Hey Monday-Sincerely, Tuesday

Tuesday-Why me? All the time....

I marched to my locker, with Jamie in tow.  "Tuesday, what the hell is going on?Why did you just storm out?  Are your hormones acting up again?"

I opened my locker, threw everything I didn't need into it, and took Jamie by the arm.  "C'mon.  It's time to hit the secret spot." Jamie raised her eyebrows, but didn't say a word.  I texted Monday where he could find me, and then sneaked into the band locker room-the old one.  The band used the new one, the old one was unused.  I carefully climbed on top of the lockers, and Jamie followed.  Five minutes later, Monday was there, and he was up there within seconds.  I hugged him, happy  that he was here. 

Monday looked around.  " God, this place is still creepy," he muttered, looking around.  I had to agree.  The electricity was disconnected, so we had a few candles and glowsticks stored up here, but the room was huge, and the candles only provided a medium-sized sphere of light before being swallowed by the darkness.  The candles threw flickering shadows on the walls, and it was hard to shake the feeling we were beign watched.  Not by the principal or someone's parents; more like by God or a serial killer. 

"Let's get this over with," Jamie whispered, sounding near tears.  Okay, I was scared, but I wasn't THAT scared.  Plus, this was free period-nobody really gave a damn about what you did or where you were. 

"I'm declaring a state of emergency," I said. 

"Tuesday, I told you, I'll kill this little bastard," Monday said.  I glared at him. 

"Not because of that.  This is worse.  I know who he is," I said, and Jamie gasped. Monday's brow furrowed, like he knew what I was going to say and didn't want to believe it.  I took a deep breath.  "Monday, you know everythign about me.  Jamie and me were there when you rattled off the list, and we seemed to be the only ones listening.  I can eliminate you two from the suspect list.  We haven't told anyone else about how much Monday knows me, right?  That leaves only one possible person." 

Jamie's mouth pressed into a thin line.  Monday grimaced.  We all knew, and said it in tandem.

"Bryce," we groaned. 

"I'm going to kill him," Monday muttered. 

"Not if I get there first," I mumbled. 

"We should tar and feather him," quipped Jamie, although there was no trace of humor in her voice. At that, she left. 

Monday and I scooched closer together, until I was in his lap.  He gently rubbed my stomach, like he was trying to comfort me and my unborn child at once.  I rubbed my hand on my stomach too.  It seemed like he (I didn't know the sex yet, but I was hoping for a boy in a sense) needed comfort as much as I did. Even though I was barely three months along, I felt like this kid could feel his biological parents' comfort.  Monday was still searching for an adoption couple, he hadn't found too much luck yet. 

"I mean, it's bad enough that Bryce is into you when he knows we're together, but when we have a child on the way...that's just uncalled for," Monday murmured.  I nodded. 

"I'll talk to him today.  Let me handle it.  He might take it more seriously if he hears it from the object of his affection than the object of his affection's boyfriend," I said.  "I'll be home later than normal, talking to Bryce and getting groceries.  Let mom know I'll be late."

"Okay," Monday agreed.  We sat in silence until the bell rang. 

"Good luck," Monday whispered in my ear, and pecked me on the cheek.  Then he was gone.  with a sigh, I blew the candles out, and used a glowstick to get myself down. 

Time to face Bryce Anderson.

***

I was getting impatient.  I had been standing at Bryce's locker for TEN MINUTES, trying to look inconspicuous.  And trust me, it's hard to look inconpicuous when you are: a) pregnant, b) waiting for a guy who is NOT the father of your child, and c) playing Angry Birds with the volume on FULL BLAST. 

"Die, you stupid pigs! That's what you get for taking my eggs!" I shouted, breaking a barricade and taking out all the pigs within it.  "Yes! New highscore!" I shouted, doing a little dance.  Sure, this was about letting Bryce down gently, but I was bored. 

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy to be playing Angry Birds in front of my locker," said a voice.  "Then again, I never know what to expect from Tuesday Nilson."

I snapped back to reality.  It was Bryce.  I leaned back, trying to seem more calm and collected than i ever really was.  "What's up?"

Bryce laughed.  Then he took me by the shoulders and gently moved aside.  "You were in my way," he said, opening his locker.  Something fell to the floor.  He tried to grab  it and stuff it back into his locker, but I got to it first. 

It was another note, adressed to me.  I turned to Bryce, who was looking very intently at the ground, his face red.  I placed a hand on his shoulder.  "Come on.  Let's get some coffee and talk." He nodded. 

***

"Mmmmmmmm....." I said, taking a sip of hot chocolate.  Bryce smiled weakly, and took a tiny sip of his coffee.  I couldn't even pretend to like coffee.  I'm pretty sure that it was just boiled dirt with water. 

I sighed, and dabbed at my mouth with a napkin.  "Okay, Bryce.  I already knew it was you before I found this," I said, holding up the note.  I tossed it in the wastebasket.  "Deductive reasoning in an abandoned classroom helped.  The question is, why?  Why would you send me notes and flowers when you know I love Monday?"

"Monday is not the only one who cares for you, Tuesday," Bryce said.  "I care about you."

"I'm carrying Monday's child," I said, doing my best to keep my temper under control.  "Telling me you like me was wrong, Bryce, sincerity or not." 

"Let me ask you a hypothetical question, Tuesday," Bryce said.  I gave him a go on gesture.  "If Monday had never came back, who would you go to for comfort?"

I felt tears pool my eyes at the mere possibility of Monday never coming back, but I swallowed them back.  "I would've gone to you, I guess.  You knew Monday almost as well as I did." I shook my head, trying to think in reality, not hypothetical terms.  "Bryce, that doesn't matter.  It didn't happen.  Monday came back.  So much happened between us, there's no changing how I feel."

Bryce sighed.  "I know you two have history, Tuesday, but there's got to be something else that is keeping you tied to him." He leaned across the table and gently took my hand.  I didn't pull away for a moment, then  snapped back to reality and slid my hand out from under his.  "I wan to know what happened between you and Monday that keeps you so close to  him.  and no, I'm not talking about the loss of your virginity.  I mean before that.  When  he came back to Tampa, there was something between you two.  At least let me know."

I looked at my lap.  "I saved his life," I said quietly.  "He called me on Halloween, and told me he needed my help and to come to somewhere or other right away.  So I dropped everything and went to NYC.  I found him, all scarred up by these thugs, and managed to knock them out and get him to the hospital." I flushed.  I had never told anyone except my mom about that, and I had spared the details. 

Bryce looked uncomfortable, like he was holding in poo.  "Oh.  I guess I can't get in the way of that."

I stood.  "You are still my friend Bryce, that won't change.  And thank you...for being honest with me."  I pecked him on the cheek and left.  I had shopping to do and one explanation to tell Monday.