Shuffle

AARON P.O.V.:

"Go ahead and cry yourself to sleep... and think how you hate me so bad." Forever the Sickest Kids, "Believe Me, I'm Lying"

"Dude, I really don't give a shit."

"Aaron, that was probably like the most brutal breakup I've ever witnessed, and you don't even care?"

Sometimes I swore that Brendon was a girl or gay or something. He was always so... sensitive about everything. Which is probably why he was still dating the same girl since seventh grade, and still hadn't gotten it in the hole yet. "Like, don't you get what I'm saying? She always catches me lying about the stupidest of things, like, where I'm at, or who I'm with. I just can't be with someone who is always going to be up my ass about that kind of stuff."

"Yeah, but dude--"

My phone beeped.

"Hey, call you back later, I got another call. Later." I hit TALK. "Yo, talk to me."

"I'm trying to, but every time I do, you hang up on me, or you turn around and start talking to someone else. It's been two days, Aaron, can we please talk about this?"

"Shyanne... listen. You know why I broke up with you. I don't see why we need to talk about anything..."

She sighed. "Because I still love you..."

I scratched my head. There was that four-letter, L word again... "Uh, you know Shyanne, I have to go. Brendon is on the other line. Uh, okay?"

"NO! It is not okay! You're avoiding me! I'm not stupid okay?! Like seriously!"

I could hear her choking up. She was about to cry. "I got to go. Bye."

I hung up before she had a chance to protest. I was not about to deal with another spew of begging and protests.

Instead of calling Brendon back, I just turned off my phone and stuffed in my pocket. Looking around I could see that the restaurant was nearly empty again. Good, this was the way that I liked it... empty.

"Yo, Carlos, can I get a slice of pepperoni?"

Carlos turned around form behind the counter. "You got money, or is it going on your tab?"

"Tab."

"Give me a couple minutes okay? I got three large pizzas in the oven right now, and then I'll get you yours."

"Thanks." I said, sliding further down into the booth. I looked out the windows into the main street outside. Cars drove by, women with shopping bags walked by, and little kids with hackeysacks and GameBoys skipped by. I stared down at the table. There was a black speck. I began to pick at it. It was stuck and it broke my fingernail. Wonderful... I thought as I sucked my finger, trying to get the bleeding to stop.

While I was deep in concentration of getting my oh-so-fatal wound to stop bleeding, the bell above the door rang, implying that someone had just entered or exited the restaurant. Since no one was there except me, I looked up to see who it was.

What a wonderful surprise. It was Shyanne. We locked eyes for a second. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were chapped from wiping away tears. I looked back down at the table, still sucking my finger in the process.

"Um, three large pizzas. Connors."

"Yes ma'am. Right here." Carlos said as he handed her the boxes of pizza. "That's $19.50."

"Yes, of course." She reached into her pocket. "Here," she said handing him a twenty. "Keep the change. Have a nice day."

She left and I watched her get into a white Saturn outside of the restaurant.

"I wonder what was wrong with Shyanne... She's also so chipper... She looked like she's been crying..." Carlos pondered aloud. "Are you two still together?"

"Nope."

"Oh? When did you guys break up?"

"Not soon enough..."

Carlos tsked. "You're such a heart-breaker nowadays, aren't you?"

"Sure. You can call it that if you want..."

"Well, if you have new girlfriends every few months, you have girls crying over you... I'd say that's a heartbreaker."

"Yeah. She can go cry herself to sleep... I honestly don't care." I got up. "Hey Carlos, forget the pizza. My mom wanted me to be home by five. I forgot. Check ya later man."

"Talk to you later, Aaron."

I stepped outside and greeted the cool air. Everything was going to be just fine.