ass.’
Yeah…like I’m going to get any sleep tonight.
Ugh!
Boys are stupid!
