Why It's a Good Thing: Chapter 1: Alone

Chapter 9: Homework Invasion

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“I was wondering if we could all do homework together.  Not this every-other-week thing.” Adam asks me on Sunday.

“Okay, so long as I can start coming to your house every day after school and do homework, like it used to be.  Just with Joletta.”

“That’s what I meant.” I says.

“Oh.  Then okay, yeah that’s fine.” I tell him.

“Okay good, because I don’t want her to feel like she’s being left out.  Her family is coming over for dinner tonight.” He tells me.

“Cool.” I try to act normal about it.

“Are you and Joletta even friends?” He asks me.  “Everything tenses up and seems to get awkward when you two are both in the same place.”

The tenseness bothers me but I could never drive Joletta away from Adam.  She makes him happy.  “Of course we are.  She’s one of my good friends.”  No she is not.  She is not one of my best friends.  She is terrible.

I guess dinner went well because I didn’t get a call or anything for the whole night.  Usually both of them call me every night.  Joletta, to brag.  Adam, to tell me how much fun he had or ask me if I’m sure I’m alright.  

Ever since they got together we haven’t been together alone, not even once.  They have, but he’s still keeping his promise and asks me if I’m okay with it every time they want to go somewhere or do something without me.  I hate it but I love it when he asks me because I always say yes.  I like seeing him happy even if it is at my own suspense.  I hate and love it at the same time because every time he asks, I’m attracted to him a little bit more.  I’m just lucky to still be included with homework by this time.

The ground is fully covered by snow and the air figs when you breathe, it’s February.  Joletta and I are okay with each other now… sort of, but I still hate her.  “Hello?” I ask when the phone rings and I answer.

“Hey doll.” She’s moved from darling to doll, her evil voice has dissolved and now she talks like a normal human being.  It makes me accept being called doll a little bit more.

“Hey.” I say, waiting to hear what she has to say.

“So…” She begins.  “Valentine’s Day is coming up.  Four days.”

I hope I’m not thinking what she’s thinking.  “Yeah.  What about it?” Please don’t be thinking what I’m thinking… Please don’t be thinking what I’m thinking…  I repeat this over and over in my head before she answers.

“I…” She pauses.  “I think I’m going to kiss him.”

“No,” I say.  “You can’t.”

“Why?” She asks.

“I’m just letting you two to stay together for his happiness.  This has nothing to do with you.”

“I’m his girlfriend.  This has everything to do with me.” She has a point.

“Maybe you’re jumping into things too fast.  Maybe he won’t kiss you if he thinks it’s too early.” I suggest.  Anything to keep her lips from touching his before mine do.

“Maybe I would have kissed him sooner if I could find a good reason to. We’ve been going out for almost three months and should have already kissed.” She fights back.

Maybe not!  I think of what to say next.  “Maybe we will be together in the end anyways so you should just give up if you’re strong enough.”

There is silence on the other line.  “Life’s too short for hypotheticals.  Stop getting your hopes up I’ve already won.  You are nothing to Adam compared to me.  I’m better at this game than you are.  I may call you doll, doll.  But that doesn’t mean you’re as pretty or near as perfect as one.”

“It doesn’t matter how pretty I am.  Adam doesn’t know.” I remind her.

I can feel her shocked look through the cord.  “I… I…” She hangs up and so do I.  Finally, I have made her run away from me.  I didn’t think what I said would have affected her that much.

The phone rings again and I pick it up.  “Hello?” I ask, even though I know its Joletta.

“I’m still kissing him.” Without time to respond, she hangs up again.

I set the phone down for the last time and think, She’ll never pull this off.   But I still worry.

Up comes the magical day, Valentine’s Day.  Joletta came to school the day before with a terrible cold.  Today she comes in with the same bad cold.  “Oh, Joletta.  Your cold really is terrible, you had better keep your germs off of other people.” I say at lunch.

She flashes me an evil look, knowing what I’m up to.  Ruining her kiss.  

“Yeah.” Adam agrees.  “We’d better cancel for tonight.”

“But it’s Valentine’s Day!” She exclaims, giving out a huge sneeze.  “The most important day in any couple’s lives!”

“I’ll think.” He says.  They were going to go see a movie and he probably knows she won’t be able to keep her hands off of him even at the least scary parts, so he’s probably going to cancel.

I call him after homework is done and I’m sure Joletta has gone home.  “Hey.” I say when he answers.

“Hi.” He says.

“We don’t see each other much these days… well, we do.  All the time, but…”

He cuts me off.  “I know what you mean.” He tells me.

“Oh.” I say.  “Good.  I’m glad.” 

“So…” He trails off.

“Um… I was kind of wondering if we could do something, you know, like the old days.”

“I don’t know,” He responds.  “She would probably suspect something.”

“Then she’s not a good enough girlfriend if she can’t trust you with other girls.” I tell him.

“I guess you could be right but I really like her.”

An awkward silence goes over the phone.  I act without thinking, “If Joletta and I were over for homework and your house caught on fire, who would you take with you first?”

He says nothing and I feel bad for asking, but a fire inside for me makes me keep going.  “Well?” I ask again.  “It’s Joletta, isn’t it?” Still no answer.  “You told me she could never replace me.”  I almost start to cry but I swallow it back with all of my anger.  “I feel so left out of every single thing you two do.” I tear streams down my face but my voice stays strong.  “I just let her be alone with you because I want you to be happy and I know you two want to be alone because you’re going out.”

“Julissa…” He tries to stop me.

“What?!” I yell.

“Just for the record, I would pick you, and if you didn’t want me to go out with her you could have just told me.” He says calmly.

My crying stops and I laugh, then I get serious again.  “Okay.”

“Well, I kind of want to stay with her not that I’ve been with her for a few months.  You should have told me sooner.”

“Now I feel stupid.” I say.

“Well you shouldn’t.”

“I still do.” I tell him.

“Why?” He asks.

“Because, I’m getting left out on everything and I can’t do anything about it.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about tonight, I cancelled because I didn’t want to get sick.”

I smile to myself at this and say, “Oh, that’s too bad.” I’ll keep them from kissing as long as I can help it.

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