Joy

Part 15

I'm in my room and I can finally let my cries out. In a second, my face is wet from all the tears. I text Martha to come when she can, but I don't get any response. After a few minutes of crying, I realize I won't achieve anything with this, so I wipe my tears and text, Martha, not to come. Despite the message, I can hear the bell ringing downstairs. When I open, I see Martha standing at the doors.

Martha: What happened?

I told her everything. She didn't look so surprised.

Martha: I told you not to mess with them.
Joyce: I know, I know...
Martha: The damage is done. You can't do anything now. Just try to forget everything.
Joyce: Forget... You're right. I should forget everything, that would be the easiest. Maybe slam my head on the wall so I can forget the last month.
Martha: You're jocking darkly, you're fine.

She's trying to cheer me up.

Joyce: Yeah, I am.
Martha: Everything will be okay.
Joyce: I know... Do you maybe wanna stay here over the night? We could watch some movies and skip school tomorrow.
Martha: Yeah, my parents will be thrilled.
Joyce: We can tell them I'm sick, so you want to stay. And you'll catch things up in school anyway.
Martha: We can try...

And that's how we ended up watching Fifty shades of gray. It was my idea and Martha agreed since she never watched it either. It's 4 a.m. and we're just lying in my bed- talking.

Martha: You think that's normal?
Joyce: What?
Martha: The movie...
Joyce: Well, if people like it who am I to tell anything against it?
Martha: And would you like to try something like that?
Joyce: I don't know, I didn't really think about it.

Suddenly, we hear someone knocking on the doors.

Martha: Who's that?
Joyce: I don't know.

I sneak to the window and see a dark silhouette in front of the doors. I recognize the silhouette- Dylan.

Joyce: It's Dylan.
Martha: What?
Joyce: Go down and tell him I don't wanna talk.
Martha: Me?
Joyce: Yeah, you. Go!

We're both downstairs, but I'm hiding in the kitchen, so I can hear them.

Dylan: Hi... Where's Joy?
Martha: She's not in a mood for talking.
Dylan: Common, I just need her to...
Martha: And what do you wanna talk about?
Dylan: Everything.
Martha: Sorry, she doesn't want to talk.
Dylan: Martha, please...

Joyce: This is ridiculous!
Dylan: Joy...
Joyce: Go away!

I slam the doors into his face- which makes me feel guilty a bit.

Martha: You okay?

My brain stops working,

Dylan: You okay, Joy?
Dylan: Want me to stop, Joy?

I remember us lying on the bed in that hotel- his warm hands around me...

Martha: Joyce!
Joyce: Ha?
Martha: You okay?
Joyce: Yeah... I'm fine. Let's go to sleep.

I can't sleep and I'm just turning left and right until morning.

Dylan's P.O.V.

I can' sleep. It was so stupid to go there and try to convince her otherwise. Stupid Theresa. Why is she doing this? Why did she tell that to Joy... Joyce. Although I thought Joyce is different from every other girl, I'm not. I still liked the way she cried in the car. The way she tried to hide her tears. With a few words, I could stop the tears or make them run even more- so much power to handle with and I like it so much. Theresa's right- I am a control freak and Joyce deserves someone better than me. Just the thought of Joyce with someone else grosses me out.

"Dylan?" I hear a quiet voice on my doors.
Dylan: What!?

I see Celia on my doors.

Celia: Wanna play with me?

She looks sad and scared- if she watched stupid horror movies again...

Dylan: Leave me alone.
Celia: Dylan?

She walks into the room.

Celia: Please.

Joyce: Please, don't.

I remember Joyce lying next to me in that bed in the hotel, her breathing so fast and irregular. I could feel her goosebumps under my fingers again.

Celia: Dylan?

She snaps me out of the thinking.

Dylan: Yeah, let's go.

This is the first time ever I'm playing with Celia. Suddenly, my phone starts ringing.

Dylan: Hello?
Zach: Hi. Did you call me?
Dylan: Yeah, meet me at the coffee shop.
Zach: See you there in ten minutes.
Dylan: Bye.

I look at Celia.

Dylan: I'll be back for an hour, okay?
Celia: Okay.
Dylan: Bye.

I run downstairs.

Dylan: Bye!
Denise: Dylan.
Dylan: What...
Denise: Where are you going?
Dylan: To see Zach... Why?
Denise: We have to talk.
Dylan: Make it quick.
Denise: That girl you brought home...
Dylan: I'm not having this conversation with you...

Denise: I don't want you to do that anymore. What if Celia was home?
Dylan: I knew she wasn't.

I open the doors.

Denise: Dylan.
Dylan: What now?
Denise: Don't do anything stupid.

I'm just looking at her- I think it's a bit too late for that.

Zach: Wow, what an idiot. Theresa really fell lower than I thought.
Dylan: I know.
Zach: What now?
Dylan: I don't know... Looks like I lost this one.
Zach: Really? You'll surrender? To Theresa?
Dylan: What can I do?
Zach: Admitting loss to Theresa is certainly not the best option. Go and make Joyce your... You know your plan, just show up and she'll fall for you.

Dylan: Joyce is not like that.
Zach: Sure she is. Every girl is like that in front of you.
Dylan: Joyce isn't. She doesn't want to talk to me.
Zach: Then you'll have to put more effort into the apology.
Dylan: I don't know...
Zach: Just try something, it's not like it can get any worse than it is.
Dylan: You're right...
Zach: I'm always right.
Dylan: Whatever...

I'm thinking about what Zach said the whole day. I don't think Joyce will want to look at me ever again. It's over...